How to treat plantar fasciitis. Plantar fasciitis of the foot, or plantar fasciitis

In this article we will talk about the treatment of plantar (plantar) fasciitis of the heel at home, about all the methods and features of this process.

Plantar fasciitis is a foot disease that occurs as a result of inflammation of the plantar fascia, which envelops the muscles of the arch of the foot. The result of the body's protective-adaptive reaction is injury to fibrous tissue due to stretching, heavy and regular load.

The role of the fascia is to maintain the foot in the correct position, and as soon as it begins to hurt, a person cannot move normally or engage in physical activity. If the problem is just beginning, then you can figure out how to treat plantar fasciitis at home. In case of increased and already intolerable pain, they resort to drug therapy. Let's look at these issues in more detail.

Flat feet are another cause of pain. It can be congenital, due to an insufficient amount of connective tissue during the formation of the foot, or acquired, as a result of wearing low-quality shoes.

Arthritis, arthrosis and vascular disease in the legs also affect the normal nutrition of fibrous tissue, limiting the flow of essential microelements for metabolism.

People who are overweight need to think about losing it. Only by eliminating the original cause of fasciitis can you get rid of it forever.

Symptoms of heel spurs are important signs that help in determining the overall picture of the disease and in the fight against it.

Drug treatment for plantar fasciitis

Heel fasciitis, or otherwise plantar, plantar fasciitis in an advanced stage can only be treated with medication. This includes therapy with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in tablets and ointments: Motrin, Indomethacin, Aleve, Diclofenac and its analogues, Advil. They contain the active ingredients ibuprofen and aspirin. The course of treatment is long but effective.

Injection procedures with the introduction of corticosteroids are also practiced: hydrocortisone or betamethasone. Such hormonal medications with a powerful anti-inflammatory effect can damage the fascia and result in acquired flat feet and chronic pain.

Treatment of plantar fasciitis is possible with homeopathic remedies when there are no bone spurs yet. In addition to the anti-inflammatory effect, preparations based on plant extracts improve the elasticity of the ligaments, which leads to a reduction in pain during mechanical impact on the foot.

Physiotherapeutic methods

Plantar fasciitis is effectively treated using devices that affect the diseased area only mechanically - ultrasound (phonophoresis), current (iontophoresis), laser, magnetic field; Shock wave therapy is improved with the use of corticosteroids: betamethasone, hydrocortisone and disprospan.

Physiotherapeutic methods are successfully used in complex and conservative treatment of foot diseases.

Traditional medicine

In the initial stages of the disease, you can use proven methods of traditional medicine: compresses, ointments and applications.

Compresses

Plantar fasciitis, which is supposed to be treated at home, responds well to the correct application of compresses:

each overlay should be wider than the previous one;
It is not recommended to use excessive force when fixing the layers on the ankle;
Allow a lot of time for the action (make a compress at night).

So, what folk remedies are used for compresses:

medicinal herbs in the form of tinctures in alcoholic liquid;
apple cider vinegar diluted with water 1:1;
cabbage (burdock) leaf smeared with honey (chalk);
raw potatoes or garlic, grated on a coarse grater;
raw black radish and horseradish root, grated and mixed in a 1:1 ratio.

The given recipes are medicinal components of compressors, which must be applied according to the following rules:

prepared natural ingredient;
cling film to create a thermal effect;
warm material (bike, woolen scarf);
bandage for fixation.

Baths

Treatment of fasciitis at home is practiced by taking a variety of baths:

Saline. The solution is prepared as follows: dilute 3 tablespoons in 1 liter of hot water. spoons of salt. Place the sore heel in the bath and steam for at least half an hour. Wipe your foot dry and wrap it in a warming cloth, go to bed;
Iodine-soda. Pour 1 teaspoon of soda into a bowl with 1 liter of warm water and add 10 drops of iodine. Steam for 10 minutes, then wipe the foot dry and treat the sore spot with iodine mesh;
Vodka based. How to treat plantar fasciitis at home by taking a bath with a solution of vodka, table vinegar and turpentine? You need to mix all the ingredients in a 1:1 ratio, heat, place your foot and hold until the composition cools completely. For greater efficiency, it is recommended to carry out the procedure 2 times.
Icy. Immerse the heel (without toes) in cold water with ice for 10 minutes;
From walnut peels. Plantar fasciitis in the initial stage or in complex therapy is well treated with a bath, the solution for which must be prepared as follows: boil the chopped green peel of walnuts for 10 minutes. Before going to bed, steam your foot in the bath for 15 minutes;
Based on an antispasmodic and antimicrobial drug. The bath consists of 1 liter of water, 2 tbsp. spoons of apple cider vinegar, 1 table. spoons of honey and 2 tablets of furatsilin and analgin. Bring the mixture until smooth and place the foot for 20 minutes. After the procedure, subject the heel fasciitis to heat - wrap it in clay for 10–20 minutes.

