Plantar fasciitis is the chronic pain that you experience in your bottom heel or the bottom of your foot. Although it feels a lot like inflammation, it is caused due to a degenerative problem. This degenerative problem is caused due to the tissues that connect your tones to your heel bone. It is a common condition that occurs a lot among runners or people that are fat or people that have flat feet or high arches. It can also occur to people that are on their feet for a long time.
While it is a common condition, it can take up to six to twelve months for your feet to get back to normal. But, it is not possible for everyone to visit the doctor every now and then during these six to twelve months. This is why a lot of people turn to home remedies.
So, if you are looking for some home remedies to treat your plantar fasciitis at home, then keep reading. We have listed a few tips for you below that will ease your pain and help you treat plantar fasciitis at home.
- Use Proper Foot Support
The first and the most important thing that you need to do to treat plantar fasciitis at home is to use proper foot support. You need to watch your footwear. Therefore, you need to find the best shoes for yourself that will provide you with the support that you need. You can even use orthotics as well. So, how to know which shoes are comfortable enough and which shoes are not? Well, the answer is extremely simple. Try the shoes before buying them. Make sure that they are comfortable. If they are uncomfortable, do not wear them.
- Replace Old Shoes
Using old shoes can also lead to plantar fasciitis. So, if you are suffering from the condition, you should try to replace your old athletic shoes. If you exercise daily, do not wear the same old shoes while exercising. Otherwise, your condition may get worse. If you are a runner, you should also replace your old athletic shoes. Make sure that you replace them after every 500 miles.
- Use A Night Splint
Night splints can prove to be great if you want to get relief from plantar fasciitis at home. These night splints keep your arches and calves stretched overnight. As a result, your pain will reduce dramatically. If you have plantar fasciitis for more than six months and the pain is not improving, then using the night splint can prove to be great. While the night splints are available in both hard and soft models, they can only be used for up to three months. You will need to replace them after three months.
- Stretch A Lot
If you want to treat plantar fasciitis at home, you can do it with stretching as well. Stretching is a great technique that will improve your condition in less than the prescribed time. You will notice visible improvement in your condition. So, how should you stretch to improve plantar fasciitis at home? Well, the answer is incredibly simple. All you need to do is stretch the arch of your foot. You should also stretch your calf and muscles around your foot and ankle. When you will do stretching around these areas, it will improve mobility in your body and encourage fast healing as well. This is why stretching is important.
Related:7 Best Stretches For Lower Back Pain
- Massage Frequently
There are a lot of simple massage techniques that you can adopt to treat plantar fasciitis at home. These massage techniques will soothe the pain in your feet and ankles. So, if you properly want to massage your feet, all you need to do is press the thumbs into your heels and arches. But, make sure that you press it firmly. You also need to ensure that you start from the balls of your feet towards your heel. You can even get the massage done at the massage parlor or you can get a massager for yourself as well. A massager is an effective massage tool that will improve your condition in a short time.
Related:Foot Pressure Points: 10+ Reflexology Pressure Points On Feet & How To Relieve Pain
- Apply Ice
Another excellent and effective technique to treat plantar fasciitis at home is to use a lot of ice. This method will quickly lessen the pain in your heel that is caused by plantar fasciitis. Using ice to treat your plantar fasciitis can reduce the inflammation in your feet as well. You can use ice in many forms such as ice packs and ice cubes. But, make sure that you cover the ice with a cloth before using it. You can even use ice pack slippers as well. These ice pack slippers are not only inexpensive but you can mold them to the bottom of your feet as well. Apply the ice three to four times a day for fifteen minutes and you will notice an improvement in your condition.
- Take Proper Rest
Many times your feet require a lot of rest to treat the plantar fasciitis. This is why you must provide your feet with the rest that they need. Otherwise, they will never be able to recover from plantar fasciitis. So, if you want to treat plantar fasciitis at home, you need to reduce the activities that may be causing the problem. High-impact sports can also result in inflammation in your feet. When you notice the signs of plantar fasciitis, it is an indication that your body needs rest. So, rest for a few days before resuming your activities again.
- Apply Lavender Essential Oil
According to a study conducted in the year 2015, the lavender essential oil can prove to be great if you want to treat plantar fasciitis at home. Want to know why? It is because the lavender essential oil has anti-inflammatory properties that can reduce the inflammation caused by plantar fasciitis. To get more effective results, you should try to dilute a drop or two of the lavender essential oil in any regular oil such as coconut oil or olive oil. When you have mixed the two oils, all you need to do is just massage it at the bottom side of your feet. You will notice a visible reduction of the pain in your feet.
- Lose Some Weight
If you are overweight, it can also worsen your plantar fasciitis. Want to know how? When you are carrying more than extra weight, the pressure on your plantar fascia is increased. This is why you must lose a few pounds if you want to treat your condition. When you will lose a few pounds, it will reduce the pressure on your plantar fascia. As a result, your condition will improve quickly.
- Take NSAIDs
You can even take the assistance of NSAIDs if you want to treat plantar fasciitis at home. For those of you who do not know, NSAIDs are Non-Steroidal Anti Inflammatory Drugs. A common example of NSAIDs is ibuprofen. These drugs can prove to be effective to reduce inflammation in your feet caused due to plantar fasciitis. As a result, the pain in your body can reduce a great deal.
Plantar fasciitis is a condition that can at least take six months to improve. So, if you are also suffering from the condition and looking for home remedies, all you need to do is follow the tips mentioned above. You will notice a visible improvement in your condition in a short time period.
