Plantar fasciitis and Heel spur

Plantar fasciitis and Heel spur

First line of treatment:

Ice: take a bottle of drinking water and put it in the freezer.  Roll the bottle 15 minutes at a time underneath the plantar aspect of the foot, at the level of the plantar fascia. Do it once at dinner time, and once before going to bed.  If pain is severe, repeat every two hours. Never do more than 15 minutes.

Stretching: IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO DO IT BEFORE THE FIRST STEP IN THE MORNING.  Take a towel or a belt, which you left on the side of the bed the night before.  Put the belt or the towel underneath the ball of the foot (as shown on the picture) and stretch until you feel the tension under the foot, behind the heel or in the calf muscle.  Don’t pull more than that, even if you can. Keep the tension 10 seconds and release. Repeat it 5 or 6 times, for about one minute.

 

Then, draw the alphabet with the foot, not the leg.  The goal is to stretch in all directions to prepare the foot for the first step of the day

 

Treatment for moderate to severe pain

  • Custom molded orthotic device
  • Anti-inflammatory pills
  • Injections
  • Physical therapy / shock wave therapy
  • Night splint / camwalker (immobilisation)
  • Etc.