There are many methods of treatment for heel pain and plantar fasciitis, which can range from simply resting your feet to surgery. Unfortunately most of us can’t just lie around the house for weeks while our feet heal. The following is the most effective methods for relieving plantar fasciitis. I have used these methods for the 5000 or so cases that I have seen over the years.
- Rest – Reduce the amount of time you spend on your feet. This means cut back on your exercise routine and reduce your speed and distance. Make your spouse or roommate cook your dinner and have the kids do all of the chores for a little while. Anything that can reduce the time you spend on your feet will help!
- Take a serious look at the shoes. I my opinion shoes contribute to at least 25% of all plantar fasciitis cases. If your shoes are worn or ill fitting then replace them. If you think you have good shoes because you paid a lot for them or some professional athlete endorses them, then you are dead wrong. Most shoes manufacturers are interested in number of units sold and comfort was not high on the list of priorities. It is only in the past 10 years that shoe manufacturers have begun to focus on comfort. The good news is there, is a lot more choices for comfort shoes today. Learn how to buy the correct shoes for plantar fasciitis here.
- Stretching exercises. Stretching is a very important part of any rehabilitation program for heel pain and plantar fasciitis. I am a big fan of “Non-weight bearing stretches”. To learn more on non-weight bearing stretches click here.
- Foot Orthotics are probably one of the easiest methods to control or eliminate plantar fasciitis. So what type of orthotic do you need?
- Medications are a popular treatment for heel pain, but lets face it they are only treating the symptom and not the cause. Your doctor may prescribe over the counter medication like Advil or Ibuprofen or he/she may prescribe NSAIDs (Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs). NSAIDs are used primarily to treat inflammation from mild to moderate pain