10 Tips to Manage Plantar Fasciitis, Featuring Advice from Dr. Ragland in U.S. News & World Report

Got heel pain when you wake up in the morning? You may have plantar fasciitis...

Plantar fasciitis can have several causes, including:

• The use of shoes that lack good support for your feet.

• Not warming up properly before sports or exercise.

• Flat feet.

• Excessive walking or running.

• Major changes in running surfaces.

• Trauma to the foot.

• Being overweight or obese.

People with or without diabetes can be more prone to developing plantar fasciitis if they are overweight, says Dr. Yolanda Ragland, a podiatrist and foot surgeon in New York and Bowie, Maryland.

So how do you know if you have plantar fasciitis? The telltale sign happens when you first wake up...

You also may have pain after prolonged standing or after exercise, but not during the actual workout, Ragland says.

Here are some tips to help manage plantar fasciitis and guidance on when to see a health-care professional.

Ice the affected area. Elevate and rest your aching foot when it gets aggravated, Harms advises. “Rolling the bottom of the foot on a foam roller or frozen bottle of water is also therapeutic,” Ragland says.

Take over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medication such as ibuprofen or naproxen. This should only be a short-term option.

Try shoe inserts. There are shoe inserts you’ll find at a drug store or custom-made through certain health care professionals that may lessen the impact on your plantar fascia. However, it may take some trial and error to find an insert that helps you.

Rethink your exercise routine. It’s still important to work in physical activity, but Rettig advises the avoidance of foot-pounding exercises, such as running or jumping, until symptoms subside. Try some lower-impact options and avoid overdoing things. Ask a health-care professional about a more suitable exercise routine while you recover.

Another stretch recommended by Ragland: “While seated, take a towel or a flat-resistance band wrap under the ball of the foot, and pull the ends of the towel or band so that your toes are being pulled toward the body to keep the plantar fascia lengthened.”

Foot and calf stretches before and after physical activity are also helpful when you have plantar fasciitis.

Click here for the full story, by Vanessa Caceres on U.S. News & World Report.