subject: Pros And Cons Of Advanced Plantar Relief Stretches [print this page] Pros And Cons Of Advanced Plantar Relief Stretches
Specific stretches for plantar fasciitis must be included in your everyday routine if you are serious about relieving the debilitating pain associated with this condition. However, it is also important that you tailor your stretches to the extent and stage of healing of your plantar fasciitis. Once you have rested, iced and massaged your plantar ligament to relieve the initial inflammation, you should start doing basic plantar fasciitis stretches by flexing the toes (pulling them upwards) to gently lengthen the plantar fascia ligament. A towel, strap or yoga band can also be used to intensify this stretch. Next try the single leg wall stretch to further elongate the Achilles tendon and loosen the calf muscles. Only when you have practised this for a few days should you try the advanced stretch for plantar fasciitis.This stretch is often called the hanging heel, step stretch or drop step stretch but there are actually a number of ways of achieving it, all of which have their pros and cons.Drop Step StretchIn this classic version of the stretch, you stand with your toes on a low stair or other available step. Hold on to something to maintain your balance and then lower one heel off the back of the step until you feel a good stretch in the Achilles tendon and calf muscle. Hold the stretch, release it and repeat with the other leg. Perform three times for each leg.Whilst this stretch can be done virtually anywhere there is a set of stairs, and a really deep and beneficial stretch can be achieved with this technique, it is difficult to stretch both feet at the same time and remain under control. Thus it is easy to overstretch and potentially cause more damage to your feet if you should accidentally overbalance. Book StretchThis is a safer way to achieve the same stretch because it is done using a thick book placed on the floor. As before you stand on the book with the toes only and gently lower the heels off the back until the toes are raised relative to the heels and a good stretch is felt in the Achilles tendon and calf muscles. The advantage of this stretch is that the floor acts as a natural brake so it is much harder to cause more damage to the plantar fascia. On the negative side, it is not easy to increase the intensity of the stretch in a slow incremental fashion unless you have a range of suitably sized books in a variety of thicknesses and not everyone is comfortable with the notion of standing on a book!
