Treating a Wound

When you find out that the cause of your heel and foot pain is plantar fasciitis, you may worry that you will have to slow down your active lifestyle in order to better manage your condition and prevent future flare-ups. However, this does not have to be the case and being inactive can actually cause stiffness and problems in the joints that make the condition worse, not better. Get to know a few of the steps that you can and should take in order to continue living an active lifestyle with plantar fasciitis so that you can get started as soon as possible.

Make Sure You Stretch Your Feet and Legs

Stretching makes a big difference when you have plantar fasciitis. Even if you need to stay off of your feet for a while and give them a rest (especially if you are a runner), you can still work those muscles to make them stronger and more flexible.

Stretching your legs and calf muscles will help to relieve pressure from the plantar fascia and reduce inflammation as well. One of the best stretches to try is a seated leg stretch. Extend one leg out in front of you with the foot flexed. Use a belt or towel to wrap around the ball of the extended foot. Pull the towel back gently to stretch the toes toward you. This stretches the calf muscle, heel, and foot, which can all help relieve your discomfort.

Trying yoga may be beneficial when you have frequent struggles with your plantar fasciitis. The stretches and strength-building exercises in yoga are designed to keep the body balanced and to protect against various sources of pain and discomfort, including inflammatory ailments like plantar fasciitis.

Try Lower Impact Workout Options

When you want to stay healthy and active but do not want to cause yourself a great deal of pain and discomfort from your plantar fasciitis, the easiest solution is to transition to a lower impact workout program. Spin classes or cycling, for example, are excellent workouts to increase the heart rate, burn off calories, and strengthen the legs.

Swimming also offers an excellent alternative to walking or running on a treadmill. In fact, swimming is essentially a no impact workout. You can choose to swim laps to get your cardio in or join a water aerobics class to mix things up and get more variety in your low-impact workouts.

When you suffer from plantar fasciitis, you do not have to give up on being active. If you work with your podiatrist on medical treatments and you take these steps to stay active, you will be able to do everything you want to do without causing yourself any unnecessary pain or discomfort in the process.

For more information on plantar fasciitis, talk to a professional like http://www.advancedfootclinic.org.