The best—and the fastest—way to recover is through manual physical therapy and low-impact exercises that focus on the Achilles tendon and plantar fascia. Regular physical therapy treatment will rebuild stability in your ankle and strengthen your tissue along the sole of your foot.
Carrying a heavy object or gaining weight. Increasing your running or walking volumes too suddenly. If the muscles in your feet or legs are weak. If the muscles along the back of your legs are excessively tight (glutes, hamstrings, calves)
Foods That Can Be Damaging to Your Foot Health
That means avoiding foods that cause inflammation, including trans-fat-filled ingredients such as shortening, red meats, or even desserts that have a lot of refined sugars.
Anti-inflammatories have been proven to be very effective in providing pain relief and improving function levels for plantar fasciitis. These can be taken orally in the form of Ibuprofen, or there is good evidence for the effect of Voltaren gel.
A 10- to 14-day course of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory inhibitors such as naproxen or ibuprofen can also help to reduce inflammation and pain. Reducing the amount of time you spend on your feet may also help the plantar fascia recover.
At the first signs of plantar fasciitis, a combination of rest and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) medications often brings pain under control. Combined with icing the heel, this may be all the treatment you need.
Magnesium. Magnesium is also a vital nutrient in managing plantar fasciitis and foot health. The body needs magnesium in order to properly absorb calcium. In fact, people who eat large quantities of calcium without an accompanying intake of magnesium may develop a calcium deficiency.
Drinking water can help manage plantar fasciitis-related inflammation and pain. Nerve pain. When people do not ingest enough water, their extracellular matrix—which surrounds the cells in every human tissue—can shrink, reducing the space between cells.
In fact, walking may actually inflame the plantar fascia more, leading to an extension of your treatment. While it's not walking alone that could further inflame the ligament, if you're not wearing the right shoes or are exerting yourself too much, the plantar fasciitis can flare up.
Avoid shoes with no or a low heel as this requires your heel to be able to become closer to the floor when standing. This requires good calf muscle flexibility which most people with plantar fasciitis are lacking.
Wear Appropriate Shoes
Many people do not wear shoes in their house, but walking barefoot may be painful (or impossible) if you have plantar fasciitis. Wearing supportive shoes at all times is essential to taking pressure off your plantar fascia and allowing your foot to heal.
Plantar fasciitis makes your heel hurt when you walk. The pain is usually worse when you get out of bed in the morning or when you walk after sitting for a long time. Walking barefoot, walking on tiptoe, or walking up stairs may make the pain worse.
Repeated strain can cause tiny tears in the ligament, too. What causes that ligament strain? Plantar fasciitis is often caused by repetitive motion or anything that puts a lot pressure on the arch of your foot.
Complications. Ignoring plantar fasciitis can result in chronic heel pain that hinders your regular activities. You're likely to change your walk to try to avoid plantar fasciitis pain, which might lead to foot, knee, hip or back problems.
It's vital to avoid using hot water since it might aggravate the plantar fascia's irritation and damage. Epsom salt soaks work best in warm water. Epsom salt soaks can ease the discomfort of plantar fasciitis while also enhancing circulation, lowering stress levels, and fostering relaxation.
Apple cider vinegar: The medicinal properties of apple cider vinegar are said to reduce pain and inflammation. One tablespoon of raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar and one tablespoon of raw honey can be added to a glass of warm water. You should drink this mixture a couple times a day.
Most of us sleep with our feet pointed down, which shortens the plantar fascia and Achilles tendon. Night splints, which you wear while you sleep, keep your feet at a 90-degree angle. So instead of shortening your plantar fascia, you get a good, constant stretch while you sleep.
This condition may occur with increased age, overweight, or from overuse or injury (such as in athletes). Rarely, vitamin D deficiency has been reported to cause plantar fasciitis, and in these cases, vitamin D supplementation may help.
Oily fish, seeds and nuts are great sources of omega 3 fats, and you can also try taking a good quality supplement to help further. Research shows that turmeric and bromelain have excellent anti-inflammatory properties, and you may find that it helps you to take a supplement containing one or both of these.
Short-Term Relief for Severe Plantar Fasciitis
Wear footwear that provides arch support or experiment with heel cups or other orthotic inserts to cushion the heel. Corticosteroid injections for temporary pain relief. Custom foot orthotics. Apply athletic tape to your foot to provide support to muscles and ligaments.
ARCH SUPPORTS AND ORTHOTICS
Arch taping and orthotics were found to be significantly better than use of NSAIDs, cortisone injection or heel cups in one randomized treatment study. Arch taping was cited by 2 percent of patients as the treatment that worked best for plantar fasciitis in another study.
There are a few options your doctor could try to ease your pain and reduce inflammation in your foot. The primary treatment to ease pain is foot and arch support.