Early morning Heel pain ? Don’t neglect Plantar fasciitis

A very common problem for women above thirty is the pain in the heel which starts first thing in the morning when you put your feet down. This symptom is termed as Plantar fasciitis and there are many reasons attributed to this pain.One of them being flat footedness, overweight, standing for too long , running for too long and the planta facis ligament in the foot which gets inflamed causing this pain. Once you start noticing this pain don’t neglect it and visit your nearest orthopedic and start treatment as suggested by the doctor.


·  Rest your feet. Limit or, if possible, stop daily activities that are causing your heel pain. Try to avoid running or walking on hard surfaces, such as concrete.

·  To reduce inflammation and relieve pain, put ice packs regularly on your heel.

·  Wear shoes with good shock absorption and the right arch support for your foot. Athletic shoes or shoes with a well-cushioned sole are usually good choices.

·  Try heel cups or shoe inserts to help cushion your heel. You can buy these at many athletic shoe stores. Use them in both shoes, even if only one foot hurts.

·  Put on your shoes as soon as you get out of bed. Going barefoot or wearing slippers may make your pain worse.

·  Do simple exercises such as toe stretches , calf stretches , and towel stretches  several times a day, especially when you first get up in the morning. These can help your ligament become more flexible and strengthen the muscles that support your arch. (For towel stretches, you pull on both ends of a rolled towel that you place under the ball of your foot.)

·  Roll a frozen water bottle under the arch. Stretch first then roll out the arch for 10 minutes; you don’t want to stretch the tendon when it’s ice cold.

The plantar tendon needs to be supported and strengthened using good arch soles which will push the arches and if you are overweight its best to get into a weight loss program and shed the extra weight which puts pressure on the heels.