PLANTAR FASCITIS: How to relieve the pain

If you want to know how to relieve the pain caused by plantar fasciitis, you’re in the right post!
But first, let’s see what exactly is plantar fasciitis and what are the main causes that favor the appearance of this frequent pathology that causes pain in the feet.

What is plantar fasciitis?

Plantar fasciitis is inflammation of the plantar fascia. This is the swelling of a thick band of tissue that connects the heel portion of the heel to the metatarsals (area below the toes).
The plantar fascia, therefore, runs across the entire sole of the foot.
It absorbs the energy produced by each step and maintains the plantar arch.

Because of its function and location, we can already see that it is a very exposed part of our foot and therefore where injuries are likely to appear.

What are the symptoms?

Plantar fasciitis causes pain in the sole of the foot and also near the heel area.
The pain is more intense in the morning when we wake up, or when we get up after being at rest for a long time.
It also appears after standing for a long time, or after doing physical exercise.
These would be the moments in which we will notice more pain in the sole of our feet, if we suffer from plantar fasciitis.

Causes of fascia inflammation

• Physical activity and our daily life. Impact sports on hard surfaces, such as running on asphalt, cause a great impact on the plantar fascia and this can cause it to become inflamed or microtears to appear.
  It is also common in people who spend the day on their feet and walking from one place to another, such as factory workers, delivery people, etc.
• The shape of our foot. The plantar fascia supports the plantar arch.
  If our plantar arch is almost null (flat foot) or excessive (cavus foot), this will cause an increase in tension in the fascia, which over time and depending on the lifestyle we have, will sooner or later cause discomfort in the area.
• Obesity. Excess weight is never healthy for our feet either, as it puts additional pressure on the plantar fascia.
• Age: after the age of 40 and due to the passage of time, it is easier for plantar fasciitis to appear.
• Shoes with inadequate support. Inadequate footwear, with which we do not have a correct support and grip, is harmful and the cause of various foot pathologies.
  It also has an irremediable influence in favoring the appearance of plantar fasciitis.
  If we do not have a correct distribution of our weight when walking, the fascia exerts too much pressure and can become inflamed, causing pain especially in the area near the heel.

How to relieve pain caused by plantar fasciitis

There are several ways to relieve and reduce foot pain caused by plantar fasciitis:

• Rest. Walk as little as possible for a few days, to help reduce inflammation in the area.
  If we do not walk, we do not exert pressure on the area, so we help to de-inflammation.
• Apply cold and heat to the area. Massage the sole of the foot with cold rollers and warm up the musculature in the morning before putting the foot on the ground: massage with heat creams.
• Massage and stretching of the sole of the foot and the posterior musculature of the legs.
• Use appropriate footwear or insoles, which accompany the plantar arch with each step.
  The objective is to reduce (but not limit), its mobility.
  If the pain also affects the heel area, it is advisable to use heel cushions or insoles that provide adequate relief in the area.
• Wear shoes with some height in the heel. Completely flat shoes are not good for the health of our feet.
  In the case of plantar fasciitis, it is important that our footwear has a minimum height in the heel area (without being excessive, since a shoe with too high a heel will cause excessive tension in the area and would be counterproductive).
• In more severe cases of plantar fasciitis, your orthopedist may recommend the use of a night boot to prevent muscle shortening during rest.

Insole for Plantar Fasciitis

We do not always choose our footwear taking into account that it is the most suitable for our feet.
But we can always use suitable insoles.
At this point we would like to tell you about Smou.

Smou are specially designed Inoles for plantar fasciitis, metatarsalgia and heel spurs. 3 pathologies that, although different, are closely related and it is even common for more than one to appear in the same person with foot problems.

Smou insoles have a patented design that provides adequate grip to the soles of your feet.
The plantar arch is sufficient for a cavus foot, without being excessive for a flat foot.
And they incorporate a removable piece in the heel that will ensure adequate relief in the area, and you could also remove it in case you have a heel spur.
All-terrain insoles that adapt to the main pathologies that cause 90% of foot pain.

In addition, they are made with breathable and absorbent microfiber, so you can wear them without socks and in summer. The metatarsal area is anatomical and with materials that will bring you comfort, and the inside is made with materials of great durability and resistance.

The objective of the Smou Insole is to ensure an adequate weight distribution on the sole of the foot, taking into account the anatomy of our feet and the pathologies they usually present, without sacrificing comfort . An orthopedic Insole that you will want to use every day.

And finally, if you want to know more about plantar fasciitis, we leave you with this video in which Clara, the founder of Smou insoles, tells you what it is and how to eliminate foot pain caused by plantar fasciitis.