Since plantar fasciitis is often associated with an active lifestyle, many sufferers are eager to find an activity that will enable them to maintain their fitness without aggravating their health condition. Here are a few examples of exercises that can meet both needs:
If you have a mild to moderate case of plantar fasciitis, you will be able to continue running in the short term. However, you must have a procedure in place to rehabilitate the lower extremity; otherwise, you risk being completely disabled.
If you have a mild case of plantar fasciitis, you’ll probably feel some discomfort at the start of the run, but it should go away as you go on.
This means that your pain is most likely due to muscle tightness, and it’s fine to keep running as long as you focus on calf tightness, ankle stability, and hip strength as well. This is not, however, the time to improve the length or speed of your runs.
It is recommended that you quit running if you experience constant pain from the start to the end of your run. You can begin to damage tissue, develop irregular movement patterns, increase your risk of serious injury, or at the very least, increase inflammation in this situation.
A high-impact practice such as running should be avoided in more serious situations. It’ll almost certainly be uncomfortable, and it could make the symptoms worse and last longer.
It’s important to remember that no matter how severe your plantar fasciitis is, continuing to run without addressing the cause of your symptoms is a prescription for potential complications.
As you know, the plantar fascia is a thick band of tissue that runs across the bottom of the foot and connects your heel bone to your toes. Plantar fasciitis is inflammation of this tissue, which can cause a stabbing pain usually felt at the heel. Dr. Chen sees patients with plantar fasciitis at Saint Francis Memorial Hospital Center for Sports Medicine in Walnut Creek, California. He is a board-certified Pediatrician and Sports Medicine Doctor that specializes in the non-operative medical treatment of a wide variety of various musculoskeletal conditions. Dr. Chen graduated from St. George’s University School of Medicine and went on to complete Pediatric residency training at the University of Medicine and Dentistry in New Jersey (Rutgers), then went on to fellowship training in Sports Medicine at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, one of the perennially top-ranked children’s hospitals in the nation. There he provided sideline coverage for NCAA Division I athletics at the University of Cincinnati and Miami University (OH). Being a part of The Center for Sports Medicine allows Dr. Chen quick access to a multidisciplinary team of orthopedic surgeons, podiatrists, physiatrists, and physical therapists to return you to your highest functional level quickly and safely. Click here to contact us for your next appointment!