Applications

Plantar fasciitis, which can be treated at home (photo below), can be treated with application overlays. This procedure helps to use all the forces of nature from natural ingredients, nourishing the tissue with microelements important for it.

An effective application is considered to be a mixture of mountain wax and paraffin. They are heated to 40 °C, mixed, applied to the sore spot, wrapped in a warm cloth and put a plastic bag on the leg. Leave the application for half an hour.

Unfortunately, it is not possible to cure complex shaped plantar fasciitis with overlays, but using them in complex therapy will be useful.

Auxiliary procedures

Plantar fasciitis: treatment at home and in the hospital, may undergo additional procedures that are aimed at restoring fibrous tissue. These include:

patches with medicinal composition;
ointments with a warming and analgesic effect;
homeopathic lotions.

Fasciitis of the sole, which can be treated at home, cannot be allowed to develop into a severe form, otherwise all methods will be powerless, which will lead to surgical intervention.

Plantar fasciitis (inflammation of the plantar fascia) is often diagnosed in women 40 years of age and older. Doctors call the main causes of the disease:

Wearing uncomfortable shoes for a long time.
Having excess body weight.
Diabetes mellitus, gout and other diseases.
Flat feet, circulatory and metabolic disorders in the lower extremities.
Previously suffered foot injuries (this is especially typical for people involved in professional sports).

It can be difficult to recognize and begin treatment in a timely manner, because the disease in the early stages can manifest itself in the form of swelling and fatigue of the legs. After some time, patients may notice an increase in pain in the heel area, which will persist even at rest. That is why if you are in at least one of the risk groups, and you begin to notice unpleasant sensations in your feet, you should consult a specialist as soon as possible.

Treating plantar fasciitis at home

Despite the warnings of doctors, many patients who have been diagnosed with fasciitis prefer to undergo treatment at home, using traditional recipes. Judging by the reviews, such remedies as medical bile, salt, iodine, honey, propolis, etc. help relieve pain, swelling of soft tissues, restore blood circulation and metabolism. Medicines made on the basis of these components must be taken in courses, taking into account the availability contraindications. Some patients who comprehensively used both folk and traditional methods of treatment experienced relief quite quickly and most of the unpleasant symptoms disappeared. That is why it is necessary to list common folk methods for eliminating plantar fasciitis.

Medical bile against inflammation

Medical bile, which was used in ancient times as a treatment for joint diseases, helps relieve unpleasant symptoms of fasciitis. You can find this medicine in any pharmacy, and you do not need a prescription from a doctor to purchase it. The following bile-based recipes will eliminate heel pain, reduce swelling of soft tissues, and normalize metabolism:

Mix bile and vodka in a 1:1 ratio. Steam your sore feet in hot water, and then apply a bandage soaked in the medicinal composition to the affected areas. Place parchment or wax paper on top, apply an elastic bandage and put on a wool sock. It is best to do such warming compresses at night for 20–25 days (usually after this time noticeable relief occurs).
A compress of vodka, shampoo and bile will not only relieve pain, but also make the skin soft and elastic. To prepare this remedy, you will need 20 grams of vodka (or alcohol) and shampoo, as well as 50 grams of medical bile. The composition is also applied to gauze and applied to sore spots.
There are other folk recipes using bile for plantar fasciitis, however, the above can be called not only effective, but also easy to make.

Egg and vinegar

An ointment made from vinegar, eggs and honey was previously famous for its anti-inflammatory and restorative properties. To prepare such a remedy for plantar fasciitis, you need to take a chicken egg and place it in a container with vinegar for several days (the vinegar can be anything - apple, rice, etc.). During this time, the shell will dissolve, and the egg-vinegar essence will remain in the cup. The resulting ingredient must be poured into a large container, add 30–50 grams of natural butter and mix thoroughly. The finished medicine should be applied to a piece of bandage or gauze and applied to the heel spur overnight, providing the sore foot with rest and warmth.

