What is plantar fasciitis?
Plantar fasciitis can make your first steps in the morning, walking, or standing activities particularly uncomfortable. Often related to mechanical overload of the foot, it can be influenced by footwear, activity level, walking or running surfaces, and recovery habits.
Appropriate management can help you better understand your symptoms and support optimal recovery. Learn more about the causes, symptoms, and treatments of plantar fasciitis.
10 ways to relieve plantar fasciitis
Here are 10 tips, from a podiatry perspective, to help relieve pain associated with plantar fasciitis.
- Understand the cause: Whether it is a major change in training that was not introduced progressively or a rapid change in footwear, it is important to determine what led to your pain. You will then need to modify that triggering factor.
- Act quickly: The sooner treatment begins, the greater your chances of finding effective relief.
- Rest: You use your feet every day, which can significantly slow the healing process. Consider activities such as cycling or swimming and temporarily avoid long walks and running.
- Stretch your calves: Performing calf stretches several times a day is an essential part of any rehabilitation program.
- Perform self-massage: Using a ball, firmly massage the arch of your foot to help relax the plantar fascia.
- Strengthen your muscles: It is essential to strengthen several muscles, including the intrinsic foot muscles as well as the anterior and posterior tibialis muscles, which help support the arch of the foot dynamically.
- Avoid walking barefoot: Wear your shoes at all times, even indoors, to avoid direct contact between your heel and the floor.
- Choose shoes with heel elevation: Select shoes with at least 1 cm of heel elevation. Heel lifts can also be purchased in stores.
- Alternate between cold and heat: Apply alternating cold (for example, ice) and heat (for example, a warm foot bath) under your heel.
- Consult healthcare professionals: If your symptoms have not improved one month after implementing all these recommendations, speak with a healthcare professional to confirm your condition.
In many cases, successful treatment depends on consistently combining the strategies outlined above. Consult a healthcare professional, such as a podiatrist or a physiotherapist, to help you get back on your feet quickly.
