With plantar fasciitis, mornings will be your worst time of the day because the first few steps that you make will always be awfully painful. This common foot problem is painful to live with as it can prevent you from walking or standing for long and hence interfering with your daily routine. But, when you seek medical help your doctor will in most cases recommend that you first try out the following natural remedies for plantar fasciitis.
#1 Stretching Exercises
Stretch exercises are one of the most useful remedies for plantar fasciitis, and if you do it well it can work faster and be more efficient than surgery. Some simple stretches in the morning and evening can offer you a lot of relief and help to speed up the healing process. One simple stretch exercise will entail flexing your ankles a few times to extend the toe and to stretch the calf muscles.
#2 Supportive Footwear
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Wearing the wrong shoes is one of the leading causes of plantar fasciitis and so changing your footwear can make a huge difference. You should buy shoes with sufficient heel cushioning and arch support. Also, those with a sturdy rubber sole can be very helpful since they help to absorb the shock that will come from walking or standing.
The good thing is that there are many brands of plantar fasciitis shoes and you can always get them in almost any style that you wish. If you do not want to buy a new pair of shoes, you can buy shoe inserts/orthotics because they can also help to reduce the pulling and stress on the plantar fascia.
#3 Night Splints
If you have plantar fasciitis, night splints are one of those things that you need to buy. Night splints are vital since they help to prevent or at least reduce the pain that you get when you make your first few steps in the morning. They work by stretching the Achilles tendons and your plantar fascia gently. This stretching ensures that they do not get tight as you sleep and so your first steps in the morning will not be painful. Also, night splints can help in healing and strengthening of this ligament. But, it is important to make sure that you buy those that are breathable and comfortable to wear all night long.
#4 Vitamins and Minerals
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Vitamins and minerals are another simple but effective home remedy that you can use to deal with plantar fasciitis. Although taking them does not entail addressing the problematic area directly, experts and individuals that have this problem admit that it is one of the best remedies. Vitamin C, magnesium, zinc and calcium are very beneficial for reducing the inflammation on the plantar fascia and also for speeding up the healing process. You can take supplements to get these vital minerals and vitamins, but the best idea is always to get them from foods like vegetables, dairy products and fruits like melons and citrus fruits.
#5 Massages and Ice
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Ice is always helpful when you need some instant relief from the pain that comes with plantar fasciitis. It also helps with reducing the inflammation which is vital for the healing of the ligament. One of the best ways of applying ice to your feet entails freezing some water in a small bottle and then rolling it back and forth with your feet. The movement of the foot over the frozen bottle also helps to massage the problematic ligament.
After the icing session, you should then rub your feet gently. Doing some cross-fiber massage on your foot can be quite painful, but it is worth it as it helps to speed up healing and improve the circulation of blood. A two-minute massage session on each foot twice a day will be an effective plantar fasciitis remedy.
#6 Rest Your Feet
Rest might look like an obvious solution, but most people tend to ignore or overlook it. It is important to remember that the more you are on your feet, the more you force the plantar fascia to support your body weight. Resting and limiting activity prevents the tears on this ligament from worsening and gives them enough time to heal.
Simple Tips for Preventing Plantar Fasciitis
- Always wear supportive shoes that fit well.
- Put on footwear even when you do not need to like when you jump out of bed in the morning.
- Remember to stretch before doing any exercises.
- Avoid being on your feet and in the same position for too long and instead walk around or sit down after a while.
- Shed the excess kilos and keep a healthy weight to avoid putting too much stress on your plantar fascia.
Conclusion
As painful as plantar fasciitis might be it is still possible to deal with it without any professional help and do it fast. With the six natural remedies for plantar fasciitis above in mind, you will never have to live with this annoying foot problem. But, just like with any other foot problem, consistency is the key to healing the plantar fascia, and in most cases, it is always an excellent idea to combine several remedies. Lastly, prevention is always better than treatment, and so you should try as much as possible to ensure that you do not develop plantar fasciitis.
Author: Patrick Greer, founder of Fix Your Walk