Aspirin for plantar fasciitis

The familiar aspirin has an anti-inflammatory and analgesic effect on plantar fasciitis, eliminating most of the unpleasant symptoms. With a course of treatment with folk remedies based on aspirin, you can not only get rid of acute pain in the heel area, but also improve blood circulation and metabolism in tissues affected by the disease.

The easiest way is to prepare a solution of aspirin and vodka by mixing the components in a ratio of 10 tablets per 250 ml of liquid. As soon as the product has infused (1–1.5 days), it must be applied to a piece of gauze and applied to the sore heel overnight. To prevent the material from drying out quickly, place polyethylene on top, fix it with an elastic bandage and put on a woolen sock. Relief occurs in approximately 7–14 days. If the solution dries out and corrodes the skin, it should be treated with a rich cream or natural butter in the morning.

Treatment of plantar fasciitis with iodine

Folk remedies based on iodine-alcohol solution are in great demand among patients who have been diagnosed with plantar fasciitis. Their main difference is ease of preparation, as well as impressive efficiency. During the course of treatment, many patients stopped complaining of acute pain in the heel, noticed the appearance of ease when walking, a decrease in swelling and a burning sensation.

Iodine baths

This method of treatment will not require special time and material costs, because to prepare the medicine you need to take 2–5 tbsp. l. iodine solution and dilute them in 3 liters of hot water. Baths should be taken daily for 20 minutes. After completing the procedure, the feet are wiped dry, an iodine mesh is applied to the heel and woolen socks are put on. In addition, you can simply immerse your heels in a concentrated iodine solution for 5–10 minutes. With this treatment, the active component penetrates into the skin, stopping the process of inflammation of the soft tissues.

Sea salt for heel spurs

Sea and table salt have also worked well in the treatment of plantar fasciitis. This substance has an anti-inflammatory and warming effect, allows you to normalize metabolism and blood circulation in soft tissues.

Compresses with sea salt, iodine and honey

To prepare this remedy, you will need 50 ml of iodine-alcohol solution, a tablespoon of honey and a teaspoon of salt. All components must be thoroughly mixed, then applied to a piece of gauze or a cotton swab, applied to the sore spot and secured with an elastic bandage. It is more advisable to do this procedure at night, providing the foot with warmth and peace.

Salt massage

A daily massage with salt heated in a frying pan will help relieve pain from fasciitis. During a course of treatment, in some cases, complete elimination of the disease was observed.

Salt baths

It is very simple to prepare a salt bath that will eliminate the pain and burning sensation of a heel spur. To do this, you need to dissolve a pack of table or sea salt in hot water, wait for the water to cool slightly and immerse your sore heels in it. The procedure continues until the water cools to room temperature. The course of treatment is 10–14 days.

Folk remedies based on burdock

Fresh burdock leaves can also stop the inflammatory process with plantar fasciitis, improve blood circulation, and help remove toxins and waste from soft tissues. In order for the plant to begin to provide healing properties to the feet affected by the disease, you simply need to apply this natural remedy to the sore heel, secure it with an elastic bandage and put on a woolen sock. As soon as the burdock leaf dries, you should take a fresh one and repeat the procedure.

Crushed burdock leaf with the addition of a tablespoon of castor oil can relieve the unpleasant symptoms of fasciitis, as well as soften cracked and irritated skin in the heel spur area. In most cases, improvement becomes noticeable within 7-14 days from the start of treatment.

Honey and propolis in the fight against plantar fasciitis

Bee products (honey and propolis) are also used as folk methods for getting rid of plantar fasciitis. From these components you can make decoctions, compresses, ointments. For example, you can make a natural ointment from honey and wheat flour by mixing the ingredients in a 1:1 ratio. The resulting mass should be thoroughly kneaded, shaped into a flat cake and applied to the heel spur. During a course of treatment, the active components contained in honey normalize metabolic processes, relieve pain, and reduce swelling of inflamed tissues.

A similar effect can be achieved by preparing propolis-vaseline ointment. To do this, you need to combine the components in a 1:2 ratio, respectively, and mix them thoroughly. You can add a small amount of butter to the finished mass. Propolis medicine for fasciitis is applied to sore feet every day until complete healing (during the procedure, you need to provide warmth and rest to your feet).

