If you have ever suffered from heel pain or pain in you arch, you've probably had plantar fasciitits. It's really uncomfortable, sometimes painful, and just plain annoying.
If you haven't worked with or asked your personal trainer or a physical therapist, you may be inclined to go to the doctor who then refers you to a podiatrist. From there he will give you some things you can do to alleviate the symptoms like stretching your calves; that is until your custom and expensive orthodic insert arrives. Have you started adding up the amount of money this is going to cost? Well you're not done yet, once you're locked in to wearing that insert, you're locked in with this doctor for life and here's why: that insert provides a lift for your heal, further shortening your calf muscles and Achilles tendon (the exact same muscles you were told to stretch in order to relieve the pain) and further perpetuating the plantar's fasciitis! Now take all those copays (if you have insurance) and cost of the orthotics and any subsequent pain management (they sometimes go as far as cortisone injections) and any time off you had to take and all the years of treatment, that's a pretty big price tag for something that does not require medical treatment!
This blog was inspired by a family member who refuses to listen to me and acknowledge my expertise in the health and fitness industry. So! Instead of continuing to talk to a wall so to say, I'm hoping this post may help some of you out there suffering from heel and arch pain or even those who are already wearing inserts in your shoes. The following outline will help resolve the root cause of pain and prevent it from reoccurring and get you out of the medical system for this particular ailment, if you find yourself stuck in it.
Plantar fasciitis, as defined by the National Academy of Sports Medicine, is the irritation and swelling of the thick tissue on the bottom of the foot. The most common complaint is pain in the bottom of the heel.
One of the easiest ways to prevent plantar fasciitis is to get yourself some quality foot wear. This may mean you can't wear the most stylish of shoes, boots, or sandals but it's not worth the pain and long term damage you could cause. For runners or anyone who walks a lot, Raph and I highly recommend Brooks Running (we are not getting any money by referring them, we just believe in their shoes). We both suffered from plantar fasciitis until we switched to Brooks and I started buying Clarks flip flips instead of those hard soled, although stylish, sandals. Make sure there's good cushion for the heel and balls of the feet and there's a wide enough toe box for your toes to expand as you walk. Drug store arch supports actually worsen the condition and the temporary relief is not guaranteed. If you cannot afford a new pair of shoes, I recommend one of the full length cushioned inserts (same thickness throughout the support), this will enhance your current shoe but if there's not enough room for your toes to spread out as you walk, you may still feel discomfort.
Now to address the existing pain, all you will need is a tennis ball and a wall! The tennis ball is to roll under your foot, from the heel, all the way up the arch. Depending on the severity of your case, this can be painful so be gentle at first and slowly increase pressure when you can. Next will be a two part calf stretch, the gastrocnemius (the meaty part of your calf) and the soleus (the part of the calf just below the gastroc). Facing a wall, stand in a lunge position with the affected foot behind you, heel down, no bend in the knee and the other bent at 90 degrees, toes facing the wall. You can place your hands on the wall for support. Lunge forward by pushing your hips towards the wall and pause for a 30 second hold at the first sign of resistance from your calf (for some of you, simply being in this position is enough of a stretch, lunge forward as able to increase). For the second part, add a slight bend in the knee of the leg you are stretching, heel remains down. You should feel a stretch in the lower part of your calf, closest to your heel. One set of each stretch is all that is needed at one time but you can repeat a few times throughout the day until you feel the tension start to decrease.
Optional: If you have a foam roller, roll out your calf before performing the standing stretch. Roll up the calf until you feel discomfort and hold for 30 seconds. Continue up the calf and repeat at each site of discomfort, one set.
Additional tips: Remember, we live in a concrete world and it's just not ideal for our bodies and especially our feet which we're on all day long. So if you can, walk around barefoot on natural surfaces, like out in the grass or in the sand so your feet can operate as nature intended. Add some single leg exercises to your workout routine as well.
I have provided some videos and images for reference below but never hesitate to contact me for assistance!
| Foam Rolling Option: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-e7YIpiok0 |  |
| Standing Calf Stretch (gastrocnemius and soleus): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URK3EXjTUP4 |  |
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