Feet on Fire

Plantar Fasciitis is something that plagues 10% of Americans at some point in time in their lives, but what is it? What causes it? And most importantly what can be done about it??

Plantar fasciitis involves pain and inflammation of a thick band of tissue, called the plantar fascia, which runs across the bottom of your foot — connecting your heel bone to your toes. Plantar fasciitis causes stabbing pain that usually occurs with your very first steps in the morning but decreases as you move about, it may return after long periods of standing or after getting up from a seated position. Plantar fasciitis is particularly common in runners, people who are overweight, and women who are pregnant.

Causes

• Repetitive stretching and tearing can cause the fascia to become irritated or inflamed. Which is why many athletes suffer from it as well as weekend warriors who decide running long distances sounds like a good time.
• A job that involves bearing heavy loads on a regular basis can also cause the fascia to become inflamed.
• Obesity will also cause the inflammation because of the extra load that is placed on the feet.
• Finally, crappy shoes.

Treatments

• NSAIDs-aspirin, drugs to ease the painCorticosteroids-shots...yeah
• Physical Therapy-stretches, exercises & perhaps tape
• Night Splints-sweet looking sock that pulls your toes towards your kneecap at night
• Orthotics-disperse pressure to the rest of your foot but has shown to only relieve pain short term
• Surgery-if you read this far down guess you're really that desperate but few need surgery to relieve the pain back up to the top of the list with you.

I played soccer from age 5-21 and over those years I wore tons of soccer shoes with crappy arch support and now have flat feet that used to plague me with plantar fasciitis but after some research I found a cure. The next time you lay down in bed to read the latest Shape, Men's Health, or Vogue do the following and you'll get relief in your arches.

Flex your toes as though you were a ballerina with monkey feet trying to make a fist with your toes as you point them. Hold that position for about 2-3 secs, it may hurt/cramp a bit because you're working some muscles that most meat heads skip in the gym. Then relax your foot fist and pull your toes up towards your knee cap and stretch out the bottom of your feet. Repeat this motion about 20-50 times, basically as many as you can stand because each time you make the foot fist it will cramp a bit but again no pain no gain.

Hope this helps and if you have any other questions/comments let me know how I can help you relieve your aches and pains or to help you get your fittest self.

Blake Robinson

Momentum Fitness - What Keeps You Moving?