Well-known podiatrist Dr. Neal M. Blitz writes in the Huffington Post that if the first step out of bed results in heel pain, then there is a good chance you suffer from a condition called “plantar fasciitis.” This morning heel pain affects about 10% of the general population. Plantar fasciitis occurs because the supporting ligament (called the plantar fascia) of the foot’s arch becomes strained and inflamed. It can severely impact your daily routine and may prevent you from staying active. For most, this heel pain will resolve over time, but the process can take up to a year in more severe cases. However, there are several simple things that you can do to assist the healing process.
The first few steps out of bed are particularly painful with plantar fasciitis because the ligament contracts during periods of rest. Standing causes sudden stretching and pulling of this ligament, and this can start the cascade of sharp, stabbing pain.
The best and most useful thing you can do is to wear a night brace to “pre-stretch” your plantar fascia. This way, the morning pain can be avoided. Yo0u don’t need to spend a fortune on fancy braces: a simple strapping system like the Stretch-Away Plantar Fasciitis Night Brace* works just fine.
If you don’t pre-stretch with a night brace, then you should “warm-up” and “stretch” your foot before you even get out of bed. Therefore, take the following 3 easy steps to avoid morning heel pain while lying in bed.
1) Stretch the arch of your foot. While lying flat on your back, lift your leg straight in the air and wrap a towel around the front of your foot. Then, with both hands pull on the towel and stretch the ball of the foot and ankle, so that your knee is straight and the foot position starts to point towards your nose.
This directly stretches the plantar fascia and the calf muscles.
2) Draw an air alphabet with your toes. This is a great exercise to wake up the deep muscles within your foot that help support the arch and plantar fascia ligament. Using your big toe as a pointer, trace the alphabet as if you were writing in the sand.
3) Perform toe crunches. This exercise specifically strengthens the muscles directly beneath the plantar fascia ligament. Simply curl your toes downward as if trying to pick up a pencil with your toes.
Again, a night brace is best. But in its absence, perform these exercises daily for 2-5 minutes before you get out of bed and plant your foot on the floor (causing your plantar fascia ligament to suddenly stretch).
*Note: Dr. Blitz has no association with the “Stretch-Away Plantar Fasciitis Night Brace”, financial or otherwise. It is merely suggested here as one type of night brace you can use to avoid having morning heel pain.
www.StretchAway-PlantarFasciitis.com
