What a Pain: Tips for Preventing Plantar Fasciitis
October 19, 2012 by Jenn
Are you taking proper care of those tootsies? Credit: tiffany assman
Ouchie ouch ouch! It’s safe to say that nobody (or no body) likes pain. And, well, it’s kind of hard to be fit and active when the very things you stand on—your feet—are causing you grief. That’s why we’re getting the real deal on plantar fasciitis from Phil Vasyli, world renowned podiatrist and founder of Orthaheel. Read on for what plantar fasciitis is, how it’s caused and what to do about it!
Tips for Preventing Plantar Fasciitis
Early morning foot pain—more like sharp, piercing pain—is usually the key indicator of plantar fasciitis. What a pain in the heel! Plantar fascia is an important section of tendons within the sole of your foot. Tearing any of these tendons can lead to a stabbing discomfort in your foot, most commonly in the morning. National statistics are difficult to note since many sufferers unfortunately suffer through the condition, accepting the pain, rather than going to a doctor or making simple lifestyle changes in footwear. But here are a few of those who are most susceptible to plantar fasciitis…
Those Most Like to Get Plantar Fasciitis?
- Wearers of flip-flops, ballet flats, high heels and low-cost shoes, without appropriate protection to arch.
- Walking commuters, all ages, who wear flip-flops, heels or ballet flats to work.
- Those with immediate weight gain, including pregnant women.
- Victims of hypothyroidism.
- Runners.
- Standing professionals.
Tips to Prevent Plantar Fasciitis
- Avoid cheaply manufactured footwear. Poor quality materials tend to lead to reduced support, lack of breathability and poor quality control.
- Avoid walking around the house barefoot—choose slippers that provide adequate arch support and a deep heel cup to improve balance and posture.
- Try to keep your fashionable shoes for shorter wearing sessions and avoid daily use.
- The higher the heel, the more the shoes increases the arch height and also changes the arch position. So look for high-heeled (1-inch to 1 1/2-inch heel maximum) shoes that contour to your arch and distribute your weight over the entire foot, not just the ball of the foot.
- Look for a firm heel counter and stable midfoot. Flexible regions should only be near the forefoot.
- With any shoes, ensure there is a high-quality shock absorbing material in the ball of the foot area to reduce the impact of the ground-reaction forces.
- Last, but not least, consider orthotics to boost up the arch back to its natural position.
For even more explanation as to how plantar fasciitis occurs and how to help reduce the pain, here’s a quick video!
Have you ever had heel pain? Suffered from plantar fasciitis? What helped you? We’re so sad to give up our flip-flops and ballet flats… —Jenn
I just had plantar fasciitis a few months ago and it was terrible! I ended up going to the podiatrist and now have semi-custom orthotics which I’m supposed to wear daily. I also never walk around barefoot unless I”m doing some yoga. It’s been a big adjustment but my feet feel much better.
Good article. Basically the main idea is that the repetitive daily (or excessive) stress on the foot can create these micro tears that cause the inflammation and pain associated with Plantar Fasciitis. It comes down to proper foot support – not only for avoiding injury – but also for allowing recovery if you do develop this sharp heel or arch pain. Our FasciaDerm system provides all-day support, gives you fast pain relief and helps you avoid re-injury. Pro athletes recognize it as the best plantar fasciitis treatment available.
I suffer from plantar fascitis. It’s the worst in the morning for me. And I know it comes down to support. I think I am going to have to look into orthodics or something because I want to be a runner; I don’t want my ballet flats and Target shoes to keep me from that!
I absolutely hate wearing shoes and could live in flip-flops even in the winter, but my plantar fascitis has made me change my ways (for the most part). I stick with low impact exercise, and if I do the treadmill, I increase incline rather than speed for intensity. Comfort shoes (you can find semi-attractive ones), tennis ball massages, stretching and orthotics helped me. After having to sleep in a brace and get an injection in one foot, I’m very protective of my tootsies now!
I am a suffer of planter fascitis for a little over a year now, I have done cortisone shots and had surgery this past spring, it actually made my problems worse for I have a build up of scar tissue, I do say it is all in the shoe, I have orthotics and it helps some and do deep tissue massage 2x’s a week along with all sorts of stretches, my biggest delimma is finding a pair of tennis shoes and every day professional work shoes that I can wear for the orthotics only work in tennis. Any advise on shoes would be greatly appreciated.
Shana:
That’s the danger with surgery or drugs. You may not address the root cause, and you’re still stuck with pain or side effects from that decision. We advise a careful consideration of your treatment options. There are 5-6 common treatments, but it pays to know what each can deliver and what their limitations are.
We believe that the best approach is a natural, effective one that provides constant support so your own healing processes can kick in to reverse plantar fasciitis (that is, after all, what “healing” is).
About the shoes… You can look for specialized shoes, or you can use FasciaDerm applied to your bare feet to provide you with the support you need (under normal, non-orthotic shoes)…the choice is yours. You may find that a combination of treatments works best for you, but the goal is to get there without major, invasive procedures or a series of short term “fixes” that are only taking care of the symptoms.