If you have been experiencing heel pain that isn't going away, you should visit a podiatrist to get checked for plantar fasciitis. This condition occurs when the ligament in the arch of the foot is injured or overworked and becomes inflamed.
There are many conservative treatments, such as shoe inserts, steroid injections, and physical therapy that you can try first before a patient has to resort to surgery. With your podiatrist's recommendations, you may want to try a physical therapy method called foam rolling. Take a look.
What Is A Foam Roller And How Does it Work?
Foam rollers are physical therapy tools; they are usually made of compressed foam and come in cylindrical shapes, although there are variations in shapes, sizes, and firmness levels. Some people may even use tennis balls or lacrosse balls as make-shift foam rollers.
Foam rollers are mainly used to massage muscles and used during self-myofascial release (SMR). SMR focuses on breaking up adhesions in the fascia, the tissue that stabilizes muscles. Foam rollers help to ease the pain of trigger points, which are sensitive areas of tissue.
How Can Foam Rolling Help Plantar Fasciitis?
Foam rolling can be used during your physical therapy warm-up since the rolling motion can get blood flowing and prevent further injury. Improved circulation is an important part of healing since fresh blood brings oxygen and nutrients to damaged tissues.
Foam rolling is also helpful for plantar fasciitis because it reduces pain and improves range of motion. In fact, one study found that foam rolling could improve the pain-pressure threshold (PPT) for plantar fasciitis patients. The PPT scale measures muscle tissue sensitivity.
Which Muscles Should You Foam Roll?
You can foam roll the plantar fascia and the muscles that make up the arch of the foot, such as the abductor hallucis and the flexor digitorum brevis. However, plantar fasciitis can sometimes be caused by weakness or tightness in the calf muscles (the gastrocnemius and the soleus). When these muscles are too tight, your ankle can lose some flexibility. This decreased range of motion can place a strain on the heel bone. Sometimes tight hip flexor muscles can cause an internal rotation of the femur, which can cause excessive pronation that exacerbates the plantar fascia, so massaging the glutes or hip flexor muscles could be beneficial.
Ultimately, you should talk with your podiatrist to see which areas could benefit from foam rolling. For more information on heel pain treatment, contact a professional near you.
Share22 March 2023
When I developed tendinitis of my foot and ankle, my podiatrist helped me on the road to recovery. An over-use injury from the job caused me considerable pain in my foot and ankle. Ice, elevation, rest, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory relieved my inflammation of the tendons. My podiatrist also prescribed physical therapy, which helped restore my mobility. Gentle stretching exercises performed during physical therapy seemed to have a positive effect. I was shown how to follow up these exercises at home. After several weeks of following doctor's orders, my podiatrist was happy with the results. The bottom line is if you're suffering from foot pain or injury, you should see a foot specialist as soon as possible because treatment options are available.
