Foot pain or pain in the heel can be caused by plantar fasciitis or an inflammation of the plantar fascia. Plantar Fascia is actually a thin band of connective tissue along the base of the foot all the way from the heel to the toes. The pain is actually at its worst first thing in the morning the moment you wake up. The first steps after waking up each morning are severe.
The most common symptom is a shooting pain in the heel. This foot condition is usually common with flat footed people. This is a result of uneven distribution of weight in the foot and people mostly affected are pregnant women, overweight individuals and elderly people. There are various treatment methods for plantar fasciitis and exercise is one. Exercise for Plantar fasciitis is found to be very effective in relieving the pain and bringing down the inflammation.
These exercises are quite easy to perform and takes only a few minutes everyday but the benefits it brings goes a long, long way. This exercise is good to perform early in the morning. Consult your doctor for the right exercise program for you. There are two exercises that work best with Plantar Fasciitis.
Foot Rolling
This is the best exercise to start your day. It is simple and not complicated at all. You do not even need any expensive equipment but all you need is a tin can, hard ball like tennis ball or even a bottle will do. How does it work? Just sit on the edge of your bed or in a chair, Place your painful foot in the can and then slowly roll the can from your toes to your heel. Repeat this exercise 15 times on the affected foot.
Ankle Nerve Flossing
This exercise lets you stretch your nerves that rush through the ankle and to the supporting soft muscle tissues. Performing this exercise is easy. You just lie down on the floor on your back with stretched out legs and toes pointed to the ceiling. Slowly lift the foot affected with plantar fasciitis upwards towards the ceiling with toes pointing to the ceiling. Your hips should remain contact with the floor and your knees slightly bent and then slowly straighten your leg and always try to point your toes downwards toward the floor. Repeat it ten times.
These are the best exercise for plantar fasciitis that you can easily do whether your condition is severe or not. This exercise is good to treat as well as prevent any foot problem.