5 Ways To Treat Plantar Fasciitis At Home

Do you ever wake up with a serious nagging heel pain? I find this to be an issue especially now that I am walking and hiking often in order to stay physically active and especially as I am growing older. After discussing my issues with my doctor, I found out that I was having an issue with Planter Fasciitis and decided to find ways to relieve the pain in the convenience of my own home. You may be wondering what is plantar fasciitis? Well it is a condition that affects nearly 2 million people a year and it is a common cause of heel pain. The good news is that planter fasciitis usually resolves with simple treatments such as finding good insoles for plantar fasciitis and by performing some simple yet effective foot-stretching exercises each day. Basically it all has to do with the plantar fascia, which is a thin, flat ligament that connects your heel bone to the front of your foot. This ligament supports the arch of your foot and it’s a natural shock absorber when you do things like walk or run and if you move your toes up and down, you can see and feel your plantar fascia working. The experts believe that by overusing this ligament or putting a repetitive strain on your foot can create tiny tears in this tissue which is what causes plantar fasciitis. Let’s take a look at ways to relieve this pain naturally….

1) Stretch Your Feet

Learning to do proper stretching of your feet is important in finding natural relief from your Plantar Fasciitis symptoms. When you stretch your muscles and tendons…. you are promoting blood flow to the areas being stretched and this blood flow is extremely important when healing injuries as they bring oxygen and nutrients that can help the body to heal. Here are a few stretches that can help with your heel pain…..

*Toe Extension: The toe extension stretch can help loosen up the plantar fascia and ease your pain in the morning. To do this stretch:

First….Sit in a chair with your back straight, and cross one leg over the other. The stretch will be performed on the leg that is crossed on top.

Now… Grab your toes with one hand and then slowly bend your toes and ankle toward you as far as possible until you feel the stretch along the bottom of your foot.

Now….Hold the stretch for 10 to 20 seconds and then repeat it for 2 to 3 minutes.

*Towel Stretch: The towel stretch is one of my favorites as it targets both your plantar fascia and also your calf muscles. This exercise can be done also before you get out of bed in the morning to help relieve pain for the start of your day. To get started…  fold a towel lengthwise and then…..

First….Sit down and extend your leg (with the affected foot) straight out in front of you.

Next….Place the folded towel around your foot, and hold each end of the towel. Gently pull the towel toward you as you feel a stretch in your calf and along the bottom of your foot.

Now…. Hold the stretch for 45 seconds, and repeat the move two to three times.

*Toe Curls: The toe curl exercise helps improve your plantar fascia flexibility and also strengthens the muscles in your feet that help to support your arch. Both of these factors can help to treat plantar fasciitis beautifully and it is easy to do….

First….lay a small towel flat on the floor.

Next….Curl the toes on your affected foot to scrunch the towel toward you. Make sure to keep your heel on the ground so that you only use your toes to move the towel.

Now….Lay the towel flat again, and repeat the move 10 times.

2) Rest Your Feet

When you have an injury, the best thing you can do is to rest the affected area. The same is true when you are suffering from pain from Plantar Fasciitis as it’s an issue that is caused by overusing your feet whether that be due to sports, running, walking, or even normal everyday use of bad footwear. The issue is these daily occurrences can cause you plantar fascia to become inflamed and by doing something as simple as resting, you will allow your body to focus on healing that area rather than using it some more.

3) Shoe Inserts

It is worthwhile to invest in good insoles to treat your plantar fasciitis symptoms as they can be extremely effective at reducing the pressure on your plantar fascia and I have a pair in all of my frequently worn shoes. Finding the perfect insoles to treat your plantar fasciitis means that they will support your plantar fascia beautifully and ultimately provide instant relief.

4) Reducing Inflammation

Reducing the inflammation that plantar fasciitis creates is super important and you can do this via icing the effected area or by using pain relievers that can help to reduce inflammation as well. By icing your inflamed joint, tendon or muscle, you will find that it is super effective in reducing inflammation and swelling as it frees up the blood vessels in the area so that they can receive more oxygen and nutrients. Simply ice your plantar fascia by raising your foot and taping a cold pack to the bottom of your foot.

If you are still suffering a lot due to the pain from your plantar fasciitis and the icing method is not providing the relief you are looking for, you can talk with your doctor and they can provide NSAID’s that can help to provide that much needed relief. You will find that over the counter pain relievers will not do much at all to relieve your pain which is why you will want to chat with your doctor about finding additional ways to relieve your pain via a prescription.

5) Avoid Painful Shoes

Making sure to avoid shoes that can aggravate your plantar fascia is a must. You may find yourself wanting to wear those fancy dress shoes or high heels for a nice night out with friends and family, but avoid this if you suffer from Plantar Fasciitis like I do as these shoes can be incredibly detrimental. Make sure to wear your best, properly sized and comfortable footwear whenever you need to go out as this will ensure that you do not aggravate the tendon. It is also important to note that walking around your home barefoot on soft surfaces is good for this condition BUT avoid going barefoot on hard surfaces as they can aggravate the area and do more harm than good.

To Wrap It Up

Plantar fasciitis is a common condition that causes heel pain, especially in the morning or after certain activities like running, hiking or prolonged standing and most individuals will see big improvements by implementing a home exercise program that includes plantar fascia and calf muscle stretches. If you don’t find the improvement you are looking for 6 to 12 months after doing the above regular steps to improve your Plantar Fasciitis, talk to your healthcare provider as you may need the help of an orthopedic surgeon for alternative options that can help to relieve the discomfort and pain.

Deliciously Savvy received compensation and/or product to help facilitate this post and all opinions are 100% my own. Thank you for stopping by and make sure you enter a giveaway or two while you are here!