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Plantar Fasciitis or Plantar Fascia is a condition that causes extreme heel pain in individuals. The plantar fascia happens to be the flat tissue that connects the heel bone to the toes. It is responsible for supporting the arch of the foot. When the plantar fascia is stretched repeatedly or strained, it becomes weak, swollen and inflamed. And this would cause the heel at the bottom of the foot to hurt when the concerned individual tries to walk or even stand up.Plantar fasciitis is fairly common in aged individuals. However, the condition can also occur in younger individuals who tend to remain on their feet a lot, including soldiers and athletes. And not many individuals know that there are certain home remedies that can help reduce the pain and discomfort caused by plantar fasciitis to an extent, thereby minimizing the need to visit a doctor for the same. Given below are some of the most common home remedies recommended for plantar fasciitis in individuals.
Best Home Remedies For Plantar Fascia
Ice Massages
Massaging the soft tissues with ice can help reduce the pain and inflammation caused by plantar fasciitis to an extent. Use a bag of frozen peas or a towel with some crushed ice in it for the massage. Apply the ice pack on the heel for about 15 minutes. Remove the pack and rub the heel across the width of the foot. This would promote blood flow to the region, and quicken the healing process. After rubbing the heel nicely for about 2 minutes, reapply the ice pack for another 15 minutes and repeat the procedure. Follow this remedy at least twice a day for about a week or so until the pain dissipates.
You can also opt to roll a frozen golf ball or water bottle right under the arch in order to massage the fascia. Make sure you roll the ball/bottle all the way from the front to the back of your foot. Place extra pressure on the lateral, center and medical positions for about 10 seconds before moving on to the next area. Repeat this procedure at least 10 times to get relief from the pain caused by plantar fasciitis.
Stretches
It pays to stretch your feet nicely before placing them on the floor every morning. Flex your ankle a number of times in addition to stretching the lower calf muscles, extending your toes outward as you do so. This particular bit of stretching done first thing in the morning can help reduce the pain and discomfort you experience due to plantar fasciitis.
Individuals with plantar fasciitis should also make it a point to flex and stretch the leg muscles at regular intervals throughout the day. This would help curb the symptoms of the condition to a great extent. Focus on the plantar fascia and the Achilles tendon when doing these stretches, for it would help strengthen these areas and increase their flexibility. Continue doing these stretches at least 6-7 times every day in order to keep the symptoms of the condition under control.
Night Splints
Wearing night splints before going to bed each night can help reduce the pain and discomfort caused by plantar fasciitis. These splints are basically supports that keep the plantar fascia and the Achilles tendon stretched as you sleep through the night.This would prevent the muscles in these areas from becoming tight and stiff the next morning. It may be a bit difficult for you to adjust with a splint at night. But the trouble would be worth it in the end. And you would probably get used to the splint after a few days.
Sole Inserts
Most shoes come with readymade insoles, which in most cases are not that comfortable. If you have plantar fasciitis, you can opt to remove the insoles of the shoes that you bought and replace them with custom made soles that would cushion the heel, and offer more stability and support to the foot.
Shoes
Individuals with plantar fasciitis need to be extra careful when choosing their footwear. The bottom area of the feet which happens to be the most affected region, needs to be protected properly in order to curb the pain and discomfort caused by plantar fasciitis.
The best options for the condition happen to be hiking boots made of leather. These boots come with stiff soles that offer ample protection for the foot during the healing process. The soles of these boots also follow a rocker-bottom shape that helps alleviate the stress placed on the foot. The leather uppers provide more support and stability to the ankle. All these factors make leather hiking boots the best choices for individuals suffering from plantar fasciitis.
