One of the most common running-related injuries is Plantar Fascitis. It's also very slow healing, primarily because every step we take aggravates the source of the pain!
The plantar fascia are a long, thick band of tissue that attaches to the front and bottom of the heel, and extends the length of the foot to the bottom of the toes. Fascitis is inflammation of the Plantar tissue.
Too much running (or walking), running on hard surfaces, excessive body weight or a tight Achilles tendon are some of the reasons for Plantar Fascitis.
If you have extreme heel pain when you take your first steps when getting out of bed, you probably have it. The pain genrally eases through the day, and returns at night.
Pain relievers like Motrin, Advil, and Tylenol help ease the effects of Plantar Fascitis. Heel pads and well-cushioned shoes and sneakers also help. Cortisone can also relieve the pain.
Plantat Fascitis can take six months or more to heal. Stretching the achilles can help. My favorite is hanging the back of my feet off the edge of a step, holding low for 30 seconds, streching to my toes for 10 seconds or so, and back down. Since I have tight achilles (an aging thing, I'm sure), I make sure I do this stretch just about every day, but especially after running. Like many injuries, try to do the things to prevent getting Plantar Fascitis. It's much better than recovering from it!
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