Treatment is possible with arch support, stretching and rest
Do you have heel pain first thing getting out of bed?
This is the most common symptom of plantar fasciitis, a micro-tear or inflammation of the plantar fascia typically found at the base of the heel bone. We commonly see plantar fasciitis from extreme tightness in the achilles/calf muscles, a biomechanical issue (extreme flat feet or high arches), or an overuse injury. We’ve had great success treating plantar fasciitis with three main treatment elements: arch support, stretching and rest.
Arch Support
Arch support is commonly the most important because it helps relieve the plantar fascia’s stress and can also help correct any biomechanical issues. Custom orthotics/arch support can play a key role here.
Stretching for Achilles Pain
Stretching can be just as important, especially if the reason you have plantar fasciitis comes from the tightness of the achilles. This happens when the achilles and the plantar fasciitis play tug of war at the calcaneus (heel bone). When the achilles is too tight, the plantar fasciitis gets pulled on and is the weaker of the two. Our favorite element of stretch actually comes from the shoes you choose. We prefer “zero drop” footwear (no heel in the shoe), allowing the heel and ball of the foot to be on the same plane permitting a nice natural stretch of the achilles. Our favorite zero drop shoes for plantar fasciitis are Altra and Birkenstock.
Rest for Foot Issues
Rest is important for any injury, and while it is often not practical, it is encouraged and will help the speed of recovery.
If you’re local to the Boise, Idaho area, we offer a free foot assessment with one of our practitioners to get you on the correct treatment path. If you live out of state, we highly recommend scheduling our tele-consulting for free. Foot Dynamics has over 20 years of experience in treating many foot issues.
We’re always available by phone, chat, or email, if you have any questions.
