How To Get Relief From Foot Pain

I noticed it recently – foot pain! The pain in my heel would present itself in the morning with my first few steps. By the end of the day I wasn’t noticing any pain at all. At first I didn’t think anything of it, but over time the pain was becoming more frequent, consistent and intense. As a PT I knew what this meant, I had a classic case of plantar fasciitis. 

 At the bottom of our feet we all have a dense, fibrous tissue that starts at the heel and attaches into the toes, called the plantar fascia. The plantar fascia is an important support system for the arch of the foot. While we are walking, as we take a step forward, the fascia (of the foot that is remaining on the ground) tightens to help the arch from collapsing. The plantar fascia also helps disperse forces from the strong Achilles tendon to the ball of the foot. 

 Plantar fasciitis is very common and often occurs due to a change in activity level. It is also common in those who stand a lot throughout the day. It typically presents with a sharp or stabbing pain at the bottom of the heel and or tightness/tenderness along the arch. Generally, pain is noticed right away in the morning with the first few steps out of bed, after standing for a period of time, standing up after prolonged sitting, when climbing stairs, after intense activity or when walking barefoot or in shoes with poor support. 

 My plantar fasciitis has been pretty text book. I notice it right away in the morning, it gets better as I get moving but, then after being on it all day or long bouts of walking or standing on my hardwood floors it worsens again. The first thing I did to help manage the pain was to get myself a good pair of slippers to wear around the house, something with a firm and supportive sole. This alone has been a game changer! Along with that I started focusing on stretching my Achilles and doing some heel raises for strengthening. I’ve also added some toe yoga exercises to help strengthening the muscles in my foot which help support the plantar fascia. Sometimes, (ok, rarely) I’ll get a foot massage from my husband :)

 All of this has helped me to manage the pain. Plantar fasciitis is one of those problems that can develop slowly, thus, heal slowly so I will continue with these things for a while. It will also be important for me to continue to work on overall leg strength, as hip weakness can have an impact on foot posture. If you’ve been battling aches and pains in your feet, give these things a try and, if that’s not enough, the therapists at Health in Balance Physical Therapy are here to help you out.   Give us a call!