In conclusion, it is worth saying that folk remedies for plantar fasciitis cannot be used as the main method of treatment. To completely eliminate the disease, it is necessary to use traditional methods - massage, physiotherapy, patches, medications. It is also necessary to provide relief for sore feet, wear comfortable orthopedic shoes, and maintain a sleep-wake schedule. Only in this case can a noticeable improvement in the condition be achieved and the development of the disease be stopped.

Plantar fasciitis is a disease that is caused by inflammatory and degenerative changes in the tissues of the plantar fascia and is accompanied by heel pain during exercise.

Plantar fascia (plantar aponeurosis) is a dense connective tissue that attaches to the heel bone and phalanges of the toes. Its main function is to form and support the longitudinal arch of the foot. If a person stands, half of his weight puts pressure on the plantar aponeurosis. High load provokes micro-tears in the area that is attached to the heel tubercle.

In many cases, while standing in an upright position (during sleep), injuries regress on their own. But under the influence of unfavorable factors, fascia ruptures recur. As a result, plantar fasciitis develops, the cause of which is constant microtraumatization of the aponeurosis, leading to aseptic tissue inflammation and pain.

Plantar fasciitis of the heel most often affects women over 40 years of age. The following unfavorable factors increase the likelihood of developing the disease:

overweight;
playing sports that place prolonged stress on the heel or Achilles tendon;
flat feet or too high arches;
turning the foot inward while walking;
wearing uncomfortable shoes;
diseases of the musculoskeletal system;
injuries;
gout.

Chronic plantar fasciitis over time can lead to the formation of a heel spur, a bone growth (osteophyte) that occurs as a result of the deposition of calcium salts.

Symptoms

The main symptom of plantar fasciitis is pain in the heel area. Unpleasant sensations arise or intensify with exertion. In the morning they are most pronounced, then gradually subside. This is due to the rupture of the fascia that has grown together during night sleep. In addition, the pain intensifies after a long period of sitting, when a person takes his first steps.

The formation of a heel spur can increase the intensity of the symptoms of plantar fasciitis of the foot as the bony growths put pressure on the surrounding tissue. In many cases, the osteophyte does not manifest itself at all.

Diagnostics

Plantar fasciitis is diagnosed based on an analysis of complaints and examination. In addition, radiography is prescribed, which allows you to detect a heel spur.

During the examination, plantar fasciitis is differentiated from diseases such as:

tarsal tunnel syndrome;
rheumatoid arthritis;
Reiter's syndrome and so on.

Treatment for plantar fasciitis is determined by the severity of its symptoms. In mild cases, the main directions of therapy are to ensure unloading of the plantar aponeurosis and eliminate inflammation of the soft tissues.

Unloading the plantar fascia is achieved by reducing physical activity and periodically resting while walking. The main methods of therapy are gymnastics, taping and the use of special devices for the foot.

The purpose of exercises for fasciitis is to stretch, strengthen and increase the elasticity of the aponeurosis. They must be done every morning after warming up. Regular exercise helps lengthen the plantar fascia. As a result, pain is reduced and future injuries are prevented.

After physical therapy, the foot is taped - the application of an elastic band (tape) or patch to support the longitudinal arch and fix the aponeurosis. When applying the tape, it is necessary to increase its tension when it bends around the leg from below.

To increase the effectiveness of treatment of plantar fasciitis at home, braces or orthoses are used - devices that fix the foot at a right angle. They are worn all night and do not allow the aponeurosis to shorten. During the daytime, patients with fasciitis are recommended to wear orthopedic shoes or insoles with arch support and a depression in the center of the heel.

To relieve tissue inflammation and reduce pain, the following are practiced:

massage;
applying ice;
rubbing with warming and anti-inflammatory drugs;
mud applications;
warm foot baths;
analgesics – ibuprofen, acetylsalicylic acid, naproxen.

How to treat plantar fasciitis in severe cases? For severe discomfort and significant bone growths, the following methods are used:

injection of glucocorticoids into the foot tissue in combination with anesthetics;
shock wave therapy to destroy heel spurs;
laser or ultrasound effect on inflamed tissue.

If conservative treatment of plantar fasciitis is ineffective, an operation is performed during which the osteophyte and altered parts of the fascia are removed.

