The common groups of people that are usually affected by the pain and discomfort of Plantar Fasciitis include runners, pregnant women, and individuals that spend many hours standing on hard surfaces such as concrete. Here are a few helpful tips that may assist with alleviating some of your discomforts when you fall under one of these categories.
Pregnant Women
Most women experience painful feet over the different stages of pregnancy. In certain cases, Plantar Fasciitis is what causes pain and discomfort. The hormone known as relaxin increases during pregnancy, which can sometimes cause too much relaxation in the feet where they start struggling to deal with the extra weight that the woman is carrying. While certain clinics might recommend using orthotics, which can be a good option, we suggest less expensive methods first, since the pain usually subsides as soon as the infant is born.
Start with resting your feet as much as possible, and elevating your legs when you are sitting down. You could also use ice packs on your feet as soon as you experience swelling, pain, and discomfort. Another technique involves rolling a tennis ball under each foot to massage painful tendons and muscles in your feet. Try wearing extra wide shoes to allow for the swelling often caused by pregnancy.
Runners
If you are a new runner, or you have started to run again after taking a long break, or you have started to increase your mileage, you may notice that your feet are not so thrilled about what you are putting them through. If you start to notice shooting pain along the bottom part of your feet, it might be Plantar Fasciitis. It is important not to ignore these important signs. Plantar Fasciitis left untreated can turn into a very serious chronic condition. Make sure you pay extra attention to stretching your calves after you run. This is among the common stretches that we frequently suggest to many of our clients:
An effective yet simple stretch for the calves from PBO Group’s Orthotics Patient Handbook.
Fundamental foot-strengthening exercises can also be a good option for at-home physiotherapy. One of these exercises includes using the toes to repeatedly pick things up off the floor such as a pencil or a facecloth.
We are also able to examine the running gait of our clients to study their body’s mechanics. Custom orthotics that resemble the shape of your foot and the unique gait of your body is often an effective and quick method to deal with Plantar Fasciitis, making running more enjoyable once again.
Working On Hard Surfaces Or Concrete Floors
If your feet are in pain and feel terrible after each workday, Plantar Fasciitis may be to blame. The first step involves assessing your footwear. Wearing the right shoes, or choosing footwear that comes with more cushioning can help to minimize foot pain immensely. Using ice packs on your arches as soon as you arrive home after a workday can offer relief as well as help to lower inflammation.
If better shoes fail to alleviate your pain and discomfort, we advise visiting our clinic for a free orthotics assessment.
