Plantar Fasciitis, also called Policeman’s foot, is a type of injury commonly associated with athletic sports. It occurs when there is an inflammation of the fascia – a thick tissue found at the foot’s bottom.
The fascia is the ligament connecting the toes to the heel. Ordinarily, the foot is a curved bone covered with muscles. So, to assume proper shape, another connecting tissue that acts as a cushion is needed. In essence, the Plantar Fascia’s role is to support the arch of the foot during movement.
What then leads to the inflammation of the Plantar Fascia? Simply put, it’s caused by excessive pressure applied to the tissue. This doesn’t necessarily have to be you carrying a set of weights with your feet. Walking or running around for a long time can compound a lot of pressure on the foot leading to inflammation.
When the fascia in the foot becomes swollen, it is known by a sensation of pain felt mostly at the heel. And when the inflammation grows, the pain becomes more acute. This is usually experienced when you try to stretch the feet after long hours of relaxation. Like after waking up or having sat for long.
Care for Plantar Fasciitis
Taking care of the foot when it feels sore requires being gentle. And take my word for it when I say that Plantar Fasciitis can be a harrowing experience. Hence, mild measures are more suitable to soothe the pain and heal the wound.
Usually, Plantar Fasciitis heals without treatment. But in cases where the pain is much or where it has prolonged more than usual, certain practices can aid removal of the inflammation.
- Rest: It goes without saying that the first step to relieving the pain on your foot is to get rid of any activities that can lead to pressure on the foot. And what better way to do so other than to keep your legs off the ground. If you developed the condition from constant play, take a break for a week or two. Then, make sure you walk around as minimally as possible. And hopefully, time would get your body to heal itself.
- Icing the heel: Using ice on the heel after vigorous exercise can help relax the muscles and nerves. In the same vein, when there’s swelling such as in Plantar Fasciitis, you can place ice cubes on the heel affected for 5 – 10 minutes and at intervals. Combine this with adequate rest; you would get your feet back in shape in no time.
- Using Insoles: Although this is more of a preventive measure, it can also be used to cushion the pain when there’s already an inflammation. These are designed to fit any shoe you wear and provide support for your feet while you walk. These are quite effective given the plush feel on the feet’s sole. The padding also makes your leg sit rightly in the shoe, preventing further straining of the feet’s muscles.
The best solution, however, for Plantar Fasciitis is to get shoes that are designed specifically to cushion a strained fascia. What are the qualities to look for in such footwear? We’ll examine them here.
Plantar Fasciitis results when the fascia us pulled and pushed time and over again within a short time. This often occurs when we run or walk around a lot. But when you have a shoe with cushioned heels, you have something to rest your body pressure on, rather than your feet heels. The cushioned heel for plantar fasciitis is one that is soft and not the hard sole options.
The arch of the foot is the area that concerns the plantar fascia the most. The arch region is made of muscles and ligaments. These connect the heel of the foot to the toe region. When the arch is strained, then there would pain around the heel, just as is experienced in Plantar Fasciitis. The arch area of a well-designed shoe would therefore have a small bulge, which also provides the necessary support for the feet.
In Tennis, you need good mobility to stay on top of the game. And this would require your foot to turn and stay on the ground as firmly as possible. What can give you such mobility is when the shoes are well fitted.
Stability has to do with the firmness of your footwear on your feet. For people with Plantar Fasciitis, you need shoes that would keep your feet steady. In addition to that, you need to be comfortable on your feet. Comfortability is relative and depends mostly on fitting size. But it would be best if you took note of the material used in making tennis shoes also.