Foot pain is terrible, and one of the most common sources of foot pain we see at our practice is plantar fasciitis. Plantar fasciitis is an inflammation of tissue that runs along the bottom of your foot, from your toes to your heel.

The pain is usually worse in the morning, and is a sort of stabbing pain that seems to be concentrated in your heel. As the day wears on and your foot limbers up, the pain often goes away.

Runners are one of the demographics we see the most. The mechanics of running often causes plantar fasciitis by straining the tissue along the bottom of the foot.

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, so we’ve put together a list of things you need to see a podiatrist in Southfield MI for plantar fasciitis and heel pain:

Preventing Heel Pain

1.) Wear podiatrist approved shoe orthotics: a set of orthotics can go a long way to ensuring the right support for your feet and preventing the stress and subsequent inflammation of the plantar fascia. Our office sells shoe orthotics, and we’re able to customize the orthotics to your feet by using a digital scanner to map your foot. It’s pretty amazing technology, and the results are incredible. Some of our patients have told us that the use of a shoe orthotic has decreased their foot pain almost entirely.

When you decide to get shoe orthotics, please be aware that what you get at a podiatrist office is far different than what you can pick up at a pharmacy. Orthotics are different than insoles, and serve a different purpose- it’s support vs cushioning. Orthotics are pricier than insoles, roughly the cost of a new pair of shoes. You should expect to replace your shoe orthotics at least once per year, more if you are very active.

2.) Stretch your foot: there are a number of foot stretches to prevent plantar fasciitis on the Mayo Clinic website. Our favorite from that site: While sitting, grasp your toes and gently pull them toward you until you feel a stretch in the arch of your foot. Stretch one foot at a time. You’ll need to hold the stretches for about 30 seconds for maximum effect. Click the link above to view an drawing of how the stretch looks.

Pat Stanziano, Sport Physiotherapist, also created a Youtube video showing some common exercises to prevent plantar fasciitis, shown above.

The most commonly seen plantar fasciitis stretch is dead simple: using a tennis ball, roll your foot over it from the toes to the heel. A great example can be seen on this blog, heel that pain.

If you’re suffering with heel pain, you should know that you don’t have to. Our podiatry practice is a phone call away, and we’re able to work with you to reduce inflammation, provide supportive orthotics, and verify that your heel pain is plantar fasciitis and not something more serious. Call us today!