What Is Plantar Fasciitis?
If you notice that you are having heel pain, there are things that it could be. One of those things is plantar fasciitis.
Plantar Fasciitis
In between the heel and the toes of your feet, running along the bottom, is the plantar fascia. It's a thick band of tissue that helps your foot work the way that it should. When the fascia gets inflamed, the condition is known as plantar fasciitis.
There are several things that could cause plantar fasciitis. One can be a lot of running, which is why this tends to affect people who run long distances. Another cause can be being overweight because that can put more stress on the arch of the foot and the plantar fascia.
One of the signs that you may have this condition is that you have stabbing pain in the heel of your feet when you are walking, especially first thing in the morning. If you notice this, then you should go see a podiatrist like those represented at http://www.elmhurstpodiatry.com. Generally, they will poke and prod the bottom of your foot trying to find out where the pain is. They will want to know what it feels like and when you notice the pain the most. So, what are some ways that you can treat plantar fasciitis?
Physical Therapy
One thing you can do is go to get some physical therapy. The therapist will help you learn several stretches and exercises that can help you. Those stretches will include things that will stretch your plantar fascia as well as your Achilles tendon, which runs up the back of your ankle. The exercises are there to help strengthen your ankles and calves. Doing that will you keep your foot be more stable, which will help to make sure that the fascia doesn't take too much stress.
Massage
There are some massage techniques that you can do that will help to make sure that your fascia is soothed and take down the inflammation. These are pretty easy ones that you can do at home. One of them is to use a tennis ball. Put it on the floor and place the arch of your foot on the ball and gently roll it back and forth. You can also do this with some ice that you froze in a paper cup or some other mold that will freeze in a cylinder or ball. That will massage your foot as well as ice it at the same time, which can have double the effect.
If you notice that you have foot pain, you should go see a podiatrist as soon as possible so that you get to the bottom of the problem.
