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3 Plantar Fasciitis Stretches to Soothe Heel Pain

Plantar Fasciitis is a common – and extremely painful – condition in which the thin ligament that connects your heel to the front of your foot becomes damaged or torn. This can occur when running, or exercising repetitively, and is also common in pregnancy since the extra weight on the ligament can cause inflammation.

Foot pain often causes people to stop exercising and can discourage healthy habits, but there’s no need to despair! Specific exercises that are designed to restore your feet to full health can correct these problems and get you feeling great once again. Here’s our rundown of the best exercises to treat Plantar Fasciitis.

Stretches For Plantar Fasciitis

1.    Foot Roll. Sit up straight in a chair and place a frozen water bottle, ice cold can or foam roller on the floor. Roll your foot back and forth over it for one minute, then repeat using the other foot.(Note: you may wish to use a sock/towel, & not roll a bare foot over the cold items above)

2.    Big toe stretch. In a seated position, cross one leg over the other, grab your big toe and pull it towards you gently. Hold for 15-30 seconds, and repeat three times. Repeat on the other foot.

3.    Strap stretch. Fold a towel or piece of fabric lengthwise to make an exercise strap, then place the folded towel under the arches of both feet when you are in a seated position. Hold the ends of the towel in both hands and gently pull the tops of your feet towards you, holding for 15-30 seconds. Repeat three times.

Carry Out Calf Stretches Properly

Calf stretches can be very important for foot health and prevention of muscle pain, but it’s easiest to ensure that you’re carrying out exercises correctly if you can see them being performed. Look for a good demonstration of the gastrocnemius stretch and soleus stretch, to ensure that your calf stretches will be beneficial to your exercise regime.  More on plantar fasciitis

  Prevent Foot Pain While Exercising

Your feet are doing an amazing job for you and it’s vital to look after them. Stretching well before you begin your exercise program can prevent many foot conditions, including plantar fasciitis, from developing. Once you have sustained an injury to your feet, it’s important to stop exercises like running, but to focus on these strengthening exercises instead to correct the problem.

When you are ready to start running again, build up very slowly and incorporate calf stretches into your route at regular intervals to help your muscles to re-adjust and increase strength.

Supportive Sports Shoes in Ireland

Good quality, supportive shoes are an absolute must when you’re exercising, and you’ll be amazed at the difference they’ll make to you. Call into any of our Foot Solutions stores throughout the country, for a range of gait analysis tests and expert assistance to address any existing foot conditions and find the perfect shoes & support for your feet.

The post 3 Plantar Fasciitis Stretches to Soothe Heel Pain appeared first on Foot Solution Ireland.

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5 Exercises to Help Relieve Achilles Tendonitis

Achilles Tendonitis can be very painful and debilitating, leading sufferers to reduce the amount of exercise they are doing, or even stop exercising altogether, and become less healthy as a result. However, there are many types of exercise that can be beneficial for your feet as well as for your overall health, and exercises specifically designed to help resolve Achilles Tendonitis can be extremely effective.

How Can Exercise Help?

An eccentric muscle contraction is one in which the muscle gets longer rather than shorter as it contracts. Eccentric strengthening exercises can be a very effective way of treating Achilles Tendonitis, with up to 90% of patients experiencing improvement or cure using the Hakan Alfredson’s heel drop protocol.

Alfredson’s programme reassures patients that it isn’t a problem if their pain gets worse initially – this can be a part of the normal healing process. Alfredson also insists that heel drop exercises should be performed with the legs straight as well as bent, and that a total of 180 repetitions should be done every day for 12 weeks.

How to do Exercises for Achilles Tendonitis

Gastrocnemius heel drop. Stand with one foot on a step and the heel raised up. Lower the heel slowly, until the foot is parallel to the ground (keep your leg straight), then push back to the starting position using the uninjured leg to help. Repeat 15 repetitions, three times a day for 12 weeks. If two sets of 15 repetitions can be done without pain, increase the load by wearing a weighted vest or rucksack.

      Soleus heel drop. Stand as for the gastrocnemius heel drop exercise, but with your leg bent to 45 degrees. Raise the heel up high, then lower to horizontal (but no further), and return to the starting position using the uninjured leg to assist. Try three sets of 15 repetitions twice a day, for 12 weeks, and don’t worry if the pain gets worse initially. As above, increase the load when exercises become pain free.

        Gastrocnemius stretch. With the injured leg stretched out behind you, put the uninjured leg in front and lean forward, keeping your heel in contact with the floor. Repeat three times, holding the stretch for 20-30 seconds each time, several times a day. You should not experience pain during this exercise, but should feel the stretch in your calf muscle.

      Soleus stretch. As with the gastrocnemius stretch, the injured leg should be behind as you lean forward. This time, the back leg should be bent. Leaning against a wall is the best way to do this exercise, and you should feel the stretch lower in the back of your leg.

      Stretching on a step. Stand with the front of your foot on a step and your heels hanging off the back of the step. Lower your heels down below the level of the step and hold for 15-20 seconds. Repeat with the knee straight and with the knee bent to feel a gentle stretch. More on Achilles Tendonitis

Find Supportive Shoes in Ireland?

The most important way to keep your feet fit and healthy is to ensure that you have well fitted, comfortable shoes that are suitable for your particular type of activity. It’s also important that your feet are kept in correct alignment during such activity. Pop into Foot Solutions today to get your feet measured & gait analysed. We can help you find the right footwear & support solutions to suit your individual needs.

The post 5 Exercises to Help Relieve Achilles Tendonitis appeared first on Foot Solution Ireland.

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Plantar fasciitis is the most common cause of heel pain. It is the inflammation caused by excessive stretching of the plantar fascia, the broad band of fibrous tissue which runs along the bottom surface of the foot, attaching at the bottom of the heel bone and extending to the forefoot. Click here for more information

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Tips for Running with Plantar Fasciitis

There is no question that running is good for your health.  It keeps you fit and active and helps to keep your weight in moderation, which goes a long way toward preventing health complications.  However, people who run on a regular basis do sometimes develop plantar fasciitis, which is an inflammation of the plantar fascia ligament located on the underside of the foot.

Repetitive strain causes the ligament in the foot to develop tiny tears.  Normally these tears would heal on their own.  If the foot continues to be placed under stress, though, the ligament may not be able to heal those tears properly.  This inflammation is known as plantar fasciitis. If you have plantar fasciitis, you may experience pain in the heels and the bottoms of the feet.

Most people who have plantar fasciitis find that the pain is worst when they first get up in the morning, and it gets a little better after they move around a bit.  Exercise or spending a lot of time on your feet can aggravate the pain, though.

If you have plantar fasciitis, you don’t have to stop running.  Use these tips for running with plantar fasciitis to help you stick to your routine without suffering.

   Cut back on your training schedule.  You may need to test yourself a bit to see what your body can handle; depending on your injury, a reduction of 25 – 75% of your typical mileage may be necessary.  If you cut back your mileage but continue to have pain, then this is a sign that your body needs to rest and heal.  Take a little time off and allow your body to heal.  When you are ready to start running again, start slowly and build from there.

Always stretch before running.  This will help to strengthen the plantar fascia, relieve tension, and prevent further injury.  To begin stretching, stand facing a wall and place your hands against the wall.  Lean forward, keeping one leg straight and the other leg bent.  Remain in this position for 10 seconds, taking note of the stretching sensation in the heel of the straightened leg.  Next, take that straightened leg and bend it toward the side, so that there is pressure on the ankle.  Hold for 10 seconds, and repeat 5 – 10 times.  Next, sit down on a sturdy surface. Place your feet flat on the floor.  Keep the toes on the floor, but lift the rest of the foot upward.  Hold for 10 seconds, and repeat 5 – 10 times.

Before you go for a run, it might help to take an anti-inflammatory medication – see your doctor or pharmacist for advice. This will help to minimize any inflammation that occurs as a result of your run.  After running, apply ice to the bottom of the feet, which will also help to minimize inflammation.  If you have pain after running, you can repeat the dose of anti-inflammatory medication as instructed by your doctor/pharmacist.

Give yourself a foot massage.  A cold water bottle is a great therapy tool for people with plantar fasciitis.  Just place the cold water bottle under your foot, and roll it back and forth.  The cold will help to relieve pain and inflammation, while the rolling motion relaxes the ligaments in the foot.  You could also use a tennis ball to massage your feet.

If you have plantar fasciitis, you don’t have to stop running.    A new pair of shoes with proper support will make a world of difference.  Visit Foot Solutions today to see how we can help you keep running with plantar fasciitis.