If you suffer from sore feet in the morning and even dread taking those first steps, you may have plantar fasciitis. Increasing your awareness of the causes and treatment of this condition can help you to find some relief.

 Plantar fasciitis is a common cause of foot pain

Plantar fasciitis is one of the most common forms of foot pain, especially if you over 50, although it can affect younger people who spend a lot of time on their feet. It is caused by the ligament running along the sole of your foot becoming swollen due to repeated strain. The condition can last for a number of months, but will get better eventually. The most common symptom is a pain in the heel, but it can extend into the sole of the whole foot.

Relieving the pain from plantar fasciitis

If you suffer from plantar fasciitis, you should avoid walking barefoot, or wearing shoes without inner support. Choose shoes that support your arch, which will help to avoid the pain developing during the day. Shoes offering support can also help to relieve the pain if it has already developed.

The pain from plantar fasciitis gets better if the ligament is stretched. This usually happens naturally when you walk. Your first few steps in the morning will be painful, but the pain will soon disappear. If you want to avoid this pain at all, you can stretch the ligament before you even get up:

• Sit in bed and stretch your legs out.
• Take a rolled up towel. Hold the two ends and put the middle of the towel over the sole of your foot.
• Pull the towel towards yourself five or six times, forcing your foot to stretch.
• Repeat this on both feet three times before you get up and you should have little or no pain.

Take care of your feet to avoid straining the plantar fascia

If you take care of your feet, you may be able to avoid developing plantar fasciitis. Try to avoid spending too much time standing around, which will strain your feet. You may be unable to avoid this due to your profession; or you may be an athlete, training for long hours every day and spending a lot of time on your feet. In these cases, you should take care to rest your feet when you are not working or training.  

Plantar fasciitis may be exacerbated by some medication

There are some chronic medications (such as oestrogen blockers prescribed after breast cancer) that have the side effect of causing joint pain. If you suffer from plantar fasciitis, this arthralgia may make the pain in your feet worse. In this case, you should consult your doctor, who may prescribe anti-inflammatories to help to relieve the pain.

For more information, talk to a general foot care physician.