Home remedies and acupressure Plantar fasciitis and heel spurs - say no to foot pain!
Plantar fasciitis not only sounds strange, it is also a very painful condition. Many people are affected by this fascia problem at least once in their lives - but don't really know where it comes from.
To shed some light on the painful darkness, today we explain how the problem arises, how acupressure can help with plantar fasciitis and which home remedies are really effective.
Pain subsides - the causes of plantar fasciitis
Those affected feel plantar fasciitis as a stabbing pain, which many experience as so severe that they cannot put any weight on the heel. The cause of this pain is the overloaded plantar fascia. But what kind of fascia is it?
You can think of it something like this: Running along the bottom of your foot is a tissue that is essential for smooth foot movement. This tissue, the plantar fascia, runs from your heel to the middle of your foot and supports the arch of your foot from below. Like a securing pillar that at the same time must be flexible to follow the movements of the foot without damage.
So far, so good - but how does this fascia actually work and how is it overloaded? The whole thing happens like this:
When a person steps on, their heel shifts slightly outward due to the pressure - this causes the bones in the foot to experience pressure relief and, supported by the tissue around them, to shift slightly against each other. We are built this way so that we can adapt to uneven ground when we step on it. If the treading motion now continues, the foot that grips the ground in front becomes firm so that we can push off and the heel moves slightly inward. During this movement, the important push-off effect that we know from jogging is created.
If this healthy foot process is disturbed, for example because a tense calf blocks the movement of the foot, this results in significantly too much load pressure on the plantar fascia. The fascia begins to ache, is repeatedly misloaded and plantar fasciitis takes its course. So the goal should be to not only look at the fascia when treating the problem, but to solve the root causes, which are mostly tension.
According to the German Medical Journal, so-called conservative therapy measures, which include stretching exercises and fascia training, lead most patients back to a pain-free gait. Through targeted, regular exercise, you can give your body intensive support in getting fit again more quickly. But which exercises are helpful? At this point, we have of course prepared specific exercises for you to join in with.
Plantar fasciitis acupressure and home remedies
Of course, a visit to the doctor or physiotherapist is the right thing to do if you have severe foot pain - but you can also do a few things at home to actively relieve the plantar fascia. The following exercises are easy to do and take up very little space:
Oblique calf stretching with the ShaktiMat acupressure mat
In order to relieve the plantar fascia, it is important to restore the smooth movement described above. The easiest way to do this is directly against the wall. Place the ShaktiMat acupressure mat about a large step away from the wall and place the back of your foot on the mat. Now support yourself on the wall with both hands and move the loose leg (which is not on the ShaktiMat) diagonally in front of the other leg towards the wall so that the loose leg crosses over the supporting leg. Then bring the leg back. Repeat this movement slowly and at different angles to the wall - you should feel a pull in the calf of the supporting leg.
The aim of the exercise is to loosen the tissue of the calf to such an extent that the natural movement of the heel, as described above, can take place on its own again. To achieve the desired goal, you must of course not give up after one exercise session. Repeat the stretching exercise at least once a day for about two minutes and you will notice a big difference in mobility after just one week.
Butt training on the acupressure mat
Another common cause of plantar fasciitis is weak or severely tense pomus muscles. But wait, how can that be? When the muscles of the buttocks are unevenly developed, this causes many people to lean their weight mainly on one leg when standing or holding something heavy (such as a child). The problem with this? The foot of the more heavily loaded leg carries the load, while the foot of the less loaded leg relaxes too much. If you take a step from this position or even start walking, the following happens:
The heel of the overly relaxed foot is not in the correct position to perform the step properly - the foot tilts too far inwards and the fascia has to compensate for this overload. An ideal recipe for pain.
To get rid of this problem, it is necessary to release the tension in the gluteal muscles and strengthen them evenly.
Step one of the exercise is to lie on your bottom on the ShaktiMat for a few minutes. First on your back - then on your side. If you find this exercise very painful at first because of your tension, you can place a thin towel underneath or put on a pair of thick sports trousers to soften the peaks.
