It has been the worst in the morning when you just get out of bed and the first few steps are killing? It has been painful to walk after you sit down for a while?
It is possible (but not definite) that you have plantar fasciitis.
It is an inflammation of a sheet-like structure underneath your foot, normally helps to take load and support your foot arches while you stand and walk. There are a few reasons why it gets inflamed, normally it is caused by over stretching load onto the structure. Factors that increase the load in the plantar fascia include:
- Weight – it just adds more work load to most of your body parts, including your feet!
- Increase in activity that involves being on your feet. You may have recently increased your running, walking, jumping or time you spent in high heels which increases the load into the fascia.
- Relatively poor leg control. There are muscles that can be activated in your hip and foot, which can directly and indirectly reduce the stretching load onto the fascia. Imagine walking/running/standing is group work for your legs. If your hip and knee and foot can take a bit more work, the fascia can do less work to make this “walking” (or standing or running etc) project easier!
- Inappropriate footwear. A pair of good fitted shoes or orthotics can greatly support your arches and reduce the stretching load into the structure!
There are a few simple tips to help to relieve the symptoms!
- Tennis ball (or golf ball) release
- Place a tennis ball under the sole of your foot while sitting
- Put pressure on the sole and roll for 1 minute
- You should feel some soreness however you would feel relieved afterwards!
- Foot muscle exercises – there are foot muscles that can help to take up some work from the fascia! Get them stronger and let the poor fascia have an easier job!
- Simply grip the floor with your bare feet, and make the pad of the toes are pushing against the ground
- Hold for 5 seconds, repeat 10-12 times, trial 3 sets
- Orthotics / changing footwear. A good pair of shoes are game changers. They can give you good support in the arches and reduce the load into the fascia. See a physio or a podiatrist for advice!
- Weight management.
Weight management is a long term commitment, but also a long term gain! Consult our exercise physiologists, they are great at helping you to reach your goals!
- Consult a professional for better leg control!
Immagine you were the only team carrier of a big group project, and all the other members in the team are not very good with their jobs, how stressful it would be! How tense and burning could it be?! And immagine one day all the team members get to be trained and start taking their roles, how much relief would it be? Seeing a physio or EP can help those members in the hip, back, knees and ankles to help to off load that poor team carrier, plantar fascia in this case!!
Let us know how you go with those exercises and if you have any questions. We are always here to help!
Stay healthy and safe!