If you’ve had this problem: when you try to stand but you can not because the bottom of your foot hurts too much, then you may have plantar fasciitis. You do not remember twisting your ankle or hurting your foot but now it hurts to stand. Is the pain keeping you from being able to play a sport you enjoy, or go walking, or just get around the house in the morning? The longer you try to ignore the pain the worse it is going to get. It’s also going to get harder to get rid of it the longer you ignore it too.
We all have a connective tissue called fascia that covers our entire bodies. If any section of that facia gets tight it can cause a lot of pain and even limited movement. When it comes to your foot, it can become apparent as arch pain, or heel pain, or both together. The pain can make it hard to stand up after sitting and resting for any period of time or getting out of bed first thing in the morning. This problem tends to keep getting worse if not treated. The problem can sometimes progress to the connecting fascia in your leg, hip, and low back regions.
So what can you do about it? There are a few easy techniques to try to see if you can manage it before it gets bad. You can put a golf ball on the floor and gently roll the golf ball under the arch of your foot to try to stretch out that facia. You can freeze water in a small water bottle and use that to roll under the bottom of your foot. That will help to stretch the fascia, but also help reduce pain from inflammation. There are some soft braces or socks that you can purchase to help give a little bit of a stretch to the arch throughout the day.
Once you have this problem with the facia, it does not always go away so easy. The sooner you start treating it the better you will be able to manage it. This is one of those cases where you are probably not going to be able to stretch it once and it will be good. It will feel better, but it will come right back usually. You may have to do this for several days before the pain stops returning.
Now, if you try to manage this on your own and you are still having the pain, then you need to have a Physical Therapist take a look at your foot. Again, you can’t expect to get one treatment, and the pain will never come back. Many times it takes 2 to 3 treatments a week for 1-3 weeks with a Physical Therapist to eliminate the pain and get back standing, walking, and playing without pain or stiffness. Once you have a known problem with plantar fasciitis, and you get it under control, you will need to do regular maintenance to reduce the chances of the problem returning.
Our bodies can be complicated. If we take care of problems when they start, they are much easier to treat. Then we can get back to doing what we want without pain holding us back.
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Medical Disclaimer:
This information is not a substitute for personal medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have any concerns you should request an assessment by a Physical Therapist or your healthcare provider.
