That chronic pain at the heel of your foot is not something that you should not ignore or wait for it to pass on its own. It’s likely plantar fasciitis and is common in people with flat feet or who are overweight.
Don’t worry, you don’t necessarily have to pay for an expensive visit to a podiatrist if you do a few things at home. That is if you are taking care of it without letting it get worse over time.
If you have a way of walking that is not right, like supination. Or have a job that has you on your feet for hours per day then you definitely need to change something to get better. The pain from plantar fasciitis can affect your quality of life if it becomes chronic.
In this article, I will go over several things you can do to get rid of plantar fasciitis at home.
1. Get the right footwear
The best way to go is to get some orthopedic shoes but this can be very expensive. The visit to your podiatrist and then the cost of the shoes can run you well over several hundred dollars. Aside from this, for more information, you may want to contact your podiatrist.
If this isn’t an option then you should get shoes that are designed for people that are on their feet all day. People like nurses, barbers, and mail deliverers have to endure a long day on their feet. And wear the best shoes to prevent foot pain. But, probably the best footwear to use is law enforcement boots. Since police officers have special needs for their footwear these boots are designed for any type of activity you can imagine.
In essence, make sure that the footwear is durable and has good arch support. This is especially true for those with flat feet as your foot needs extra help.
2. Massage your feet
Rubbing down the muscles and tendons on the bottom of your foot is going to not only feel good but will help work out the pain from plantar fasciitis. The action will activate the brain to send more blood to the area and act as an antiinflammatory. If your pain is especially acute then make sure to massage a few times per day.
The best way to do it is to use a tennis ball that you place on the ground. Then roll the ball beneath your foot using gentle pressure as you do so. If it is particularly painful then you can even put the ball in the freezer for an hour or so to provide some cold therapy to the heel of your foot.
3. Hit the books
No, I don’t mean studying. I mean to use a book that you don’t need anymore to do an exercise that will help strengthen the ligament responsible for plantar fasciitis.
Put a book that is several inches thick about a foot away from the awol on the floor. Then stand on it with your heel over the back edge of the book and lean towards the wall. While you are leaning against the wall, lower your heel towards the floor. This will gently stretch your ligament and start the process toward healing.
Plantar fasciitis can a legally protected disability that may qualify an affected individual to disability insurances like the NDIS plan in Australia. Apply for these programs and get competent support coordination.