Plantar fasciitis has a favorable prognosis. In advanced cases, the course of the disease may worsen due to a fracture of the heel spur.

Prevention

Basic measures to prevent plantar fasciitis:

wearing orthopedic shoes;
adequate physical activity;
maintaining normal weight;
treatment of pathologies of the musculoskeletal system.

If plantar fasciitis occurs, treatment at home should begin immediately. The sooner you take the necessary measures, the greater the chances of quickly getting rid of the problem and achieving improved well-being. Therapy for the disease is aimed at relieving pain and reducing the inflammatory process, rapid healing of micro-tears and cracks, increasing the flexibility and strength of the foot.

Priority actions

If initial signs of the disease occur, you should pay attention to lifestyle and physical activity. If possible, they should be adjusted so as to relieve unpleasant symptoms and prevent complications from occurring in the future.

If you have plantar fasciitis, you need to get enough physical activity. If you wear thin-soled shoes every day, you should avoid walking on asphalt or concrete. It is forbidden to run, as this promotes activation of the inflammatory process. During an exacerbation of the disease, it is necessary to stop playing sports or limit exercises that provoke pain.

Ice has a good analgesic and anti-inflammatory effect. It can be applied to the heel area at the end of the working day. This will allow you to quickly and effectively relieve the condition.

Very severe pain can be relieved by drugs from the NSAID group. They are characterized by a complex effect and have anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and decongestant effects. For this purpose, you can use medications based on Diclofenac or Ibuprofen.

However, drugs cannot be used uncontrolled. They have a large number of side effects, in particular, they negatively affect the mucous membrane of the gastrointestinal tract and can provoke the development of ulcers and bleeding.

Choosing the right shoes plays an important role in successfully getting rid of discomfort. It should successfully absorb the shock of walking and support the arch of the foot. During the period of exacerbation of the disease, it is necessary to stop using slippers, high-heeled shoes or sandals. You should give preference to a pair with a soft and thick sole. The ideal option is sneakers.

Proximal fasciitis requires improved footwear. Special inserts in the heel area or orthopedic insoles will help solve this problem. This way you can reduce the load on the area of inflammation.

Walking barefoot can increase pain, so you need to put on shoes as soon as possible after getting out of bed. In the morning, it is advisable to do calf stretching exercises. It won’t take much time, only 3-4 minutes, but it will help to effectively strengthen the ligaments and muscles, which will have a positive effect on the course of the disease.

Excess weight has a negative impact on a person’s ligamentous apparatus, exposing it to increased stress. Therefore, one of the first recommendations in the treatment of plantar fasciitis is weight loss. It is not necessary to lose half the weight; even a slight decrease in indicators will have a positive effect on the patient’s well-being.

When treating a disease at home, you should remember some limitations. For example, a ban on long-term thermal procedures. In this case, cold will help reduce pain and relieve inflammation, and increased temperature will negatively affect the patient’s condition. It is advisable to observe this rule even during water procedures and be sure to complete hygiene measures with a cold shower.

The use of baths in the treatment of disease

How to treat plantar fasciitis with folk remedies? Alternative medicine involves an integrated approach. Therefore, one of the important conditions for successful therapy is the use of baths. Thanks to water procedures, the skin of the affected leg will steam well and soften. To enhance the positive result, it is necessary to add medicinal components to the liquid.

An additional advantage of this treatment method is that subsequent application of a compress will provide a more pronounced therapeutic effect.

The simplest recipe for preparing a bath is to add soda and salt. For 1 liter of hot water you will need 1 tbsp. l. each means. If desired, you can add a few drops of iodine, which has an antiseptic effect. The duration of water procedures is about 15-20 minutes. It is not recommended to use liquid that is too hot, as it can not only cause a burn, but also worsen the patient’s well-being.

The healing composition, which includes turpentine, vinegar and vodka, has a good effect. All components must be mixed in equal proportions and heated slightly in a water bath. The procedure achieves an analgesic, anti-inflammatory and relaxing effect.

Treatment with folk remedies includes the use of an “ice bath”. Very cold water is suitable for this. Adding crushed ice will lower the temperature of the liquid even further. The procedure should be done carefully, only the heel should be immersed in the water, and the total duration should not exceed 5–10 minutes. Otherwise, there is a high risk of frostbite on your feet.

