5 ways to relieve plantar fasciitis pain

5 Ways Plantar Fasciitis Therapy can Relieve Pain

If you told people who were having foot pain that they have issues with their Plantar Fascia, they’d look at you with confusion.

Truthfully, not a lot of people know the scientific name of a ligament in our feet. This ligament helps us walk, and it supports the arch of our feet, so naturally, when it’s damaged or strained, it tends to hurt and cause some serious problems.

An interesting fact about Plantar Fascia, or the condition of Plantar Fasciitis, is that it’s the most common orthopaedic issue that people have. It is fairly easy to tear this ligament as we constantly walk and put stress on our feet, so it’s no surprise that it should be such a common issue.

Let’s expand.

What is Plantar Fasciitis?

As we mentioned before, Plantar Fasciitis is a condition that causes pain and discomfort in the heel of the foot. The Plantar Fascia is a fairly thin ligament that is distributed in a web-like pattern. It connects the heel to the front of the feet, and is a critical part of our daily lives, as we wouldn’t be able to walk properly or at all without it.

Use heel pads and arch supporters

By using heel pads and arch supporters, you are helping your foot relax a bit more, and so enabling the recovery and treatment of the Plantar Fascia. You should use these at all times inside your shoes so that it can be treated consistently. The primary goal of using heel pads and arch supporters is to raise the heel by 1cm. You should place the pads and supporters in both shoes, even if only one of your feet is affected. This is so that there is no awkward difference when you walk, plus, you want to keep your foot movements consistent.

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Stretching and strengthening

Stretching and strengthening can help you ease the pain that you feel from Plantar Fasciitis. This is because people who suffer from this condition usually have problems with their Achilles’ tendon, meaning that it is fairly stiff. Also, when you are asleep, the Plantar Fascia generally tightens up and causes problems that you feel the moment you wake up.

Here’s a good exercise that should take care of some of the pain:

Take a seat in a chair and bend the knees at a right angle and place your heels and feet on the floor. Lift the troublesome foot up, while keeping the heel on the ground. Stay in this position for a second or two and relax. Repeat ten times. It’s recommended that you do this exercise around 5 times a day.

Flexor Digitorum Longus exercise

If this is the first time you have heard of it, let’s explain. The Flexor Digitorum Longus is a muscle in the lower leg, that is fairly long and narrow. This muscle is responsible for inverting the foot, flexing toes, and helping the foot stick to the ground.

Here is one exercise:

Walk or run on uneven surfaces, mainly grass or sand, but first, check for broken glass or any other debris. We recommend running or walking barefoot for around 10 minutes every second day.

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Iontophoresis Technique

This technique requires the use of electrical impulses to deliver treatments to the affected area, rather than injections. Two pad-like electrodes are attached to the skin, and a small electrical current runs through your body from one to the other, “dragging” a solution of therapeutic drugs, such as corticosteroids, over the skin. A small study has proved that this technique can relieve pain and inflammation from plantar fasciitis quickly; in around two weeks. However, there has been no proof of long-term benefits. It tends to be professional athletes who use this technique, which is expensive, as rapid recovery is important to them.

Wearing a night splint

Night splints are used to help your feet stay in a single position throughout the night. The Plantar Fascia is in an elongated position, meaning that some healing occurs while you are asleep. This method doesn’t work for everyone and only around a third of people have said that it helped them in the long run. Nonetheless, it might help you not feel pain in the morning, so we recommend this method of treatment.

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Further resources

Author Bio:
Andy Bell is a successful writer and loves to write well-researched and high-quality content on different topics related to foot care, nail care, plantar fasciitis and feetremedies. He is an expert advisor and keeps blogging about nail care tips and natural solutions for feet related problems.

Independent Living has an article about general foot health here

There is more detailed information about specialist footwear here

The Cordwainer makes orthopaedic shoes and orthotics for people with serious foot problems and mobility issues

You can find info about personal care items such as nail scissors and clippers here

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