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11 Practical Plantar Fasciitis Home Remedies For Pain Relief

I’m on my feet for hours during the day. Combine that with my love of running on the beach, and it’s no wonder why I suffer from plantar fasciitis, a condition that causes heel pain and inflammation.

As a sports medicine doctor, I also treat plantar fascia pain in my patients. That’s why I decided to put together this list of plantar fasciitis home remedies..

According to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, about one percent of adults in the U.S. struggle with this crippling problem. Over 60 percent reported that it caused them daily pain. Yikes!

I’m here to tell you that this irritating condition doesn’t have to cramp your active lifestyle. Have faith that you’ll be able to conquer pain and get back to doing what you love.

Successfully treating foot pain isn’t something that’s going to happen overnight. You can forget about treatments like magnets and natural oils. In my experience, the best way to overcome foot pain is through rehab and stretching. As a member of the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine, I’m a huge advocate of physical therapy. In case you’re still skeptical, here’s some more evidence that physical therapy works.

11 best ways to treat plantar fasciitis at home:

How To Treat Plantar Fasciitis at Home

Plantar Fasciitis Anatomy

The human foot looks simple enough from the outside, but it’s actually pretty complicated. It contains 19 muscles, 26 bones, 37 joints, 107 ligaments, and numerous tendons!

Plantar Fasciitis Anatomy Heel

Plantar fasciitis pain occurs when your plantar fascia ligaments, the band of tissue that runs along the bottom of your foot, tears and becomes inflamed. Plantar fascia helps support and connect the muscles of the foot. If plantar fasciitis goes untreated for too long, it can lead to the development of heel spurs. You can read more about bone spurs on the Mayo Clinic’s website.

Causes

So before I show you some effective home treatments, let’s look at what causes this awful heel pain.

Unfortunately, there’s no one clear cut answer. The specific cause of pain varies from person to person. However, it’s almost always due to overuse.

If you experience heel pain after a specific accident or incident, such as a fall, your pain might not be due to plantar fascia ligament inflammation. It could be a heel bone injury or fracture. In this case, talk to your doctor for an accurate diagnosis. You can read more about heel bone spurs and injuries from the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons here.

Here are some of the most common causes and risk factors for plantar fasciitis:

  • Being on your feet. Foot pain is common among runners and other athletes. But it’s not limited to athletes. People who work jobs in which they’re on their feet all day are also prone to PF, especially if you wear shoes with no arch support. So if you’re a teacher, a restaurant server, or a retail employee, you too might be susceptible to heel pain.
  • Participating in certain sports. Some athletes are more likely to suffer from PF than others. Any activity or sport that puts significant stress on your heels and feet is going to be an issue. Some examples of high-risk sports include running and dancing.
  • Anatomy. There’s also some anatomical stuff that contributes to PF pain. For example, it’s a pretty common complaint in people with high arches or flat feet. Tight Achilles tendons can also cause plantar fascia pain.
  • Carrying excess weight. Obesity contributes to PF by placing extra weight and stress on your body. Lose weight, and you might find that your heel pain eases up!
  • Age. Plantar fasciitis is most common in people between 40 and 60 years old.

Symptoms

The main symptom of plantar fasciitis is pain along the bottom of the foot in the heel area. Patients often describe this pain as sharp and stabbing.

For many people, PF pain is at its most intense first thing in the morning. I know from experience that those first few steps after getting out of bed can be terrible!

Another notable trait of PF pain is that it’s usually felt more severely after activity, such as walking, than during the activity itself. But walking can actually help.

Treatments For Plantar Fasciitis

In this article, I will focus on home treatments. But before I jump into it, let’s look at the plantar fasciitis treatments I offer in my office. There are a number of medically reviewed and accepted treatment options for foot pain.

The Most Common Medical Treatment Options Include:

  • Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
  • Physical therapy, stretching, and rehabilitation
  • Applying ice
  • Foot inserts, custom shoes, and night splinting

When standard treatment options fail, you might need to consider more extreme treatments.

These should not be the first-line therapy. You should only consider them after you’ve exhausted all other options.

Chronic Plantar Fasciitis Treatments Include:

Treating Plantar Fasciitis At Home

First, let’s see if we can help treat your chronic pain through a simple home remedies.

1. Stretches & Exercises

I absolutely believe rehabilitation and stretching are key to a speedy recovery. Here’s a list of my top exercises and stretches for plantar fasciitis. Some of these exercises require zero equipment.

Others require household items like a chair or a towel. It’s important to remember that you must be diligent and consistent to see results. Commit to at least 15 to 20 minutes a day. It’s all about grit! Just make sure to stretch your calf muscles as well.