The use of compresses in the treatment of plantar fasciitis

Folk remedies in the treatment of the disease necessarily include medications for topical use. The use of compresses has a good therapeutic effect. Thanks to the correct application of the application, optimal conditions are created for deep penetration of the drug deep into the epidermis. For compresses you can use the following recipes:

Horseradish and laundry soap. Grind both components in equal proportions, mix well and place on the area of inflammation. Attach to the leg, cover with a plastic bag or wax paper and wrap. It is advisable to do this procedure at night so that the medicine acts on the pathological focus for as long as possible. The product has an antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and analgesic effect. Apply the application daily before bed until you feel better.
Sunflower tincture. Cut off the head of a flowering plant and remove the white, porous pulp. Grind the mixture, put it in a glass container and fill it with vodka. The liquid should cover the sunflower by 0.5–1 cm. Leave the product in a dark place for 10–14 days. Before use, strain the tincture and add sunflower, olive, flaxseed or any other vegetable oil in a 1:1 ratio. Use the product for rubbing and applying compresses.
Infusion of cinquefoil. To prepare it, you need to grind the root of the plant. 2 tbsp. l. pour 50 ml of water and leave for 2 hours. After this time, strain the product and mash the remaining pulp to a puree-like consistency. Place the mixture on the heel and apply a compress. The duration of use of the medicine is at least 10–12 hours. Therefore, the procedure should be done before bedtime so that the patient does not have to walk with the application.
Beets and apple cider vinegar. To apply a compress, you need to grate the vegetable and mix it with apple cider vinegar in equal proportions. The product has a pronounced softening, anti-inflammatory and analgesic effect. Its only drawback is that it can paint the sole red, which is only relevant in the hot season.
Elderberry tincture. It has pronounced anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties. To prepare it, you need to pour medical alcohol over the berries and leave for 5–7 days. It is advisable to do this in a glass container. Use the finished product for rubbing and applying compresses - moisten a piece of cotton cloth or gauze in liquid, apply to the sore spot and wrap it on top.

Use of ointments and rubs

Treatment for plantar fasciitis with folk remedies involves using medications to rub into the inflamed area several times a day.

The easiest way to prepare an ointment is to grind fresh unsalted lard in a meat grinder and use it as a rub. To enhance the anti-inflammatory and analgesic effect of fat, it should be attached to the heel area and left overnight. To avoid unnecessary worries, you don’t have to twist the lard and add a whole slice. It will also have a positive effect.

When treating fasciitis with folk remedies, you should definitely use an effective propolis-based recipe. To prepare the ointment, mix 25 g of herb and 200 g of butter, melt the mixture in a water bath and rub on the inflamed heel. The product can be left overnight, and to avoid soiling the bed linen, put a sock on top.

Golden mustache has a powerful anti-inflammatory effect. Ointments, infusions, rubs and other forms based on it are used in the treatment of many diseases. The stem and leaves of the plant are used for medicine. To enhance the healing effect, the cut parts should be placed in the freezer for several hours. After this, pass through a meat grinder and add animal fat (pork, bear, badger). For 1 part golden mustache you will need 2 parts lard. The product is used as an ointment, but is not used for applying compresses. The medicine should be kept in the refrigerator so that it retains its consistency.

Treatment of fasciitis with folk remedies will help cope with the inflammatory process without the use of pharmacological drugs. However, you should be patient, because although this treatment is absolutely safe, it does not act as quickly as medications.

Priority actions

Ice has a good analgesic and anti-inflammatory effect. It can be applied to the heel area at the end of the working day. This will allow you to quickly and effectively relieve the condition.

However, drugs cannot be used uncontrolled. They have a large number of side effects, in particular, they negatively affect the mucous membrane of the gastrointestinal tract and can provoke the development of ulcers and bleeding.

Proximal fasciitis requires improved footwear. Special inserts in the heel area or orthopedic insoles will help solve this problem. This way you can reduce the load on the area of inflammation.

The use of baths in the treatment of disease

An additional advantage of this treatment method is that subsequent application of a compress will provide a more pronounced therapeutic effect.

