Do you hate mornings? I do and it has nothing to do with the fact that I am a night owl. It has everything to do with the fact that the first step out of bed in the morning can drop me to my knees. Why? Well, it is that nasty little thing called plantar fascitis.
After you've been up for awhile the pain may subside just a bit, but make no mistake it is there to be with you throughout your day. A warm shower provides some relief but only temporary and you know you've got to do something but what?
The plantar fascia is the tissue along the bottom of the foot that essentially connects your heel to the toes. Under stress and strain this tissue can become inflamed or even tear. When this happens the classic symptoms are the severe pain with the first steps in the morning or after having been off your feet for a while.
Keeping in mind that the primary cause of plantar fasciitis is stress and strain, it is no surprise that footwear or more specifically ill fitted or worn out footwear that provides little or no support places undue stress on the bottom of your foot and arch is one of the most common causes. So, first and foremost, make sure that your shoes are flexible, comfortable, and offer the proper support.
The personality of plantar fasciitis pain (most severe in the morning or after you've been off your feet for awhile - then lessening somewhat as your foot warms up) gives you the clue as to how to best treat your pain. As you sleep at night or are off of your feet, the plantar fascia will begin to cool and contract and this is precisely why those first steps are so painful you are stepping onto you plantar fascia that is tight and not ready to bear the load.
To help avoid that early morning pain, stretch before you ever get out of bed. You've got to warm your foot up before you take that first step. Simple stretching exercises that stretch the Achilles tendon area will also get at the plantar fascia and provide relief. So, sleepy head, keep a towel or a belt or even an exercise strap by your bed so that when you wake up before you step down on your foot, use one and put it underneath your toes and gently pull the ball of your foot toward you and hold for a few seconds to get the tissue stretched after a night of sleep. Give it time, stretch slowly and hold the stretch gently, no bouncing allowed. Your doctor may suggest that you purchase a night splint. This device attaches to your calf and foot that helps keep your Achilles and plantar fascia in a lengthened or stretched position as you sleep. This will help keep it from contracting and cooling, making that first step out of bed less painful. Another option for pain relief is to purchase orthotics (semi rigid inserts that go in your shoe). You can find over the counter orthotics at many sports stores or you can work with a podiatrist and purchase custom orthotics.
Stretching throughout the day as much as possible can help you to keep the tendon more supple so that you are more pain free.
You might also find that using cold or warm therapy feels pretty good on your aching feet. Think about plantar fascitis must like a sports related injury and use alternating cold and warm therapies the same way you would for a sports injury.
Once you've made it home from your long day's activities, start with an ice pack. You want to use ice or cold therapy on your feet first since you will likely have swelling which causes even more pain. Use the cold for at least twenty minutes. Follow the cold therapy with a warm soak or a heating pad for another twenty minutes. The it is back to the cold therapy. It is most helpful to repeat the process of three cold treatments and two warm treatments in between. Yes, it will take a bit of time, but your feet will thank you. Remember to always begin and end with the cold.
This is known as a contrast bath and is frequently used in the sports arena. It is very beneficial in treating inflammation and the resulting pain. While it is definitely time consuming it is also quite effective to treat the pain of plantar fascitis.
Be sure to make an appointment to see your physician about your foot pain and also be sure to share with her all that you have been doing to treat the pain. Your doctor can help you to set up an overall treatment plan to manage the pain, help reduce the inflammation and to prevent your plantar fascitis from coming back again.
About the Author, Tammy Foster
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For more important information on sore feet visit sore-foot-remedies.com where you will find advice on foot pain causes such as plantar fasciitis, foot corns, and more. Glyconutrients.
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