If the first thing you feel when you wake up in the morning and step out of bed is a shooting pain through the sole of your foot, you might be one of the 30 million Americans that will suffer from plantar fasciitis at some point in their lifetime. The pain is excruciating, but fortunately, there are several steps you can take to help ease the discomfort.
Though the name sounds official, plantar fasciitis is nothing more than inflammation of the tissue that connects your heel bone to your toes. Though it is usually worst first thing in the morning, it can go away as the foot is stretched throughout the day; prolonged periods of inactivity can cause it to hurt again.
Plantar fasciitis is usually seen in runners, or people that are heavily active in long-distance running sports like Soccer. However, if you are overweight, wear shoes with incorrect arch support, or simply spend long hours standing up, you might be at an increased risk of developing plantar fasciitis. Also, this disease is most common in men and women between the ages of 40-60.
The best way to help alleviate the pain is to do everything you can to prevent it in the first place. Modify your running steps so that you land in the middle of your foot and don’t use your toes to pull your body forward. Instead, allow the natural momentum of your body to carry you forward. In addition, learn to relax your foot and relieve the tension and utilize stretching exercises like those mentioned below.
1. Calf Raises
One of the reasons why your muscles will tense up is because they’re either overworked or too weak to handle repetitive motion. By strengthening your calves, you’ll help your muscles learn to support the weight better as well as stretching out the tendons that will support your feet muscles.
To do proper calf raises, stand on your toes at the edge of a step with your feet dangling just off the back edge. Slowly lower your feet down below the step, maintaining total control through your leg and back. With your legs straight, bring your heel as low as it will safely go, then raise it back up to the starting position. Do three sets of ten reps once a day, and you should notice your calf muscles start to improve.
2. Step Stretch
A step stretch will help strengthen your calves in the same way that a calf raise will, albeit in a less invasive and easier manner. The mechanics are very similar to a calf raise, but consists of a more horizontal motion. With the unaffected foot in place, step forward with the ailing foot towards a wall or chair, leaning on the anchor for support. Bend the knee at 90 degrees and slowly bring your torso forward. You should feel the calf muscle stretch, as well as your foot tendons begin to loosen up. Complete this exercise a few times a day for three months.
3. Doming
As the name implies, doming is performed when your foot makes a deliberate arch shape. You won’t have to put any pressure on the foot necessarily to feel this stretch, but you will have to think about the move to properly execute the maneuver.
To begin, place your foot flat on the ground while seated. Then, slowly begin to move your toes toward the back half of your foot, keeping your heel stationary. Hold the position for a few seconds, then slowly bring it back to the starting point. While you won’t be trying to necessarily strengthen your foot muscles, you want to try and stretch the muscle in unorthodox ways to loosen up the tendons.
4. Toe Spread and Squeeze
To do this exercise, you’ll need a small resistance band that you can place around the base of your toes. Don’t use one that’s too tight or you’ll strain the muscles, or one that’s too loose, which will make the workout ineffective. You’ll also need a toe separator like one used at nail salons to perform a correct toe spread and squeeze.
Begin by placing the resistance band around your toes and stretching them slowly apart. Then place the separator between your toes and scrunch in your toes as much as possible. Repeat this process ten times for three sets, preferably over the course of a few months, to achieve maximum results.
5. Towel Curl
Place a small hand towel on the ground in front of you while seated and bring the affected foot onto the towel. Try to grip the towel with your toes while slowly contracting your toe muscles to move the towel in. Hold for a few seconds, and then release the towel with your toes and let it roll back flat onto the floor. Repeat for three sets of ten movements twice a day, preferably on each foot to help develop the muscles on both. By doing a towel curl repeatedly, you’ll be working the toe flexor muscles that will help with overall foot strength.
6. Yoga Stretches
Sometimes the best thing you can do for your foot muscles is to relearn proper posture and focus on relaxing the tension that has already built up. Yoga by itself is great for learning how to stand and move correctly as well as relieve stress but moves like mountain pose and chair pose reinforce the right position that your feet should be in. For both moves, make sure that your ankle is sitting directly above the heel and that you’re not over-supinating the foot to accommodate poor posture. While yoga has the ability to correct plantar fasciitis, incorrect form for yoga stretches can also reinforce bad habits.
