Don't Let Heel Pain Sideline You This Season: A Guide to Plantar Fasciitis

Plantar fasciitis is a common but painful condition that affects the band of tissue that connects your toes to your heel.

This elastic tissue is your foot’s original shock absorber. As your foot strikes the ground, the plantar fascia distributes that stress.

However, just like the shock-absorbing capabilities of your most expensive kicks eventually wear out, the plantar fascia can break down. Repetitive stress, aging, and untreated foot conditions such as fallen arches all create wear-and-tear on this most important tissue.

Plantar fasciitis affects about 1% of people in the United States. You may experience debilitating symptoms, such as:

Heel pain, especially in the morning
Worsened pain after exercise
Pain in your arches

Although most plantar fasciitis resolves over a period of about 10 months, our expert podiatrists at North Park Podiatry in San Diego, California, know that you’d rather avoid the pain in the first place.

How do you prevent heel pain from sidelining you this season? Follow these steps.

Stretch your plantar fascia

When your plantar fascia is stiff and inelastic, it’s more likely to develop tears that cause inflammation. You can help maintain your plantar fascia’s elasticity and shock absorbency with simple stretches. Do them when you awaken, before your feet hit the ground:

Cross one leg over the other
Take hold of your foot and pull your toes toward your shin
Rub your thumb of the opposing hand over your arch
Hold for a count of 10
Do 10 repetitions, then repeat on the other foot

Perform at least three sets per day. Make sure you do them:

First thing in the morning
Before working out
After exercise
After prolonged sitting
Before bed

Passively stretch at night

If you already have had plantar fasciitis, or if you’re battling a flare right now, you could also benefit from wearing a night splint. The splint gently stretches your plantar fascia while you sleep. You should feel little to no pain in the morning.

Switch things up

Sitting or standing for too long can lead to painful plantar fasciitis. Be sure you get off your feet and stretch. If you sit for your job, get up every 30-60 minutes to stretch and take a walk.

Lose weight

Excess weight stresses your feet. We can recommend a medically supervised weight loss program, which may include GLP-1 agonists, to help you get to a healthy and stable weight.

Consider orthotics

The right shoes can make all the difference when it comes to a healthy plantar fascia. If you overpronate or have misalignments in your feet, that creates extra stress on your arches.

We evaluate your feet as well as the way you move in order to prescribe customized orthotics that let your feet function at their best.

We also recommend that you wear well-fitting flat shoes with roomy toe boxes so that your toes aren’t cramped and excess stress isn’t placed on the ball of your foot.

Roll your pain away

If you notice that your plantar fascia is feeling tender, you may be able to reduce the inflammation and pain with a simple rolling technique. Place a water bottle in the freezer until it turns to ice.

Then, roll the bottle with the sole of your foot. The cold helps dull the pain. The rolling motion aids in stretching the plantar fascia to make it more flexible.

Get some extra help

If you’re in the middle of a plantar fasciitis flare-up, these do-it-yourself methods may not be enough to control your pain. We may recommend:

Extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) to stimulate healing
Anti-inflammatory medications
Corticosteroids for pain and inflammation

Get the help you need to stay in the game this season by contacting us for plantar fasciitis treatment today. Phone our helpful staff or fill out our online appointment form.