Do your feet hurt?

Do the bottoms of your feet or heels hurt, especially in the morning? You may have what is known as Plantar Fasciitis. This is inflammation of the plantar fascia, also known as the connective tissue on the bottom of your feet. I see this a lot in my Seattle massage practice.

What is the cause of this painful condition?

1. A rolling in of the foot, known as pronation.
2. Repeated high intesity of the foot due to high impact (jogging and skiing) or repeated quick turning (basketball).
3. Tight calves or quadriceps.
4. Unsupportive shoes.

There are a few things you can do to take better care of your feet and help reduce the pain of Plantar Fasciitis.

1. First of all start by seeing your doctor to make sure you actually have Plantar Fasciitis.
2. Give your feet a break. Try lower impact, more gentle activities that are kinder to them until you get this under control.
3. See a massage therapist who can break up the stuck fascia in your feet and work on relaxing those calves and hamstrings.
4. While sitting, gently stretch your feet by placing a towel on the bottom of your foot and pull on both ends of the towel. Another way to stretch your feet is to roll them on a footsie roller http://www.absolutelythepurest.com/gifts-and-gadgets/footsie-roller.html.
5. Perform ice massage on the bottom of your feet by placing a mostly but not quite full water bottle in the freezer and rolling your feet on it. This is especially helpful in the morning when Plantar Fasciitis can be more painful.
6. Talk to your doctor about your shoes and whether or not you need arch support or orthodics.
7. Increase your flexibility by picking up items like pencils or towels with your bare feet.
8. Stretch your calves. See images below.

I stress the importance of creating healthy foot care habits.

Be good to your feet and they will be good to you.

 

Thank you for reading. PJ Harris, LMP http://www.pjharris.com/