The use of compresses in the treatment of plantar fasciitis

Horseradish and laundry soap. Grind both components in equal proportions, mix well and place on the area of inflammation. Attach to the leg, cover with a plastic bag or wax paper and wrap. It is advisable to do this procedure at night so that the medicine acts on the pathological focus for as long as possible. The product has an antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and analgesic effect. Apply the application daily before bed until you feel better.
Sunflower tincture. Cut off the head of a flowering plant and remove the white, porous pulp. Grind the mixture, put it in a glass container and fill it with vodka. The liquid should cover the sunflower by 0.5–1 cm. Leave the product in a dark place for 10–14 days. Before use, strain the tincture and add sunflower, olive, flaxseed or any other vegetable oil in a 1:1 ratio. Use the product for rubbing and applying compresses.
Infusion of cinquefoil. To prepare it, you need to grind the root of the plant. 2 tbsp. l. pour 50 ml of water and leave for 2 hours. After this time, strain the product and mash the remaining pulp to a puree-like consistency. Place the mixture on the heel and apply a compress. The duration of use of the medicine is at least 10–12 hours. Therefore, the procedure should be done before bedtime so that the patient does not have to walk with the application.
Beets and apple cider vinegar. To apply a compress, you need to grate the vegetable and mix it with apple cider vinegar in equal proportions. The product has a pronounced softening, anti-inflammatory and analgesic effect. Its only drawback is that it can paint the sole red, which is only relevant in the hot season.
Elderberry tincture. It has pronounced anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties. To prepare it, you need to pour medical alcohol over the berries and leave for 5–7 days. It is advisable to do this in a glass container. Use the finished product for rubbing and applying compresses - moisten a piece of cotton cloth or gauze in liquid, apply to the sore spot and wrap it on top.

Use of ointments and rubs

Treatment for plantar fasciitis with folk remedies involves using medications to rub into the inflamed area several times a day.

It has a powerful anti-inflammatory effect. Ointments, infusions, rubs and other forms based on it are used in the treatment of many diseases. The stem and leaves of the plant are used for medicine. To enhance the healing effect, the cut parts should be placed in the freezer for several hours. After this, pass through a meat grinder and add animal fat (pork, badger). For 1 part golden mustache you will need 2 parts lard. The product is used as an ointment, but is not used for applying compresses. The medicine should be kept in the refrigerator so that it retains its consistency.

Very dangerous. You should start worrying already when you feel discomfort when getting out of bed in the morning.

Diagnosis of problems

Most cases of foot pain are caused by plantar fasciitis. This inflammatory disease can lead to lameness, and in advanced cases, patients cannot even stand on their feet without assistance.

You can independently suspect the development of this disease if you notice morning pain on the soles of your feet in the heel area. Usually the unpleasant sensations subside, and often disappear completely by the end of the day. But they can resume after a long rest of the legs. Do not underestimate a disease such as plantar fasciitis. Symptoms, the treatment of which it is advisable to begin immediately, become more noticeable every day. As a result, getting up in the morning becomes a real torture, and the pain does not subside throughout the day.

At the first problem, it is advisable to go to the doctor. The surgeon will examine the affected leg and order an x-ray to identify heel spurs and rule out other possible problems. He will also listen to all your complaints and clarify when exactly the pain occurs. Based on the description you provide, visual examination and x-ray data, the final diagnosis will be established.

Causes of the disease

In most cases, plantar fasciitis develops for a reason. People with flat feet, high arches, and excess weight are most susceptible to this disease. Also, problems with the fascia can begin due to sudden intense stress, regular wearing of high heels and other shoes that are uncomfortable for the feet.

Fasciitis of the sole occurs due to the fact that when walking and other loads on the foot there is an incorrect distribution of weight. Normally, a person should rest on the outer edge of the foot and then move to its inner side. But with excess weight, flat feet and other related reasons, this mechanism is disrupted. The result is overstretching of the fascia, followed by micro-tears. They are the ones that cause pain.

Development of the inflammatory process

Due to excessive stress on the plantar fascia, which connects the heel bone to the forefoot and supports its longitudinal arch, all the problems arise. Most often, the ligaments are injured at the place where they are attached to the heel. As a result, micro-tears appear that can heal on their own. But constant injury to these areas leads to inflammation in their place, accompanied by pain. In most cases, plantar fasciitis is also accompanied by an overgrowth of the heel bones. The x-ray shows a spur-shaped growth.

It is worth noting that women most often suffer from the disease, and mainly people over 40 years of age are susceptible to it. The risk group includes all patients with excess weight, problems with the spine, joint diseases, injuries of the heel bones, gout, circulatory disorders, flat feet and other similar problems.

