It is a painful condition relating to your foot specifically the heel. Plantar Fascia is the connective tissue which stretches from heel to toes. Inflammation or degeneration of plantar fascia is called plantat Fascitis. It is a stubborn condition and not very well researched or diagnosed. Its causes are also not fully understood but persistent pressure on the heels, running, extensive walking routine, foot deformity and wrong choce of footwear are amongst the common causes of this condition.
The marked characteristic of Plantar Fascitis is extremely painful first few steps in the morning as you get out of the bed, other kind of pains are usually alleviated after rest. In this write up we will explore various natural cures which can help in arresting the symptoms of this condition.
Natural Cures For Plantar Fascitis
Kick That Footwear
The first step for treating this condition is assessing and analyzing the kind of footwear you have been wearing. Completely avoid wearing shoes or sandals that have hard surface. When suffering from Plantar Fascitis you need mildly soft cusion kind of sole under your heels which will not exert pressure on plantar Fascia while walking.
Long heels, basically any heels beyond two inches should be strictly shunned. Heels make the fascia stretch a little too much and keeps the pressure on. High heels also have a tendency to tighten the calf muscles which is a known cause of plantar fascitis.Check your sports shoes and ensure that they are of the correct size and support your feet properly.
Observe if walking in the shoes makes your pain better or worse the next morning, this simple test will determine whether your shoes are good for you or not. You may also make use of insoles in your shoes. They are made to support the bottom of your heels and you can easily insert it in your shoes. Do not rely on the market made readymade insoles but get one from a doctor or a medical shop. These would be the proper insoles for use in curing plantar Fascitis.
Exercise The Fascia
Stretching fascia in the right manner can help you in alleviating the pain and this condition gradually. We will discuss some exercises for Plantar Fascia in this segement. Take a ball, the size of a golf ball and place it under your foot. Start moving it as your feet covers the ball in an arched shape.
Alternatively you can keep a bottle of warm or very cold water, also it has to be moved under your feet by arching the feet around it. This option will not only exercise fascia but the warmth will soothe the pain and if you choose the cold water then it will alleviate the pain by numbing the sensory nerves.
You may also use a frozen ball or frozen bottle of water for rolling under the feet. Third way of doing exercise is very simple, stretch your feet out and curve it in an arch shape, Hold it for sometime then stretch completely. Repeat for about 10 minutes at least.Yoga is also a great alternative to exercise and you may practice the poses that requite foot, knee and shin stretches.
Massage It To Flexibility
Massaging is a great way of alleviating the pain caused by plantar Fascitis. However, you must determine the parts of body that need to be massaged. As mentioned earlier stiffness or tightness of calf muscles can cause this condition. Therefore, if you continue to only massage the feet then it will lead only to superficial results as you would not be attacking the actual source of problem.
A number of nerves run from one part of the body all the way to feet. So check if this issue became persistent with the onset of stiffness or repeated muscle catches in any other part of the body. Ones determined, massage that part of the body along with the massage of feet and heel. You may use warm mustard or coconut oil for this purpose.
Heat Therapy
Heat is good for your body when there is inflammation in any part of the body. Mild warmth not only soothes the pain but also restores the flexibility and agility of the body. Take some warm water and dip your feet uptil the knees in such a way that your calf muscles are completely submerged in the water.
Keep resting in water for about 10 minutes, you may either follow it up with a hot oil massage or just cover it up properly to protect from cool air. Another effective remedy for this condition is roasting the neem leaves and wrapping them around the calf muscles or any other region where you might be experiencing stiffness. This therapy is best done in the night as you will be able to keep your problem areas wrapped inmild heat the entire night.
Lifestyle Modifications
If you are an avid runner then consult your doctor for the right kind of footwear. Try and run on grassy tracks and completely avoid the stone or concrete road to run on. Steer clear from uneven or uncobbled road while you are suffering from plantar fascitis. Do not stand for long hours and make it a routine to sit for at least 5 minutes after every half an hour to provide rest to your feet. Exercise in order to lose weight if you are suffering from obesity or weight issues.
Avoid roaming around in naked feet. Wearing splints or supporting your feet with crepe bandage is also very beneficial in healing and supporting the feet when you walk or even sleep. Your diet also forms an important part of lifestyle modifications for treating this condition. Eat food rich in Omega 3 fatty acids, like Salmon and mackeral, cod liver oil etc. Avoid junk food, refined flour and processed sugar as they hinder the healing process of the body.
Taking anti-oxidants and high amount of fluids flush the free radicals and other toxins out of the body that may cause slow healing of the inflammation. Balanced and healthy diet is utmost important as it fuel the immune system and equips it better in fighting the inflammation.
Caution: Please use Remedies after Proper Research and Guidance. You accept that you are following any advice at your own risk and will properly research or consult healthcare professional.
