Plantar fasciitis – a painful inflammation along the bottom of the feet that many people feel during their first steps after getting up – regularly appears when people overexert themselves during certain activities, stand excessively, use poor foot dynamics, or are overweight. If you suffer from plantar fasciitis, you already know how uncomfortable it can be. Luckily, there are natural things you can do to help.
To prevent plantar fasciitis, you can practice a set of specific exercises and stretches that will only take you a few minutes daily and should resolve some of the issues you’re having. Below, we’ll explain to you how to eliminate the pain from plantar fasciitis naturally with these simple tips.
Who Does Plantar Fasciitis Affect the Most?
About 3 million people in the US suffer from plantar fasciitis, with the largest concentration of sufferers in the 40-60 years old demographic. Every year, a section of the population has to be treated for this problem. Some of them have to undergo different therapies to be able to recover or get relief from the serious pain caused – which is focused in the heel but can extend to the edge of the feet. Usually, the pain will subside or disappear subsequently to walking or exercising for a short period of time.
What is the Plantar Fascia?
The plantar fascia is a long, thin band of tissue located along the bottom of the foot. It joins the heel bone to the bones at the base of the toes, helping to maintain the arch of the foot so it can take the strain of resisting the body’s weight in every movement. However, when there is too much pressure on the plantar fascia, the tissues can become weak, swollen, and inflamed. This turns into a severe ache better known as plantar fasciitis.
Risk Factors for Plantar Fasciitis
While plantar fasciitis can occur without a clear reason, there have been several primary risk factors identified.- Being overweight.
- Tense calf muscles. These make it difficult to bend the foot and pull the toes closer to the tibia. This is why calf stretches can be particularly useful in rehabilitation.
- Having a very pronounced (high) arch or conversely, flat feet.
- Performing a repetitive impact activity such as running or standing for long periods of time on a hard surface.
- Starting a new activity or one of greater intensity than usual.
- Wearing shoes that don’t fit well or are worn out.
- Excessively rolling the feet inward when walking (pronation).
- Age, particularly if you are between 40-60 years of age.
Symptoms of Plantar Fasciitis
Generally, pain is the main sign you may have plantar fasciitis. However, the following details can be considered:- Feeling pain when walking – especially the first few steps upon waking in the morning.
- Discomfort when turning the foot after a long time of being inactive, for example, when we stay in the same posture without moving for hours.
- Severe ache after working out or being active in general.
Treating Plantar Fasciitis as Home
Luckily, there are a number of ways you can treat plantar fasciitis with simple stretches and other exercises. As a chiropractor serving Eden Prairie and surrounding communities, here are some of the recommendations I give my patients.Calf Stretches
- Find a step or other flat surface that allows you to keep the front of your foot supported while the back of your foot can move downwards (In the video, Dr. Bevanda uses a special angled platform made for calf stretches so you can use one of those as well if you have one – in which case you can simply perform the exercise as shown).
- Stand towards the end of the surface with firm toes and a slightly elevated heel.
- Carefully lower your heel without bending your knees, letting your toes rise naturally. This will create a stretch in your calf muscle.
- Hold this position for 30 seconds then come back to the initial position.
- Switch feet and repeat.
- Perform 10 repetitions of this exercise on each side, 3 times a day.
Wall Stretch
- Place your hands on a wall.
- Stretch out your arms and move one of your legs straight back while the other knee is bent slightly.
- Without taking your heels off the ground, bend your body forward.
- Hold it for 30 seconds to feel the stretch.
- Do 10 repetitions 3 times a day.
Myofascial Release Using Ball Rolling
- Using a lacrosse ball or frozen bottle of water, apply pressure to the sole of the foot by rolling it over the chosen object. Doing this with a frozen bottle of water has the added benefit of helping reduce inflammation in the foot.
- Do this for a few minutes. You can perform this exercise while doing other things like watching TV or sitting at your desk.
Mobilizing the Foot
- Sit in a comfortable position where you can interlock your fingers between your toes.
- Splay your fingers between your toes and start bending the toes backward.
- Rotate your toes slowly, with light pressure.
- As your foot begins to relax, move your fingers further through the spaces between your toes and intensify the movement slightly.
- Do this for a few minutes on each foot.