Top Ways to Manage Your Plantar Fasciitis Pain at Home

Spring is here! This time of year presents a perfect opportunity to embark on a new running program to improve your physical fitness and make you feel alive. Running offers a wide array of benefits, but if you arent careful, you may end up experiencing heel pain due to a condition known as plantar fasciitis.

Plantar fasciitis is marked by a shooting pain in the bottom of your heel first thing in the morning. The pain is often at its worst in your first few steps of the day. It is also typically triggered when you take steps after sitting or standing for long periods.

If this sounds like the condition that you are dealing with, here are some tips to help you manage your heel pain at home:

  • Stretch The best treatment for this ailment is a stretching regimen that targets your calf muscles, Achilles tendon, and plantar fascia. Contact our office to find out which stretches we recommend to help improve your condition.
  • Ice Whether done traditionally (holding cloth-covered ice on the affected area), or as a massage, icing your injury will help reduce inflammation and pain. An ice massage is simply a matter of freezing a paper cup full of water and then rolling it over your plantar fascia for five to seven minutes.
  • Cross training While you are recovering from plantar fasciitis, replace running with low-impact activities like swimming or bicycling. After you are fully recovered from the ailment, continue to keep these low-impact activities as part of your workout routine. It will help to prevent injuries, provide greater overall fitness, and keep exercising interesting.
  • Weight management Getting down to, and maintaining, a healthy weight is essential for a variety of physical benefits, including decreased risk of foot and ankle injury.
  • Footwear When you purchase shoes, pick supportive models with low-to-moderate heels, shock absorbency, and good arch support. Make sure that you buy new shoes before your old ones no longer cushion and support your feet. Runners should replace them after around 500 miles.

These tips can certainly help you to manage your heel pain at home, but first come in and see the professionals at Houston Foot Specialists. We can provide an accurate diagnosis of whats causing your discomfort and establish an effective treatment plan just for you. Contact our Houston, TX office today by calling (713) 467-8886 or using our online form.

Category: Heel Pain

Tags: Plantar Fasciitis