subject: Easy Plantar Fasciitis Stretches For Foot Pain Relief [print this page] Easy Plantar Fasciitis Stretches For Foot Pain Relief
Plantar fasciitis can be hard to diagnose because of the range of symptoms and extent of debilitation that sufferers experience. And total cure can take a long time and involve invasive surgery or injections. However, one of the best treatments for relief from plantar fasciitis pain is a regular program of gentle stretching of the affected areas.The foot pain experienced typically comes from the sharp tugging of the plantar fascia against the heel bone. The pain may be felt at any point from the toes to the heel bone. However, it may be caused by the sudden stretching of the over tight plantar fascia or an over tight Achilles tendon, which also connects to the heel bone. As a result, it is important that BOTH of these tendons should be stretched gently and massaged to relieve the foot pain.Before doing any exercise, it is important to warm up the feet to make sure that the foot ligaments will not be further damaged. This can simply be done by flexing and relaxing the feet and rotating the ankles for 2-3 minutes.Basic StretchFor this basic plantar fascia exercise, you will need a towel or belt. Once you have warmed up your feet, sit on the floor with your legs straight out in front of you. Loop the towel or belt over your toes so that it rests on the ball of your foot. Keeping your legs straight, gently but firmly pull the ends of the towel or belt so that your toes point upwards and you feel a slight stretch in your foot. Hold for a count of 10 before releasing. Repeat 5 times.This basic stretch is very effective at lessening heel pain almost immediately.Calf StretchThis stretch focuses more on the calf as well as providing a stronger stretch for the plantar fascia. It is more advanced than the basic stretch and should not be attempted as a first exercise.Stand arms length away from a wall and place your hands on it at eye height. Move one leg back and bend the knee of the front leg slightly. Keep your back leg straight. Keep your heels on the floor at all times. You should feel a gentle stretch at the back of the knee of the back leg.Next lean in slightly by bending the elbows. Bend your back knee slowly, allowing your front knee to bend slightly more as required. You should feel a deeper stretch behind the back knee. Hold for a count of 10. Release the stretch. Repeat twice. Change legs and repeat.Drop Step StretchA more advanced stretch for plantar fasciitis is the step stretch, although it can be performed using a pile of books, directories, or indeed anything that can mimic the height change of a step. The drop step stretch is a deep stretch for the calf muscle and the Achilles tendon and requires a certain level of balance, unless you hold on to something. Because of this, there is a risk of over stretching and causing more damage, so take extra care with this stretch and do not attempt it without warming up your muscles and feet.Start by standing on a step so that your heels hang over the edge and only on the balls of your feet are on the step. Gradually lower the heel of one foot further from the step until the point when you start to feel a stretch in the calf and Achilles. Maintain the stretch for a count of 10, relax back and repeat with the same foot three times. Switch feet and repeat the exercise. When you have mastered the exercise, and your balance, try stretching both at the same time.Remember, as with so many things, plantar fasciitis stretches work best if they are done little and often rather than over practised in one long session. For best results, they should be done several times a day until improvement is seen, and then less often.
