Webfit News :: Preventative treatment and Rehabilitation for Plantar Fascia

The plantar fascia is a band of connecting fiber that originates at the heel and goes to the bottom of the toes. It facilitates warm-ups of balance, stability, running, walking, and cardiovascular warm-ups. Plantar faciitis is a condition where the plantar is overstretched; it results in pain that comes from micro-tears and inflammation to the fascia. Some of the causes of plantar faciitis include improper shoes, wear or tight ankles or calves, increasing vigorous activity more than 10% in a week, and vigorous activity such as running, jumping, or pounding on the bottom of the foot. Tight hamstrings, calves, and shins and stress placed on the plantar faciitis cause plantar faciitis. Some great exercises to prevent or rehabilitate the plantar faciitis include: Toe grasping

Curl the toes and imagine you are grabbing something with the toes of each foot.

Towel Curl

Grab a towel by curling the toes under. Make sure your heel stays on the floor.

Marble Pick-ups

Have marbles in a cup and try to pick them up with your toes. For a variation, try different sizes of coins.

Toe Taps

Tap your toes and keep your heel on the floor.

Rolling Pin

Use a rolling pin, pedicure roller, or tennis ball, and while seated, roll it with the arch of your foot.

Calf Stretch

To stretch the Achilles tendon, lean forward against a wall, keep the knee of one leg straight and keep our heel on the ground while bending the knee in the other leg. Then, switch legs. When you rotate your ankle clock- and counter clock-wise, you are also recruiting the hamstring and quadriceps and using the whole leg. For a variation, try stretching your calves and legs in a side-to-side position. To get both the shin and calf to stretch, place them on the edge of a stair or a slant board.

With care, many plantar suffers can return to pain-free activity with proper rehabilitation. Most suffers can return to modified activity with rest, rehabilitation, and time. Proper footwear and a stretching and strengthening program can help prevent reoccurrence of this condition. For more information about other therapies, click on the link to my other article at the end of this article.

References

http://www.sportsinjurybulletin.com/archive/plantar-fasciitis-exercise.html

http://www.sportsinjurybulletin.com/archive/0180.htm

Help for Plantar Faciitis

http://www.aafp.org/afp/20010201/477ph.html

Treatment of Plantar Fasciitis

http://www.aafp.org/afp/20010201/467.html

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