Plantar Fasciitis? How to Heal with Massage

What is Plantar Fasciitis? The Plantar Fascia is made up of three thick flat, fibrous bands on the bottom of your foot. These three bands help form the arch of your foot. With Plantar Fasciitis you may have sustained some micro tears in the band or bands. The microtears result in inflammation of the Plantar Fascia. “Itis” refers to inflammation. Hence the name Plantar Fasciitis. The Plantar Fascia bands have a poor blood supply and generally do not heal quickly.

The telltale sign of Plantar Fasciitis is pain after rest. For example, it is typical for you to wake up in the morning and have no pain in your foot until you attempt to take a few steps. Then the arch pain re-emerges. The belief is that you have sustained some micro-tears in the Plantar Fascia (a thick, flat, fibrous band on the bottom of your foot). While sleeping, or after sitting in a chair or car too long, the fascia begins to half heal. Then you step on your foot and basically retear the band.

So, you need to do the following exercises BEFORE you get out of bed and BEFORE you stand up again from sitting. If you do not have time to do all of them, try to do the first one or two.

1. Arch Stretch: Place your affected foot on the opposite knee. Take your shoe off and grab all your toes with one hand and cup your heel with the other. Pull your toes and ankle toward your shin. Do not stretch it into feeling pain (just bump into the pain). Repeat 5x as you hold for 20 seconds

2. Arch massage: Use your knuckles or your thumbs to massage the arch of your foot. You can massage in a circular fashion. You can also do a splaying massage-start with both thumbs side by side and press into the arch as you separate the thumbs-repeat. Avoid massaging areas of the arch that are too tender or sore. Instead, massage around the tender or sore area. Massage for 1-2 minutes. Alternative: Use a massage gun and massage longer and more often (throughout the day).

3. Put on a pair of shoes or sandals with good arch support BEFORE you get out of bed. If you get up in the middle of the night you should also put on shoes or sandals with good arch support before going to the bathroom. Do not walk barefoot or stocking foot at any time.

Do the following later in the Day:

1. Stretch and massage your calf (ball or massage gun)

2. Stretch and massage the shin muscles. (Use ball or massage gun)

3. Pin down the Achilles tendon and bend and extend the foot. (Use both hands)

This video is part of a series of videos on how to treat your pain with self-massage. Check the full series of videos along with the downloadable guide sheets for each video on our website here: https://www.bobandbrad.com/massage/

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