The plantar fascia is long, tough and thick connective tissue located at the bottom of your foot that connects between your heel bone and toes. Although the exact cause for plantar fasciitis is unknown, certain contributing factors, such as obesity and repetitive stress, may lead to fascia injury, according to Family Footcare. Once the condition develops, pain can become chronic -- but performing certain exercises may help alleviate pain from plantar fasciitis.
Plantar Fascia and Injury
Whenever your foot hits the ground during activities such as walking or dancing, the plantar fascia works as a shock absorber and helps with leg and foot stabilization, as well as performance, according to the Sports Injury Bulletin. It's common for dancers and other athletes to develop plantar fasciitis due to overuse of their feet. This overuse often leads to degeneration of collagen fibers near the heel bone, which causes fascia pain and dysfunction. If you develop plantar fasciitis your health care provider may first recommend physical therapy. Chronic fasciitis may require more intense treatment, such as corticosteroid injections or surgery. Physical therapy typically involves stretching exercises you can do at home that may help alleviate pain and fasciitis.
Standing Wall Stretch
One of the best ways to help foot fascia discomfort and pain is to regularly perform calf stretches, such as the standing wall stretch, recommends Sports Injury Bulletin. Stand near a wall and extend your arms straight out in front of you. Place your hands flat on the wall and lean on them slightly while keeping your arms straight. Bend one leg and move the other leg straight back behind you while keeping your feet planted on the floor. Lean forward until you feel a stretch in the back of your calf muscle in the leg behind you. Hold for 20 to 30 seconds. Switch legs and repeat. You can perform this stretch a few times a day, according to Michelle Parent, PA-C at HealthPoint Medical Care.
Towel Stretch
The towel stretch exercise also stretches your calf muscles, as well as your foot fascia. To perform the towel stretch, sit on the floor, extend your legs straight out in front of you and flex your feet. Loop a towel around the bottoms of your feet while holding the ends of the towel with both hands. Gently pull until you feel a stretch in the backs of your calf muscles and the bottoms of your feet. Hold for 20 to 30 seconds and repeat a few times.
Toe Grasping
To relieve plantar fasciitis pain and improve range of motion in the foot, perform toe grasping stretches. From a standing position with feet forward, flat and hip-distance apart, scrunch up your toes on one foot. Pretend you're picking up a small object. You can also stand on a towel and lift it up by pinching it with your toes. Perform this action 30 to 50 times for a set. Switch to the opposite foot for toe grasping stretches after one set. Work up to two to three sets for each foot per day.
References
- SportsInjuryClinic.net: Plantar Fasciitis
- NYU Langone Medical Center Harkness Center for Dance Injuries and Hospital for Joint Diseases: Plantar Fasciitis
- Sports Injury Bulletin: Plantar Fasciitis Exercise -- It's Simply an Inflammation of the Fascia on the Bottom of the Foot.
- Family Footcare, PC: Plantar Fasciitis
- HealthPoint Medical Care; Michelle Parent, PA-C; Renton, Washington