2. Plantar Fascia Massage

If a physical therapist is out of the question, self-massage is a reliable way to help reduce pain and stretch the plantar fascia. Use your thumbs to massage your heel and the arch of your foot.

Foot And Heel Pain Massage

If you can’t reach your feet or you prefer to use a tool, you can try a golf ball or a racquetball. Either sit down or grab hold of a sturdy item for support and then place your foot on the ball. Roll it under your arches for a hands-free massage.

3. Night Splints

If you’ve suffered from plantar fasciitis for over 6 weeks, you might try a night splint. These splints stretch your arches and calves while you sleep. They come in hard or soft models

Check out more night splint options.

4. Athletic/KT Tape

Although it won’t treat or cure your heel pain, you can use athletic tape or KT tape to support and stabilize your foot. This helps lessen pain as you heal. Taping your foot before exercise can prevent you from moving it in a way that worsens foot and heel pain. Plus they come in cool colors too!

5. Shoes and Insoles

Best Shoes For Plantar Fasciitis 2020

Shoe insoles are a practical tool to help relieve pain. They work by distributing your weight more evenly. If you have high arches, they are also useful for providing arch support. You’ll probably only need to wear inserts for a few months. You can buy pre-made inserts on Amazon. Supportive shoes can make a difference too. Look for shoes with good arch supports. Choose athletic shoes over high heels. And always avoid going barefoot. Consider getting custom orthotics if you have a hard time buying one that is comfortable.

6. Avoid High Impact Exercises

High-impact exercise, like running or jumping, can place additional strain on an already strained foot. This is especially true if you exercise on hard surfaces. To stay active while you heal, replace your usual high-impact activities with low-impact ones. Break a sweat by cycling or swimming.

7. Untuck Your Bed Sheets

It might sound silly, but sleeping in tucked-in bed sheets puts unnecessary pressure on your feet. Untuck your sheets, and you may see a reduction in plantar fasciitis symptoms.

8. Lose Weight

This is advice no one wants to hear, but losing weight often makes the biggest difference in overall health. Extra weight means extra pressure on your plantar fascia and Achilles tendon. A recent study found a link between high BMI and plantar fasciitis. Shed the extra pounds and get pain relief, too.

9. Plantar Fasciitis Socks

Plantar Fasciitis Socks

For some people, plantar fasciitis socks can make a difference. They come in a variety of different sizes, colors, and styles. For instance, you can choose from toeless sleeves or traditional athletic socks. Most of these socks are compression socks, which means they’ll fit a bit tightly. If you can get used to them, they could help boost blood flow, potentially leading to a quicker recovery. Check out my top 10 compression sock recommendations here.

10. Apply Ice

Ice is useful for treating many sports injuries, including heel pain. Icing is an easy type of rehab to do at home. Simply wrap a piece of cloth around an ice pack and place your foot on top of it. Brr! For maximum results, apply ice to your foot for up to 20 minutes at a time, three to four times a day.

11. Rest and Wellness

I know that taking a break from physical activity isn’t always an option. This is especially true if you work in a job that requires you to be on your feet most of the day. However, if you can afford to take it easy for a few days, it’s certainly worth a shot. After all, plantar fasciitis is an overuse injury. It’s your body’s way of telling you that your foot is tired. Resting gives your foot the time it needs to heal and recover. Spend a little more time resting up at home.

Take Care Of Your Foot Pain

I hope this article has given you some useful ways to live with and heal your plantar fasciitis. I’ve personally tried all of these home remedies, and they have definitely made a difference in my own quality of life.

If you’re trying to figure out how to treat plantar fasciitis quickly at home, the first step is to help reduce inflammation. To do this, apply an ice pack and take ibuprofen (Advil/Motrin) or naproxen (Aleve).

Once you’ve treated the inflammation, you can try any and all of the methods detailed above. In particular, I recommend trying stretching exercises and self-massage. Remember, the more often you do these exercises, the more effective they will be.

I’d also highly recommend looking into shoe inserts. They can turn an ordinary pair of shoes into a much more comfortable and supportive pair.

Medically Reviewed Resources on Plantar Fasciitis 

Stay consistent, and I hope you will see improvement soon! If you’re in the Jacksonville area, come visit me at the Mayo Clinic.

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Dr. Kristina DeMatas

Dr. DeMatas practices holistic, evidence-based family medicine that focuses on treating injuries and transforming lives through prevention, rehabilitation, and diet. She is a licensed, practicing Physician at Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, FL. Read bio.

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