If you are one of the many Houston residents suffering from heel pain due to plantar fasciitis, you know just how painful the condition can be. While a trip to Podiatry Associates of Houston is the most thorough way to treat your condition once and for all, there are several at-home treatments for plantar fasciitis you can try in the meantime. Here are five.
1. Stretch Your Fascia
Ease the pain of a tight fascia by stretching both your foot, your ankle and your calf muscles as needed, particularly in the morning when the pain is the worst. You can do this by propping your toes against a wall, by using a towel or strap to pull your toes towards you, or by putting your toes on a stair and reaching your other foot up as many stairs as you can.
2. Massage Your Muscles
Many Houston residents also find great relief from heel pain with a simple massage. Use your hands to massage your feet and ankles, or roll a golf ball or water bottle back and forth under your foot. While you're at it, be sure to massage the rest of your leg muscles, as heel pain can affect more than just your feet.
3. Put Ice on the Area
If your feet and ankles are swollen, decrease the inflammation and ease the pain with ice. You can rest your foot on an ice pack or a bag of frozen vegetables. Alternately, you may want to invest in special ice pack shoes that provide optimal relief.
4. Get Plenty of Rest
While rest may be the last thing you want to do if you have an important sporting event coming up, unfortunately, plenty of rest is usually required in order to recover from plantar fasciitis. The good news is that the condition is manageable if you can slow down and take some extra precautions.
5. Wear the Proper Footwear
Lastly, choosing the right footwear can make a tremendous difference. Avoid flip flops, shoes that are too tight and shoes that offer little or no support. Instead, choose comfortable shoes that fit just right and that offer excellent arch support.
Don't try to suffer through the heel pain that often comes with plantar fasciitis. Use these five tips combined with a trip to Podiatry Associates of Houston and your feet will be feeling better in no time.