With the weather warming up (but not too much yet!), we know a lot of you are thinking about going out for a run. When you do, make sure you protect yourself from the pain of plantar fasciitis! It’s fairly simple to prevent inflammation in the plantar fascia, but you just need to know how.
Plantar fasciitis occurs when the band of tissue that runs along the bottom of your foot becomes inflamed. This inflammation is usually the result of too much pressure or strain being put on the foot, and there are several leading causes. The first one is being extremely physically active with things that involve the feet, such as running. Another contributing factor is being overweight. The more weight you bear on your feet the more stress you are putting on them. A third reason is due to having flatfeet. The lack of an arch can put tremendous pressure on your feet and cause a lot of other problems.
So now that you know what causes plantar fasciitis, you can take steps to prevent it. If you are an avid runner, or even a weekend warrior, make sure you take the time to stretch your feet daily. Anything that strengthens the arch and calves will help avoid plantar fasciitis. Furthermore, make sure you are wearing the right shoes for your specific gait type. Every person is different and requires different things from their running shoes, so take your time to do the research. If you ever feel a little soreness take a golf ball or frozen water bottle and gently massage your arches to nip the pain in the bud. Remember that it’s very important to provide support in the arch area, so wear shoes or orthotics that supply it. This means avoiding being barefoot or wearing flimsy flip-flops.
We want to help you avoid developing plantar fasciitis in any way we can, so don’t hesitate to call Dr. Peyman Elison and Dr. Viedra Elison at (623) 584-5556 and schedule an appointment with us at Fixing Feet Institute in Surprise, AZ.
