What Activities Can I Do With Plantar Fasciitis?

 

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:

  • Stationary bikes – by riding a stationary bike with a hard-soled foot, you can stop the usual banging on your feet that comes with traditional aerobic workouts. You can get a good cardiovascular workout without putting too much pressure on your feet.
  • Rowing – It is an excellent way to completely engage your body, whether you row on a lake or river or on a treadmill in the gym. You burn calories rapidly because you use almost your entire body, and rowing puts almost no stress on your feet.
  • Swimming – It is a great full-body exercise that is also gentle on the feet. Fins will help you push yourself and reduce the pressure on your feet even further.
  • Yoga – is an ideal type of exercise for people with plantar fasciitis because it prevents high-impact movements and focuses on stretching and strengthening. Yoga is also very good at burning calories. Simply swap out one yoga practice for another if one is aggravating the plantar fasciitis.
  • Upper body ergometer – not using your lower body when exercising is an obvious way to prevent straining your plantar fascia. An upper body ergometer gives your arms and chest a good workout without involving your legs at all.
  • Strength Training – While strength training does not burn as many calories as an aerobic workout, it can be extremely beneficial to many plantar fasciitis patients. Bulking up will improve your long-term conditioning, reduce foot pressure, and strengthen key muscles like your calves.
  • Elliptical – on an elliptical, you can stop the bulk of the grinding tension that comes with running by holding your feet in a stationary position. To relieve discomfort, some plantar fasciitis patients with very sensitive feet may need to take days off between sessions.

 

 

Running with plantar fasciitis: Is it a good idea?

 

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.

 

 

Are You Looking for a Sports Medicine Physician to Treat Your Plantar Fasciitis?

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!

 

 

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