Plantar fasciitis is one of the most common causes of complaints someone may have for pain in their heel. Plantar fasciitis is inflammation of the thick band that is at the bottom of your foot which runs from your heel to your toes – this band is called the fascia. One of the most common symptoms of this is stabbing sharp pains at the bottom of your foot, specifically near the heel, which usually occur with your first steps in the morning. As you are moving around and walking more, the pain normally decreases, but the pain can return after standing for long periods of time or from standing from a sitting position. There may be times that the pain does not always go away even with walking around, therefore you may think about what can be done to make the pain go away and therefore help to improve your quality of life. There is a variety of things that can be done to help plantar fasciitis, all of which can be done at home and are easy to implement.
There are many different things that can be done at home to help relieve discomfort that is of a result of plantar fasciitis. One of the most common things to do for any discomfort and the initial thing to do is put ice on the area of discomfort. Going hand in hand with icing is just general rest time. Resting would include avoiding activities which increase the pain such as running or jumping, basically any high impact movements. As stated before plantar fasciitis is due to inflammation, therefore taking over the counter anti-inflammatories such as Ibuprofen or Aleve can help to decrease the inflammation which essentially may be causing the discomfort. As always with anti-inflammatory medications, or even any over the counter medications, it is always important to contact your primary care physician to ensure that the over the counter medication is not contraindicated for you. Massage is another thing that is comforting and beneficial when there is any area of pain in the body. When doing massage for plantar fasciitis, this should feel good on your feet but can also be a little uncomfortable – massage is not something that is meant to be painful.
Massage is something that is very beneficial and comforting and can cause great relief to pain from plantar fasciitis. In the mornings is the best time to do massage because plantar fasciitis is most severe in the morning, but it can be done at any time of the day. It can be difficult to do a massage and therefore a foot massager such as the foot massager FM1. This massager provides a rolling, pressing, and kneading function all of which helps to relief the irritation that is caused from plantar fasciitis. Foot massages have become a very useful part of maintaining health over the years. Massages help to increase blood circulation to the feet which thereby helps to reduce the stress and pain to the foot. There are many other added benefits to massage including relaxation, preventing injury, lowering blood pressure because of the relaxation that results from the massage, and energizes and rejuvenates the body – just to name a few benefits. Certainly, these massages can be done on your own but it can be at times difficult to lift your foot up to complete the massage yourself and therefore can be done by a machine as mentioned above called the foot massager FM1. The massager can have a time limit set and also a specific intensity set – some days you may feel as though you need a lighter massage and therefore, this can be accomplished with the foot massager FM1. It may also feel liberating to have something/someone else performing the massage so that it helps you to relax.
In conclusion, plantar fasciitis is very common condition especially in runners, people who are overweight, and people who do not wear shoes that have adequate support. Risk factors for developing plantar fasciitis include someone’s age, types of exercise performed including running, being overweight, foot mechanics, and standing for long periods of time. Fortunately, this is something that can be managed easily at home with over the counter medications such as NSAIDs, ice/heat, rest, and massage. Using the foot massager FM1 can provide you with the massage and also heat therapy. Using the massaging device consistently daily 1-2 times a day can provide great relief, which in return you will be able to get back to normal activities of daily living with decreased or even no pain. By not managing the plantar fasciitis it can lead to chronic pain in the foot. Chronic foot pain inevitably can cause changes in your gait which can then lead to problems with your knees, hips, and/or back. Avoiding chronic issues is important, so it is essential to provide self-care to your body especially your feet.