Plantar fasciitis is a common foot condition causing heel or sole pain. It’s caused by inflammation of the plantar fascia, a thick band of tissue that supports the arch of the foot, ‘itis’ means inflame.

Common among runners and those who stand for prolonged periods, it can lead to stabbing pain in the heel, usually worse in the morning. Factors like improper footwear, high arches, obesity, and overuse  were for many years blamed for contributing to its development but many of these are now disproved and false information.

Treatment can involve rest, stretching, orthotics and physical therapy or anti-inflammatory medications. Severe cases might require corticosteroid injections or, in very rare instances, surgery to release tension on the plantar fascia but the vast majority of people can find their own strategies to freedom from this uncomfortable and painful condition.

So what’s the best way to treat and manage plantar fasciitis?

🦶Give adequate and reasonable recovery time

🦶Maintain conditioning; This means that while you let vour feet calm down for a few weeks, you find tolerable activities to maintain your legs conditioning, like an elliptical machine or a stationary bike or supine & gentle yoga ie something you can do easily and relatively pain free

🦶Prepare for the physical demands of the activity you’re returning to, slowly

🦶When you start doing a physical activity that you do not regularly do, you have to ask yourself, “is my body well prepared for this?” If the answer is “no”, your risk of pain/injury is higher.

🦶Preparation is personal, individual and specific. The best way to prepare your body for an activity is very gradually doing more & more of that activity AT A RATE YOUR BODY CAN TOLERATE.

🦶Avoid large, rapid spikes in workload.

This is something lots of people with plantar fasciitis seem to struggle with. Every time they try to start running/activities again, they do too much too soon.

Think of it exactly like weight lifting. If we go into the gym & randomly try to do a 400lb deadlift after not deadlifting for several months, we are at a higher risk of hurting ourselves but if we ease in & gradually work up to that weight, the body will be well prepared and we will have avoided spiking the return.