Plantar Fasciitis: 5 Steps To Avoid A Painful Tug Of War In Your Foot
Plantar Fasciitis is an irritation of the plantar fascia, a band of fibrous tissue on the bottom of the foot. It’s characterized by pain in the particular area of the bottom of the heel, and is very point-tender when bearing weight, especially first thing in the morning.
The plantar fascia is one of the three main structures which support the main arch of the foot (medial longitudinal arch). This arch is one of the main structures which supports the full weight of the body in the standing position.
Plantar Fasciitis often seems to come out of nowhere and can be quite painful for those who suffer from it. Many times it stems from a “tug of war” between the main tissues of the foot and ankle: The plantar fascia and the achilles’ tendon. Tightness in one area can lead to dysfunction and pain in another. This rings true throughout other places in the body. Here are a few ways to prevent this pain in the foot from interrupting your life.
- Exercise Regularly. This may seem somewhat rudimentary, but it’s important to know that fitness and injury prevention go hand-in-hand. You cannot have one without the other. So avoid a sedentary lifestyle. Be moderately active at a very minimum 4 days per week for 30 minutes or more. Walking is a great way to be active, keep your joints limber, and allow your lower extremities to avoid the dreaded repetitive strain cycle.
- When You Do Exercise, Do A Proper Warm-up. Warm-ups can help prepare the body for movement, bring blood flow to muscles, increase tissue extensibility, and help prevent unnecessary strain and injury. Here is a good example of a general low-impact warm-up. Note: modify as needed. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xm1bxAkgVqk
- Make Gradual Changes. It’s best when you begin an exercise program to not only talk with your doctor first, but to begin gradually, especially if you’ve spent any significant amount of time being sedentary. Many injuries happen when people do too much too fast, after doing too little for too long. So begin with a 15-20 minute walk 3-4 days per week. If you enjoy lifting weights, it’s smart to do at least a few sessions with a fitness professional to make sure you won’t hurt yourself. When making changes to your activity level, I encourage patients to imagine changing lanes while going down the highway at 55mph or more. If you turn the wheel too aggressively, you’ll end up in the ditch. But if you’re controlled and intentional about your lane change, you’ll end up safely where you want to go. So in the same way, take your time and enjoy the process of increasing your activity level.
- Stretch the Calf. Stretching the calf and Achilles’ Tendon will be helpful in reducing the tension between the back and bottom of the heel. If you’re doing regular exercise like walking/running or biking, it’s important to remember that neglecting these areas will result in repetitive strain. Try this stretch for the calf.
- Stretch the Plantar Fascia/Great Toe. The pliability of the plantar fascia and great toe mechanisms are important in maintaining a healthy walking cycle that is free of pain. If tightness persists, compensations can develop and increase strain, leading to inflammatory conditions. Stretching the great toe and plantar fascia is easy, and is demonstrated here.
Finally, it’s also important to know when to seek the advice of a professional. If your walking or running pattern is affected by pain, or if you’re seeing a decrease in your overall function, then it’s time to get in to see us at one of our clinics. We’ll be happy to do a free consultation at any one of our clinics in Marquette or Ishpeming. Give us a call, and we’ll see you as soon as we can. Until then, stay healthy and stay Active!