Plantar Fasciitis Treatment: Lessening the Pain

Plantar fasciitis is an injury that occurs on the bottom of the foot. The injury happens when the plantar fascia that runs from the ball of the foot to the sole of the foot becomes over-extended or torn. Plantar fasciitis treatment methods can take a long time to work because the fascia stretches whenever the foot contacts the ground.


Causes Of Plantar Fasciitis

Plantar faciitis problems occur when a runner suddenly increases mileage and/or workout intensity without allowing his or her body to get used to the new workload. Spikes can especially aggravate the plantar fascia, so running the first race of the season without having used spikes before can be problematic. Make sure to try to use spikes a few times in workouts before using them in a race.

The Best Plantar Fasciitis Treatment Methods

Due to the fact that walking can stretch and aggravate an injured plantar fascia, it is difficult to design a quick plantar fasciitis treatment program. One important thing to avoid is walking around barefoot. Barefoot walking can aggravate the fascia more than walking in supportive shoes. In addition, try some of these plantar fasciitis treatment remedies:

  • RICE Method: The RICE method is one of the best ways to treatment plantar fascia pain. The letter R stands for “Rest.” The first thing to do when you feel pain at the bottom of your foot is to take a few days off and give your body the chance to heal. It is important to understand that you do more damage if you run while feeling pain. The next letter, I, stands for “Ice.” One great way to ice your plantar fascia is to freeze water in a paper cup. Once frozen, take the block of ice out of the cup and roll the ice over the painful area for ten minutes. The third letter, C, stands for “Compression.” After icing, wrap your foot in an ace bandage or towel. The final letter, E, stands for elevation. With your foot wrapped, place your foot on a chair and lie on your back. Elevate for at least 10 minutes. Repeat the ice, compression, elevation routine at least 2 to 3 times per day.

  • NSAIDs: NSAIDs (Non-steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs) include aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen. These types of drugs are excellent at reducing inflammation in your injured plantar fascia and are a potent plantar fasciitis treatment. Please do not use these drugs more than two weeks at any one time because they can cause serious kidney issues if overused.

  • Run in good shoes: One easy plantar fasciitis treatment method is to buy new running shoes. Running in old, worn out shoes puts a lot of strain on the sore fascia. Try to buy new running shoes every 500 miles of running.

  • Stretching: Once you start to feel relief from plantar fasciitis treatment, attempt to gently stretch the fascia. One way to stretch is to put a towel on the ground and try to bunch the towel up with your toes. If this is painful at all STOP! Also, try to lightly stretch your hamstring and calves. Tight hamstring and calves can alter a runner’s stride and contribute to plantar fascia problems.

  • Seek Professional Help: If the above plantar fasciitis treatment methods do not work for you, consider seeing a sports medicine physician or physical therapist as soon as possible. You could have a bio-mechanical issue or scar tissue on your plantar fascia, which would require professional plantar fasciitis treatment.

  • Track your Running: Keeping a detailed running log is a great way to uncover past training mistakes that may have contributed to your plantar fascia pain. These mistakes can include running too many miles too soon and incorporating intense speed workouts into your training without a proper mileage base.



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