Frequently, pain in your feet and heels comes from the plantar fascia, a fibrous band of tissue that runs along the bottom of the foot, between the heel bone and the base of the toes. Usually this fascia acts as a shock absorber.
But when it gets stretched, torn or inflamed, which often happens to folks who are starting a new exercise or sports regimen, you develop plantar fasciitis.
Severity ranges from mild (occasional throb when stepping) to extreme (nail-through-the-heel pain with any move).
Risk rises with amount of impact: Activities involving walking, running and jumping carry higher risk than swimming, biking or rowing. Overweight people get plantar fasciitis more often than others.
So it can be very important to reduce your weight if you are having plantar fasciitis issues. This can also lead to other joint and ligament strain in other parts of your body.
When you are overweight and have an injury, your body compensates and you will favor the area that is hurting. Once you do that, the other areas of your body that are taking up the strain can suffer over time if you do not seek proper treatment in the first place, with the first pain.
It is known that overweight people suffer from hip, knee and ankle strain. Not to mention the strain on internal organs, so choose to adopt a healthier lifestyle and lose some weight.
One of the best ways to deal with plantar fasciitis is to prevent it. This starts with the shoes.
For example, shoes marketed as cross-trainers are typically not good for frequent wear. Most have mid-foot cutouts, ostensibly to allow for forward, backward and lateral motion. But the lack of support leads to fascia strain.
Bipeds also court trouble when they jog in walking shoes, which have a forefoot roll bar that is not conducive to running gaits. Running shoes work well for walking, running and jogging.
Replace them every 500 miles or sooner, when the heel starts to show substantial wear.
Calf stretches can help prevent plantar fasciitis because tight calf muscles inhibit your ability to bend the foot. A simple stretch: Stand with heel on ground, toes a few inches up a wall, and lean forward at the hip with knee straight. Hold for 30 seconds; do 3 stretches per leg.
If you have recovered from plantar fasciitis and want to strengthen the supporting musculature, use your toes to pick up an object, such as a marble. Focus on form, not success rate.
Do 3 sets of 10, twice a day. Don't stretch the fascia itself; this can cause strain.
If you fall victim, treat symptoms within the first week, starting with an anti-inflammatory like ibuprofen and ice at day's end for 10 minutes.
Immediate treatment is important because the injury takes a while to heal and the change in gait caused by the pain often leads to knee, hip or low back problems.
It is also suggested to alternate 5-minute heat and ice dunks - warmth increases blood flow, cold reduces swelling - for a total of 30 minutes.
Ligament injuries take 4 to 6 weeks of treatment to improve, sometimes more. Limit painful activities as much as possible.
If the pain becomes unbearable you can see a podiatrist. There isn't a whole lot more they can do for you but sometimes prescription strength anti-inflammatory medication can help you get through a particularly painful time.
It is not recommended to do this yourself, but a doctor can tape the foot in a way that reduces the pain upon standing and walking. Most people don't suffer with extreme pain on a daily basis, but the pain comes and goes.
You will find for you what works and what doesn't as you treat your own plantar fasciitis.
Author Resource:-
Jack R. Landry has worked as a podiatrist and foot surgeon for the past 14 years and written hundreds of articles about various foot conditions including plantar fasciitis.
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