Runners Against Plantar Fasciitis
If you’re a runner, your chances of getting plantar fasciitis are high. If you’re worried about having an old injury return, or do not want to develop this ailment, you can follow some of these steps to help prevent plantar fasciitis.
Check your running form
Many runners tense up their body while running, lower legs being the most common. Make sure your lower legs are relaxed, including glutes and calves.
Mid-foot strike
The body has a natural form of hitting heel first, but that causes more overall problems when running, such as shin splints. Try to train your feet to hit mid-foot, this keeps your Plantar tendon relaxed and reduces the impact to your heels.
Don’t move forward with your legs
Apply gravity by letting your upper body lead and your legs follow. Throughout your runs, lean slightly from the ankles, keep your stride short, and land with your feet directly under your center of mass. (Another tips to good form running.)
Having pain while running?
Decrease your distance until the pain subsides, you shouldn’t have to stop running completely, but don’t try to run your usual as it can make pain worse. Just lessen the amount of time running.
Shoes
Having the proper shoes for your foot type is crucial. If you run in shoes that don’t support your foot type (overpronation, underpronation..) it can hurt your performance.
Tight muscles?
Having tight, inflexible a Achilles tendon and calf muscles can cause stress on your plantar fascia. Stretches help, but make sure you’re not tearing the muscles or tendons. You should feel no pain when you’re doing this.
-
- Stand facing a wall an arm’s length away. Keeping your lower legs and ankles completely relaxed, lean into the wall by putting your hands on the wall directly in front of your shoulders and lowering yourself toward the wall.
-
- Stand on a curb facing away from the street. Rest the middle of the affected foot on the edge of the curb with your heel extending out beyond the curb. Keep the healthy foot completely on the sidewalk for stability. Slowly lower your heel enough to give your Achilles tendon and calf muscle a good stretch.
-
- Perform a self-massage by freezing a bottle of water, or a cold can and roll it under the arch of your foot and gently roll can back and forth from heel to the arch. Repeat for two to five minutes. A cold bottle/can is effective since cold aids in decreasing inflammation and swelling. You can also use a tennis ball
-
- Dorsiflex the affected foot (point your toes toward your knee) as often as you can remember to do so. This stretches your calf and Achilles tendon and will ease foot tenderness. You can do this stretch throughout the day while sitting.
-
- A stretch that is very effective is sitting on the floor on your knees, and resting your glutes on the heel of your feet. You can feel an immediate stretch on your plantar fascia. Do this for 30 seconds before and after running.