Plantar fasciitis is heel pain that can be either dull or severe. It’s caused by repeated tension or stress to the plantar fascia, a ligament that connects the heel to the toes.
Treating Metatarsalgia or Ball of Foot Pain
What Causes Plantar Fasciitis?
Plantar fasciitis can be caused by a number of factors, such as an increase in activity level, the shape of your feet, the type of shoes you’re wearing, and the surfaces you’re walking or running on. For example, if you’re a runner and you decide to increase your weekly mileage too quickly, you may end up getting plantar fasciitis. Maybe you moved into a new home with a tile floor, which you’ve been walking on barefoot, and the stress of the move caused you to gain a few pounds. This is another common scenario that could lead to plantar fasciitis.
Recovery
No matter the cause of your plantar fasciitis, it’s important to start thinking about recovery. Here are a few things you can do to get started:
Wear Supportive Shoes
It’s important to invest in supportive shoes with features that will alleviate plantar fasciitis. You will want to avoid high heels or shoes with a narrow toe box. Instead, look for shoes that offer cushioning and arch support to help distribute your weight evenly across your feet.
Arch Support For Plantar Fasciitis
Wear shoes with arch support to help reduce stress on the metatarsals. You can either find shoes that come with arch support or buy special insoles to put into your shoes. Arch support can help to prevent your arches from collapsing in when you walk, also known as pronating, which can cause plantar fasciitis.
Rest
Keep off your feet, and avoid any strenuous activities that would put additional stress on your body. It’s still important to stay active as you recover, so you may want to find a low-impact activity like swimming or biking to get some exercise without straining your feet.
Ice
Try icing your foot 15-20 minutes a few times a day. Ice is a great tool for recovery, since it helps reduce inflammation.
The Authority on Comfort
At The Walking Company, we’re passionate about helping people recover from plantar fasciitis, which is why we offer a whole line of shoes dedicated to help relieve pain caused by plantar fasciitis. They include specifically designed features such as:
- Arch support to help more evenly distribute pressure across the foot
- Special heel padding that reduces shock
- Rigid heel cup and arch that offers stability and helps prevent pronation
For many people, finding the right shoes is the key to start healing, and we’re here to support you every step of the way.
The Walking Company. The Authority on Comfort to help you Keep on Walking.