Daily Archives: May 8, 2013

Plantar Fasciitis

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Plantar Fasciitis

I might have this injury. I need to take it slow on using the treadmill.

Plantar fasciitis means inflammation of your plantar fascia. Your plantar fascia is a strong band of tissue (like a ligament) that stretches from your heel to your middle foot bones. It supports the arch of your foot and also acts as a shock-absorber in your foot.

I have experienced some intense pain around the area surrounding my heel for quite some time. It is worse during mornings. I also notice that it acts up when I walk too long, for example, walking around restaurants easton pa, in my regular shoes *flats*.

You are more likely to injure your plantar fascia in certain situations. For example:

  • If you are on your feet for a lot of the time, or if you do lots of walking, running, standing, etc, when you are not used to it. (The condition is sometimes called ‘policeman’s heel’, as policemen ‘walking the beat’ were said to be commonly affected.) Also, people with a sedentary lifestyle are more prone to plantar fasciitis.
  • If you have recently started exercising on a different surface – for example, running on the road instead of a track.
  • If you have been wearing shoes with poor cushioning or poor arch support.
  • If you are overweight – this will put extra strain on your heel.
  • If there is overuse or sudden stretching of your sole. For example: athletes who increase running intensity or distance; poor technique starting ‘off the blocks’, etc.
  • If you have a tight Achilles tendon (the big tendon at the bottom of your calf muscles above your heel). This can affect your ability to flex your ankle and make you more likely to damage your plantar fascia.

    • How is it treated?
    No single treatment works best for everyone with plantar fasciitis. But there are many things you can try to help your foot get better:

    Give your feet a rest. Cut back on activities that make your foot hurt. Try not to walk or run on hard surfaces.
    To reduce pain and swelling, try putting ice on your heel. Or take an over-the-counter pain reliever like ibuprofen (such as Advil or Motrin), naproxen (such as Aleve), or aspirin.
    Do toe stretches , calf stretches and towel stretches several times a day, especially when you first get up in the morning.
    Get a new pair of shoes. Pick shoes with good arch support and a cushioned sole. Or try heel cups or shoe inserts (orthotics ). Use them in both shoes, even if only one foot hurts.

    April Running Challenge

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    I did a running challenge last month. I wanted to log in 100kms of walk time but I failed. I was pretty consistent during the first two weeks but had to stop because of some personal matters that I need to attend to.

    Suffice to say, I think that I still was able to walk as many miles as I can, since I have been commuting to and from the city, taking the train and walking the stairs to the 3rd floor of a hospital numerous times. Thankfully, I don’t smoke or have tried smoking a cigar from Famous Smoke Shop.