Exercises for Plantar Fascitis

Plantar fasciitis is a foot condition that involves pain and inflammation of the plantar fascia. If you are suffering from this injury, it is advisable to do some light stretching and strengthening exercises to help the ligament become more flexible. Certain exercises can also strengthen your muscles that support the arch, which in turn will reduce the stress on your foot and help relieve symptoms of plantar fasciitis.

Significance

• Engaging in stretching and strengthening exercises can help heal and protect the plantar fascia from injury and inflammation. Choose exercises that will make your plantar fascia and calf muscles stronger and more flexible. You need to strengthen your foot and ankle muscles that support your arch because to relieve pains from plantar fasciitis.

  Do a variety of stretching exercises each day. Try stretching your foot and leg muscles two or three times during the day and it will help reduce the extreme pain in the morning that most people suffering from plantar fasciitis experiences. This is due to the tightening of your plantar fascia during your sleep.

  A simple stretching exercise is the plantar flexion. This is done simply by extending the ankle by pointing your toes away from the body. Dorsiflexion is also good for plantar fasciitis, it is the opposite of plantar flexion. This involves stretching the plantar fascia by pointing the toes upward, toward your body.

  Another helpful stretching exercise is the use of a tennis ball or a rolling pin. Take a seat and roll the ball or pin with your foot arch. You can also do calf stretch exercises to increase the flexibility of your foot.

  Strengthening exercises are also important in relieving symptoms of plantar fasciitis. You can try towel curls, which can be done by placing your foot on a towel on the floor and scrunching the towel with your toes. Using your toes again, push the towel away from you and repeat.

  Try low-impact exercise such as swimming, yoga and bicycling. These types of exercises will keep you fit and healthy without compromising the condition of your plantar fasciitis.

Exercises to Avoid

• Be careful when choosing your exercise regimen as some activities can worsen your plantar fasciitis. Exercises such as running or jogging involve high impact strain on the foot, which is harmful to your condition. Do not take long walks or stand for long periods of time as it will only put more strain on your heel.