Plantar fasciitis is a common foot problem amongst runners. It is classically characterized by pain in the morning when taking the first step.
What exactly is plantar fasciitis?
Plantar fascia provides support to the foot and is a band of connective tissue that extends from your heel to your toes. When the plantar fascia is irritated due to too much stress, we get heel pain.
Risk factors for plantar fasciitis include:
- Tight calf muscles
- History of ankle sprains
- Being on your feet all the time
- Poor footwear
- Weak foot muscles
During the acute stage of the injury, here are 4 quick strategies to reduce your pain.
1) Use a Strassburg Sock – this sock is a great way to optimize healing of the plantar fascia at night. By allowing the plantar fascia to heal in a lengthened position vs shortened position, it can significantly reduce the pain that is experienced in the morning when taking your first step
2) Tennis ball Massage: place a tennis ball on the ground and gently roll it under your foot for 1-2 minutes, twice a day
3) Foam Roll: Place a foam roller under your calf muscles and work them up and down along the whole muscle looking for sore spots. Foam roll for 30-60 seconds, twice a day
4) Mobilize the ankle: After foam rolling or massaging your calf muscles, immediately follow up with stretching the ankle to get it moving more. Repeat 10 times, hold for 5 seconds, twice a day.
While these strategies will assist with reduction in pain, other aspects of the hip, knee, ankle and foot will be necessary to be looked at to reduce the chances of a flare up.
To find out more about how you can do that and how we can help you get there, look out for our next post!
If you want any quick tips on how to reduce pain in your body, message us or give us a call on the phone, and we’ll be glad to answer your questions.
Author: Zachary Hum MScPT BAKin