Step two is to support yourself lightly against the wall, lift the leg that is closer to the wall and alternately lift it and release it again. The muscle you feel is located in the standing leg to the side of your bottom. Repeat the exercise approx. 15-20 times slowly and with concentration and then switch sides.
Rotation and standing upright
The third cause of pain in the plantar fascia is an incomplete ability of the lower back to move smoothly, which is usually caused by poor posture.
If you stand up straight and rotate your upper body to the right, your left foot will tilt inwards to compensate for the movement. The problem that arises now lies in the backward rotation. If you have poor posture and your shoulders fall forward, the curvature of your spine restricts a gliding rotation backwards and your foot remains tilted inwards. Again, the fascia is put under far too much strain if you take a step from this position.
To achieve good lower back mobility, it's important to not only directly reduce tension in your lower back, but also improve your posture by releasing tension between your shoulder blades and in your neck. This gives your spine the opportunity to straighten up again and you regain your full range of motion.
You can find suitable exercises with the acupressure mat and acupressure points for the spine and neck in these articles from us.
Acupressure points for plantar fasciitis
Besides the moving exercises, there are two acupressure points in particular for plantar fasciitis. The first point is located in the middle of the calf and the second in the middle of the plantar fascia itself, just behind the end of the heel, under the sole of the foot.
If it is not too tiring for you, you should press both points forcefully at the same time, taking deep breaths.
If simultaneous pressure is too strenuous for you, a good solution is to first press the calf for about a minute, rest briefly and then tackle the point under the foot. As both points are quite deep in the tissue, you may have to use your hands very forcefully to reach the points. Once you have reached them, you will usually notice that they are slightly to severely painful.
Home remedy
For acute pain, it's important to first deal with the pain sensation and alleviate it before you move on to tackling the cause with a clear head. There are a few simple tips for this:
Put your foot up as often as you can to reduce the pressure on the tissue. If you are in a lot of pain or have been walking a lot, it is worth wrapping a cool pack in a towel and cooling it for fifteen minutes.
If you can't avoid walking with a sore foot because you have to go to work, for example, make sure you wear shoes with a flexible and very soft sole. Wool insoles or shock-absorbing gel insoles can turn hard shoes into a more bearable alternative in no time at all.
We probably don't need to tell you, but high heels are not a good idea for your feet as long as your plantar fascia is overloaded. The same goes for walking barefoot on hard surfaces and wearing flip-flops. Both contribute to increasing the strain and you definitely don't want to do that.
As soon as the home remedies have given you some relief, you can resort to the exercises mentioned above to show the plantar fasciitis with acupressure, stretching exercises and the like that you finally want to walk without pain again.
A closing word for nimble feet
Running continues to enjoy great popularity. No wonder, because it really is a great sport to clear your head and get your body moving. However, runners in particular are often affected by plantar fasciitis. So if you like to run a lot, we recommend using the exercises we've put together above to prevent plantar fasciitis and put your body under strain in a healthy way from the outset.
We wish you pain-free steps and lots of fun on your way - without plantar fasciitis.
If you would like to discuss the topics of acupressure and acupressure mats for plantar fasciitis and give other sufferers tips or ask questions, please leave us a comment or visit us on Facebook.
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Antje Wickboldt is a freelance writer from Berlin. She has been working with the body's self-healing powers for over 10 years and, as a lecturer, explains in interactive presentations for companies and offices how tension can be released with the help of acupressure and massage.
Sources for this article:
Andrews, Synthia and Dempsey, Bobbi: Acupressure & Reflexology for Dummies. Wiley Publishing, Indianapolis 2007. p. 159 ff.
Medical Journal: https://www.aerzteblatt.de/archiv/205148/Plantarer-Fussschmerz
Dr. Stein, Aaron: Acupressure Guide. Alleviate Headaches, Neck and Joint Pain, Anxiety Attacks and Other Ailments. Mobile Reference, 2nd edition, Canada 2009. p. 56
NHS UK, https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/plantar-fasciitis/
Schwind, Peter: Fascia. Tissue of life. 2nd edition, Irisiana, Munich 2015 p. 55 ff.