7 Plantar Fasciitis Prevention Tips
Plantar Fasciitis is one of the most common causes of heel pain. It involves inflammation of the thick band of tissue (plantar fascia) that runs across the bottom of your foot and connects the heel bone to your toes.
Causes of Plantar Fasciitis
Before discussing plantar fasciitis treatment, we must first understand what causes this painful condition. Plantar fasciitis occurs when small tears accrue in the tissue band from any of the following issues:
- Wearing shoes that are too hard
- Bad habits when running
- Flat feet
- High arch without proper support in shoes
- Being overweight
- Standing for long periods
Plantar Fasciitis Prevention
There are many things you can do to prevent plantar fasciitis including:
- Wear shoes with good support
- Replace tennis shoes often
- Avoid walking on hard surfaces barefoot
- Keep a healthy weight
- Low-impact exercise like swimming or walking
- Avoid high-impact exercise such as running
- Stretch your legs and feet
Plantar Fasciitis Treatment
If you already have plantar fasciitis, there are non-invasive ways to treat it.
- Rest
- Ice the bottom of the foot
- Stretch
- Physical therapy
- Orthotics
- Night braces
When should you talk to a physician?
If the pain persists after several months you should schedule a visit with a doctor. You may have underlying issues such as a bone spur rubbing on the tissue or a stress fracture. At that time the physician may request an x-ray or an MRI to be done. Surgery should be a last resort for plantar fasciitis treatment unless there is another reason like a bone spur.
