Are you suffering with pain on the underside of your heel?
Is this pain extremely sore when you get out of bed in the morning or get up from sitting for prolonged periods?
Chances are you have plantar fasciitis.
What is it?
The plantar fascia runs along the sole of the foot from the heel bone to the base of the toes. It helps give us some propulsion or ‘spring in our step walking’ and also helps support our arch. Anything which causes increased tension across the fascia can cause pain, usually where it attaches to the heel bone.
What causes this?
Like everything in our body, there can be a variety of reasons.
-The plantar fascia is almost a continuation of the calf complex so tightness in the calf will also exert tension in the plantar fascia.
-Tightness is the ankle or foot joints can also tension the fascia.
-Stress on the fascia from unsupportive footwear you may not be used to such as flip flops.
-Weakness in the powerful core and hip stabilising muscles will exert more pressure on the fascia with every step.
Why is it so slow to go?
The plantar fascia falls into the same family as tendons. Tendons are white tissue and tend to have poor blood supply. As a result, if they get injured the bodies natural healing process is much slower.
What can I do?
While every case can have different causes, some general advise is:
-wear supportive lace up shoes or runners. Don’t wear slip on type Skechers as these are often the culprit I find
-pay attention to your calf muscles. Stretch and release these with a ball/ foam roller.
-if you find that when you balance on one leg and you are curling your toes to hold balance, you have an instability. See a Physio that can diagnose and address this
-if your symptoms are persisting after 2 months, Shockwave therapy is extremely effective and can give fast relief.
Thanks for reading.