What Kind of Plantar Fasciitis Treatment Is Best For You?
Plantar fasciitis is an excruciating pain in the foot that causes a lot of problems. If you have it, you know just how badly this hurts. It hurts all the time even when you are wearing shoes. You need treatment as soon as possible.
Stretching
The first step to plantar fasciitis treatment may involve getting your feet properly warmed up. This means standing in a warm shower or tub with your feet in the water. Then it is important to stretch your feet slowly and deeply, trying to stretch out the Achilles tendon, calves, and other tight muscles. You want to do this for about ten minutes, at least two to three times a day, and be sure to not use any kind of heat or excessive friction during this time.
There are stretches that will help heal the tear but will also help you avoid putting further stress on your injured foot. For instance, if you have slipped, you will want to sit and straighten your legs, arch your back, and then bend your knees. Next, you will want to place your palms on the front of your feet, keeping your toes pointed upwards. Next, slowly raise your toes until they are approximately shoulder-width apart from each other, and then slowly lower them back down.
Another exercise involves getting on all fours and rolling the bottom of your foot up and down on the surface of the tennis ball. Start by holding the ball a little bit wider than your body. Roll your toes along the surface of the tennis ball, and then roll them back toward your body. Repeat this stretch several times, taking long deep breaths when you feel the stretch starting to become difficult.
If the pain is especially bad when you stand, try bending forward onto the floor and holding that position. This should allow your doctor to determine whether you have plantar fasciitis or some other problem.
Finally, some exercises will specifically target the gluteus medius. You can do these at home whenever you have some downtime from strenuous activities. The key is to focus on strengthening the gluteus medius, without overstretching or using too much weight. This should provide you with pain relief and help to increase your mobility, as well as prevent further damage to your feet.
Physical Therapy and Medication
After you have stretched your feet, you will want to start some plantar fasciitis treatment. One option for treatment is physical therapy. Many people find physical therapy to be an effective treatment for plantar fasciitis, as well as other injuries.
To relieve any pain, your doctor may prescribe some medication. These are typically not used to treat severe fasciitis but will help to improve your symptoms. Take the medication, even if there is no noticeable improvement, and watch for signs of a possible infection or inflammation.
Shoes
It is important to wear proper shoes when doing exercises. Be sure to wear comfortable shoes with good arch support. Your doctor can provide you with better information about which ones are best for plantar fasciitis. Before doing any of the exercises, check-in with your doctor to make sure that your pain does not originate in your toes or foot, since this could be a sign of another condition.
If you already have plantar fasciitis, your doctor may recommend wearing running shoes, instead of walking shoes. He or she will probably want you to wear support stockings underneath your shoes. These are similar to arches, and provide additional arch support while you are running. If your doctor feels you are fine to wear the support stocking while running, he or she will probably also suggest you change to flat shoes as soon as possible. Doing so will help your foot prevent further injury.
Orthotics
Another plantar fasciitis treatment is custom orthotics. These special inserts help to align the heel of the foot so that it is closer to the ground. This keeps the muscles on your foot from rubbing, which is what causes pain from this condition.
Custom orthotics are designed for you by an experienced medical professional, and may also come with special inserts to correct problems with your gait. Wearing orthotics for some time is usually effective in treating inflammation. After a while, you will likely be able to wear standard running shoes without any additional pain.…