October 2, 2021

Running With Plantar Fasciitis

Whether you run for fun, for exercise, or competitively, sooner or later you will probably experience foot pain related to your sport. If that foot pain is caused by plantar fasciitis, it could bring your entire training regimen to a halt.

2 Steps to Protect Your Feet

There are a couple things you can do to protect your feet when running with plantar fasciitis.

Warm up. Besides the usual runners warm up of lunges, squats, and leg swings that get the circulation going, you will need to pay special attention to stretching your calves, ankles, and the plantar fascia ligament that runs along the bottom of your foot.
Ice down. For runners with foot pain, it can be especially beneficial to ice the feet after jogging in order to head off inflammation. Simply elevate your feet for 10 – 15 minutes and apply an ice pack or even a bag of frozen peas to the sole of the foot. Another option is to submerge your feet in a bucket of cold water.

When plantar fasciitis does strike, it’s always a good idea to take a few days off from training initially and let your feet rest. If your condition is mild to moderate, you may be able to resume running once the inflammation has subsided and the pain has eased. If your condition is more severe you should consult a medical professional.

When you do return to training, be sure to give your feet a few days to recover between work-outs. Overdoing it could cause a resurgence of the inflammation and set you back even further. Then start out walking, adding intervals of running as tolerated, until you are jogging more than walking and eventually, straight up running again. Meanwhile, continue to rest your feet for at least a day in-between. With quick intervention, you could be back to your usual workouts in about two weeks.

Plantar Fasciitis Foot Pain Relief: 3 Exercises To Speed Up Your Recovery And Get Yourself Back On Track

1 – Plantar Facia Massage

Using a water bottle full of frozen water (the cold helps to sooth inflammation), place the bottle on the floor and roll it under your foot, from the ball of your foot to the heel. Apply only gentle pressure, you don’t want to cause pain. Repeat 10 times on each foot, once a day.

2 – Towel Scrunches

Sitting in a chair, spread a towel on the floor in front of you. Place your bare feet on the towel and scrunch the towel by curling your toes, then release. Repeat with each foot 10 times, once a day.

3 – Plantar Facia Stretch

Sit in a chair or on the floor with one foot resting on the opposite knee. Hold your ankle with one hand and your toes with the other. Gently pull your toes backward until you can feel the stretch along the bottom of your foot. Be gentle, you don’t want to reinjure the inflamed facia ligament. Hold this stretch for 20 seconds on each foot and repeat three times.

It’s a good idea to continue your foot exercises 2-3 times per week even after you are no longer feeling pain when running with plantar fasciitis. Keeping the ligaments supple and flexible will help to stave off, or at least lessen, the impact of future attacks.

You may also find night splints and/or orthotics designed specifically for plantar fasciitis helpful. At the very least, supportive footwear with excellent arch support is crucial for those who want to continue running with planter fasciitis.

Massaging Plantar Fasciitis

The importance of foot massage as a treatment for runners with planter fasciitis can’t be overstated. A professional massage therapist can be your best asset for accurately stretching and working the muscles and ligaments in your feet, particularly the plantar fascia, to relieve pain and restore natural movement. The massage therapists at Easy Cozy Wellness in Abbotsford, British Columbia, are thoroughly trained and experienced in treating plantar fasciitis pain and keeping the key ligament flexible and supple to ease pain and reduce recurrence.