Ever had plantar fasciitis? Me neither – until now!
Plantar fasciitis is basically inflammation of the tissue in the bottom of the foot. The fibrous tissue that runs from the heel bone to the base of the toes is the fascia. Even though the tissue runs most of the length of the foot, the pain is most often felt in the heel. It hurts most in the morning and/or after being still for an extended period of time. The pain goes away during exercise, then comes back worse and worse until you treat it.
The most common cause of plantar fasciitis is over use of the feet, often from running for exercise. I had just gotten back into running, and I was doing workout videos that involved a lot of jumping almost every day. I thought I had simply bruised my right heel at first. I knew something more serious was wrong when my left heel also began to hurt. Exercise made it better temporarily, so I kept doing my workouts. Then one morning, my feet hurt so bad I could just barely walk. I finally admitted to myself that something was wrong and visited my doctor.
Treatment for plantar fasciitis includes rest, ice, anti-inflammatory pain meds, and, most importantly, stretching. In the first few days after my doctor’s visit, I stayed off my feet as much as possible, sticking to hand weights and stretching for exercise. I iced my feet for 20 minutes four times a day for five days, and I took ibuprofen to help with the pain and inflammation. Since then, I’ve cut out all high-impact exercise. I’m sticking to PiYo for workout videos, hand weights for some strength building while my feet heal, and the occasional walk with my husband and our dog.
Stretching has been the most helpful treatment for my foot pain. One of the best stretches for me is to lean into a wall and step one foot back at a time, pressing that heel down until I feel a good stretch in my Achilles tendon (back of the ankle). I’ve also found it helpful to step both feet back into the stretch, then alternate bending my knees. I feel this stretch in both my ankles and bottoms of my feet.
My doctor also suggested calf raises to build strength and flexibility in the Achilles tendon. Calf raises help most when done on a step, so that your heels can go lower than your toes. That really stretches my feet and ankles! I’ve been doing 10 reps on both feet then 10 reps on each foot (toes of opposite foot on step for balance) two to three times a day. If possible, hold onto a handrail for balance.
Another great bit of advice I found online was to roll a tennis ball under your feet. This massages the sore tissues and helps to relieve the pain. I took this a step further and found something else that works great for me. I apologize if this little tidbit is too much information! One morning after hobbling to the bathroom, I noticed an empty shaving cream can next to the overflowing garbage can. I tried rolling it under my feet while sitting on the toilet, and I couldn’t believe how much it helped! That empty shaving cream can now stays by my toilet for morning foot massages. To my mom – I promise I did empty the overflowing garbage can later that morning, and I’ve emptied it again since then!
While all of the above helped the pain in my feet, I didn’t find these last two fixes until just this past week. One morning a thought occurred to me as I dreaded getting out of bed. Stretch before you even stand up! That seems like a no-brainer now, but it didn’t even occur to me until this past week. When I first wake up, before I even crawl out of my warm blankets, I roll my feet in circles and then flex my feet up to stretch my plantar fascia and Achilles tendon. Then I sit up, cross one foot over the opposite knee, grab the toes of that foot, and pull back until it stretches. Only after I do this stretch to each foot twice do I even try to stand up. The first day I did this morning routine was the first day my foot pain dramatically reduced!
My final way to help foot pain was to take another piece of advice from my doctor. Go buy new shoes! Bad or worn out shoes can cause or contribute to plantar fasciitis. I always have at least two pairs of athletic shoes to alternate between, but both pairs had seen some serious mileage. I did not want to spend the money on new shoes for me so soon after spending money on back-to-school clothes and shoes for my girls. I finally bought a new pair with the intention of find a sole that better supports my feet. So far, this new pair of shoes has been amazing! Since getting these, my feet rarely hurt during the day, even on days when I’m on my feet a lot. My plan is to go shoe shopping again in a couple of weeks to pick up a second new pair to get me back to my habit of alternating shoes.
I’ve been dealing with foot pain for a month now, and even with all I had done, my feet still hurt every morning. From what I’ve been told and what I’ve read online, I can expect at least another month of daily stretches, foot massages, and morning pain. I will not let this be an excuse to end my journey to better health and fitness! I hope sharing my experience will help you carry on, too!
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