Plantar Fasciitis is heel and arch pain that can be managed with some effort.
Plantar Fasciitis is a pain (quite literally) in your heels and arches. It starts with almost no warning. You could get it from dancing in a wedding or right after your first 5K run. Sometimes it even starts after simply walking. Once the pain starts, it stays for a long time. Plantar Fasciitis is extremely common in India. I know of people who have had this pain for years. It is like sports injury that refuses to heal.
In the most common form of Plantar Fasciitis, you get heel pain that starts from the toes and goes all the way to the heel at the bottom of the foot. It is most severe first thing in the morning. Your first steps give you excruciating pain. After 20-30 steps the pain reduces. During the day, it is most intense when you have walked some. Plantar Fasciitis can deteriorate your quality of life substantially.
The most common causes of Plantar Fasciitis include wearing wrong footwear (high heels, shoes with hard soles etc), having flat feet or being overweight. But there are times when the pain starts with no apparent reason.
So what do you do to manage this pain and reduce the symptoms? First, you need to learn to recognize the signs. Before Plantar Fasciitis becomes severe, you will have days of tolerable pain in your heel after you have walked a little. This is the time to take corrective action. You should start wearing comfortable shoes with cushioned heel and arch support. Start wearing compression socks when walking and at night. Stop wearing high heels. Stop doing high impact workout such as aerobics, running and Zumba. Roll your feet on a foam roller to relax the tissue under the foot. And above all, takes steps in losing weight. Do not let the pain become really bad. Because then, it will take much longer to heel your feet back to health.
In Plantar Fasciitis, you will not be able to run or walk much. But you can still exercise. You can still go cycling, rowing and swimming. Also, you will lose weight more effectively if you combine workout with proper dieting. Work with a nutritionist to get on a weight loss plan. You will see marked improvement in your pain once you have lost a few kilos.
So take the matter in your hands – it is time to manage the plantar fasciitis pain and improve everyday life. Good Luck in your journey. May it be a rewarding one.
