10 Best Plantar Fasciitis Home Remedies
Plantar Fasciitis Home Remedies
As you already might know, plantar fasciitis is a common medical condition that causes pain in the heel region. It occurs when the ligament called plantar fascia becomes inflamed or damaged. If you are currently struggling with the pain caused by this condition, we suggest you try the following best home remedies to help manage and relieve the pain. We have put together all the best home remedies for plantar fasciitis here.
1. Wear Plantar Fasciitis Night Splints
The plantar fasciitis night splints would help relieve your pain by keeping your foot stretched continuously over the night while you sleep. These night splints are made up of metal that is bendable. Therefore, it would offer you the flexibility yet strong support that could help you deal with your plantar fasciitis effectively at home. The night splints are constructed based on the fact that as you keep your heel stretched overnight, the swelling and inflammation would alleviate while at the same time enhancing blood circulation.
2. Use Lavender Essential Oil
According to a research study, lavender essential oil is found to be carrying some excellent anti-inflammatory properties, thereby, making it an option for treating pain caused by inflammation. To use lavender essential oil for plantar fasciitis, take one or two drops of lavender oil and dilute it in a carrier oil. It can be either olive or coconut oil. Take this mixture and apply it on the bottom of your feet and massage. Alternately, you can also try adding one or two drops of lavender essential oil to the warm foot bath.
3. Put on Plantar Fasciitis Supportive Shoes
If you are a person or professional who is going to be on your feet for a long time, you must start using shoes that could offer good support to the arch. As such, the heel should be low. Not only these supportive shoes will provide support to your plantar fasciitis but will also help prevent them from getting inflamed.
4. Try using Orthotic Insoles
Your physician may recommend you use orthotic shoe inserts or foot pads that would help distribute your bodyweight equally. These orthotic insoles are recommended especially if you are having high arches. There are some ready made orthotic insoles that can be bought from pharmacies, although you can also get it custom-made for your foot. After a few months of wearing, you should be able to stop using it.
5. Change your Old Sports Shoes
If you are using an old pair of old sports shoes, try replacing them with the new pair. Some indications that you need a new pair of shoes include:
- Wear and tear on the insoles
- Stretching of your heels
- Molding of the insoles to your foot’s shape
- Tear of the shoe’s interior
- Blisters on your feet
- Pain in your feet, legs, and back
It’s advisable for the runners to change their shoes every 400 to 500 miles, while for the non-runners, it’s advisable to change their shoes every six months.
6. Do Plantar Fasciitis Stretches
To help soothe your pain caused by the condition, try stretching your arch and calf. You can do forward lunges with one leg and try to get the foot on the other leg as close to the floor as possible.[2]
7. Try Massaging
You can try doing simple massages to help soothe the pain caused by plantar fasciitis. To do this, use your thumbs and massage the arches and heels, starting from the balls of the feet to your heel. Instead of thumbs, you can even use a golf ball to massage the arches. To do this, you must keep your foot on the ball, hang on to a table, and roll the ball under the arches.
8. Use Ice
Like mentioned above, you can also use ice for massaging the painful region. You can roll an ice cube under the foot just as you do with a golf ball. Alternately, you can use an ice pack to help fight inflammation. To do this, cover up the ice pack with a towel and hold the pack over the painful region for at least fifteen to twenty minutes, several times a day daily.
9. Reduce Weight
If you are obese, the extra weight will put more pressure on the plantar fascia region. Therefore, it’s advisable that you try reducing at least a few pounds to help alleviate at least some pressure on the ligaments. Focus on a balanced diet plus regular exercise for effective weight loss.
10. Take NSAIDs
The NSAIDs like ibuprofen can help reduce inflammation and pain in the body. But, before taking these drugs, be sure to check with your doctor as it may interact with your other medications.
References
1. https://heelthatpain.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Plantar-Fasciitis-Guide.pdf
2. https://www.cnwl.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/Plantar-Fasciitis-Information-Sheet.pdf
3. https://www.thehealingsole.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/plantar-fasciitis-ebook.pdf
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