Plantar fasciitis is a foot condition usually felt as pain in the bottom of your foot around the heel. There are about 2 million new cases of this condition reported every year in the USA only. That pain is felt especially when taking the first steps in the morning or after spending some time of the feet. This pain is caused by an injury of the fascia connective tissue at the bottom of the foot. This tissue is called the plantar fascia and it connects the heel bone to the toes. Usually this injury is caused by overload of the foot. Plantar fasciitis remission time can be very long because the overuse of the foot is a part of the patient's daily habit and the foot gets injured time after time.
The foot is a very unique mechanical structure. Each foot is assembled from 26 bones, 33 joints, more than a 100 muscles, ligaments, tendons and nerves. The human foot system is even more sophisticated and is a little bit different in every individual. The plantar fascia ligament part in the foot mechanism is to keep the foot longitudinal arch structure. It operates more or less like a bow string. But this structure is held also by the other parts of the foot particularly the foot's small muscles. If you exercise your feet this whole structure will get stronger. Stronger foot muscles can support the plantar fascia keeping it from another trauma. Stronger feet can do the difference between a permanent plantar fasciitis and a treatable foot condition.
There are plenty distinctive plantar fasciitis treatments, but there is no one therapy that works for everybody. Treatment techniques can be simple, like putting ice on the foot, or very sophisticated like surgery. The most common and efficient treatment is exercise. Exercise is reported as a very effective treatment method, you can do it when you feel like it, anywhere and it does not cost anything. Applying some of the following exercises in your daily schedule (2-3 times a day) will make your healing faster and will keep your feet stronger.
Plantar fasciitis exercises consist of two different types. The first group of exercise is foot strengthening and the second is stretching. Normally whenever you perform an exercise you should not feel any pain. If you do feel pain you must stop. The foot strength exercises are not appropriate for the painful stage of the disorder. Hold on for an inflammation decrease and pain relief before you start strengthening your foot. Anyway please consult your physician before you do any of the following exercises. For the specific exercises please visit our website at: