So you think you have Plantar Fasciitis

When those first few steps in the morning cause pretty intense pain in the heel of your foot, you may have Plantar Fasciitis. It’s an overuse injury that can affect people overweight, people who walk or stand a lot for their jobs, or people who jog and run a lot as part of their exercise routines.

Here’s the deal, if you don’t treat it, it could be become chronic. Most of the treatments involve daily stretching, but you have to be consistent and have patience.

Here’s some daily stretches you can perform to help with Plantar Fasciitis:

Lean forward against a wall with one knee straight and heel on the ground. Your other knee is bent. Your heel cord and foot arch stretch as you lean. Hold for 15 seconds, relax and straighten up. Repeat 15 times for each sore heel. Make sure to keep your knee fully extended on the side being stretched.

Lean forward onto a countertop, spreading your feet apart with one foot in front of the other. Flex your knees and squat down, keeping your heels on the ground as long as possible. Your heel cords and foot arches will stretch as the heels come up in the stretch. Hold for 15 seconds, relax and straighten up. Repeat 15 times.

Sit down and cross your affected leg over your other leg. Using the hand on your affected side, take hold of your affected foot and pull your toes back towards your shin. This creates tension/stretch in the arch of the foot/plantar fascia. Hold the stretch for a count of 15. Repeat 15 times.

Get into a kneeling position and tuck the heels of your feet under your butt. With your toes extended on the floor, slowly lean back with your hands on the floor behind you bracing you, and hold for 15 seconds. Repeat 15 times. Keep your head in a neutral position and don’t hyper-extend your back.

If your condition doesn’t improve after a few months, ask your Doctor about injecting your heel with steroidal anti-inflammatory medication. But perform the stretch treatment first and be consistent.

You can also try using over the counter arch support inserts in your shoes.

Cheers,

Jack Witt, MS, CPT
Fitness and Health Coach
“Get Fit with Witt”
Individuals / Groups / Corporate
310.562.5629 Cell / 818.760.3891 Main
www.getfitwithWitt.com 
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