How to Obtain Natural Relief From Plantar Fasciitis

Plantar fasciitis is caused by inflammation of the thick heel tissue called the plantar fascia, which connects your toes to your heels. Plantar fasciitis can be the result of repeated action by the muscle, such as running or jogging, or it can happen over time and be the result of age or years of poor foot support or carrying a lot of weight. Regardless of how it develops, plantar fasciitis is a very painful condition with limited treatment options. There are a few things you can do, however, to treat plantar fasciitis naturally and bring relief.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Ice pack
• Thin towel
• Arch supports
• Night splints
• Marbles or tennis ball

1. 
   A bag of ice cubes can be as effective as an ice pack

   Apply ice packs to the heel area to help relieve inflammation and swelling. Applying an ice pack twice daily will help treat the pain and inflammation. Put your feet up and place an ice pack under the heel while you rest. Place a washcloth or a light towel between your foot and the ice pack to protect the skin from the extreme cold.

2. 
   Various arch supports

   Wear over-the-counter arch supports. One of the aggravating causes of plantar fasciitis is poor foot support, such as high heels or flat shoes. Arch supports help relieve the pressure that's put on the plantar muscle, relieving some of the tension, inflammation and pain. Avoid high-heeled shoes and when not wearing arch supports, wear shoes or sneakers with quality built-in arches.

3. 
   One of the many types of night splints

   Wear night splints while sleeping. Night splints are specially designed soft boots that keep the foot in a very specific position overnight, gently stretching the Achilles tendon and the plantar fascia muscle. This overnight stretch helps prevent tension from settling into the muscle and relieves plantar fasciitis symptoms.

4. Stretch the plantar muscle and calf muscle in the morning before getting out of bed. Gently flex and extend your foot until you feel the muscles in the back of the heel stretching.

5. 
   Take up swimming for a low-impact workout

   Avoid high-impact movements such as running, jogging or jumping. Repeated trauma on the heel and foot can further damage and irritate the plantar muscle, as well as cause additional inflammation and pain. Once your plantar fasciitis begins to heal, you can slowly add these activities to your routine. Meanwhile, to stay active, try something with lower impact such as swimming.

6. Rest. Put your feet up every evening, or even for 15 minutes during the day, and give your feet and heels a break. Elevating your feet will also help reduce inflammation.

7. 
   Roll your feet on some marbles for a massage

   Put some marbles down in a foot basin and roll your feet around on them, putting gentle pressure on your heel area. This is a cheap and wonderful way to get a foot massage. If you don't have marbles, roll a ball under your foot for gentle massage.

Tips & Warnings

• If you don't have a simple lunch ice pack to use for the ice treatment, put some ice cubes in a baggie and rest your feet on it.
• If you try any of the above natural treatments for 30 days with no relief, see your family physician to make sure you are accurately diagnosed.

Resources

• American Academy of Family Physicians
• Mayo Clinic on plantar fasciitis
• How to massage your feet to relieve plantar fasciitis.

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