The first step is the worst. Whether I am getting out of bed for the first time in the morning, standing after sitting for an extended period of time, or even taking that first step after standing for awhile, the pain is intense.
I first heard the words Plantar Fasciitis about a year ago when I found myself limping to stay off of my right heel. The pain would radiate from my heel through my foot and then continue to throb, even while stationary. When the pain didn’t diminish over time, I knew I had to do more than use ice and Ibuprofen.
I discovered that some causes of Plantar Fasciitis were things I could not change, such as having a high arch on my foot. Others, like weight and the support of my shoes, were malleable. My doctor gave me several helpful recommendations for pain control, including rolling my foot over a frozen water bottle and stair exercises. These helped, but I found through trial and error that three changes were absolutely necessary to reduce my pain permanently.
3 Habits for Healing Plantar Fasciitis
- Always Wear Shoes. This was, by far, the most challenging habit to develop for me. I love being barefoot. I kick off my shoes as soon as I get in the house and I will go barefoot on the hot cement until it scorches my feet. Unfortunately, going barefoot was killing my feet. I had to build a habit of keeping supportive, slip-on shoes by my bed. Putting them on always became my mantra and I noticed an extremely painful difference when my feet were unshod.
- Wear Supportive Shoes. When I talked to my sister about my extreme heel pain, she took one of my shoes and showed me how the heel could easily bend in the middle. My stylish shoes weren’t much better for my feet than going barefoot. It was a difficult change, but a necessary one. Supportive shoes are more expensive, but thankfully are becoming more stylish. I scoured the internet and local consignment stores to find shoes such as Baretraps, Clarks, and Alegrias. I recently donated a huge portion of my shoes because I was no longer willing to sacrifice comfort for style.
- Wear Compression Socks. I tried one of those complicated, uncomfortable foot braces to keep my foot from pointing at night. I took Allieve when the pain became unbearable. These compression socks, in comparison, offered a simple, affordable solution with long-term results. I wore the compression sock more often at first, then gradually found I only needed it for a portion of the night and sometimes during the day. These socks, combined with consistently wearing supportive shoes, truly helped me to diminish my pain from Plantar Fasciitis.
Do you suffer from Plantar Fasciitis? What are your go-to habits?
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My doctor gave me several helpful recommendations for pain control, including rolling my foot over a frozen water bottle and stair exercises. These helped, but I found through trial and error that three changes were absolutely necessary to reduce my pain permanently. I wish you good health and happiness.
Thank you for your post. As your instructions, I only wear shoes at times when it is needed, such as when training, when going to work. I also bought some supportive shoes, which made me very comfortable. The pain now seems to be gone.