Disease prevention

It is advisable for every person to know how to avoid a disease such as plantar fasciitis. Treatment of the initial stages of the disease and preventive methods are very similar. Thus, the development of the inflammatory process can be prevented with the help of simple gymnastics and stretching exercises. But no less attention should be paid to the choice of shoes and insoles. It is advisable to use orthopedic options that provide good support for the foot.

Don’t forget about exercises to evenly stretch the plantar fascia. Every day it is advisable to roll your feet over any interior threshold with pressure. A regular bottle is also suitable for these purposes. Another exercise that can prevent plantar fasciitis is stretching. To do this, pull your feet towards you every day for 10 seconds, repeat this 20 times for each leg. Stretching the calf muscle is also an effective method.

Treatment of the initial stages of fasciitis

If you neglected preventative methods and did not consult a doctor when the first symptoms appeared, then you will most likely need medication methods. Of course, your doctor will initially recommend using simple methods that help most patients with plantar fasciitis. Symptoms for which treatment will be effective should not yet be too pronounced. That is, the patient may have problems with the feet when getting out of bed in the morning. But during the day the sensations subside and disappear completely in the evening. In this case, you can use cold: for this you can roll a plastic bottle with ice or just well-chilled water with your feet for 10 minutes several times a day. This method can relieve swelling and reduce inflammation.

Also, doctors in most cases recommend reducing the load on the legs, for example, giving up long walking and running. At night, the doctor may recommend wearing special boots that prevent the fascia from contracting during rest. In a hospital setting, various physiotherapeutic procedures can be carried out, which also give a noticeable effect; inflammation decreases after just a few sessions.

Drug treatment

If simple methods do not give the desired result and plantar fasciitis does not go away, then surgeons may recommend other ways to get rid of the problems. Your doctor may recommend non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. This group includes products that contain ibuprofen, naproxen, or regular aspirin. These may be drugs such as Motrin, Advil, Aleve, Diclofenac, Indomethacin.

In more advanced cases, corticosteroid injections may be prescribed. These are special hormonal drugs with a pronounced anti-inflammatory mechanism of action. Only a doctor can do them, since the slightest mistake when administering these drugs can cause damage to the fascia. And this will provoke flat feet and chronic pain.

Plantar fasciitis is an inflammatory disease of the plantar fascia that occurs as a result of excessive stress on the feet and/or injury. Develops gradually. It is typical for people of middle and older age, in most cases women. The pathology is more common on one foot, but over time, inflammatory and degenerative processes affect the other limb.

The plantar fascia is a piece of connective tissue that connects the heel bone to the toes. It forms and supports the arch of the foot, so when walking and standing, the entire load falls on it. Under the influence of negative factors, microtraumas occur in the plantar fascia, which can go away on their own, or can accumulate and lead to inflammation - plantar fasciitis.

Ignoring the symptoms will lead to further disruption of the trophism of surrounding tissues. This can cause a growth (heel spur) to appear on the heel bone, which will further aggravate the person’s condition.

Causes and risk factors

The reasons for the development of plantar fasciitis are the following:

increased body weight;
diseases of the musculoskeletal system;
flat feet;
prolonged stress on the legs, for example, standing work;
high arch of the foot;
sports activities;
foot injury;
wrong shoes.

Risk factors include age, as degenerative changes occur in the joints and tissues of the musculoskeletal system. Women spend more time on their feet than men, so they are at greater risk of developing plantar fasciitis.

The disease can also develop during pregnancy, as the load on the legs increases. In addition, a number of diseases, such as gout or diabetes mellitus, also become provoking factors of pathology.

Signs and symptoms of the disease

The main symptom of plantar fasciitis is pain. They are characterized by:

worsening after prolonged walking or standing;
in the morning, after waking up, it hurts to step on your heel;
worsens in the evening;
can be localized not only in the foot area, but also in the fingers and muscle tissue of the lower leg.

Visually, there may be swelling and hyperemia at the site of inflammation. Other symptoms of the disease are gradually added:

cramps in the foot and leg;
limited mobility;
lameness;
foot deformity.

The inflammatory process is very rarely accompanied by fever or intoxication, so overall health, as a rule, does not suffer. However, pain that increases over time and gradual tissue destruction greatly reduces the quality of life.

Diagnostics

Typically, the diagnosis of plantar fasciitis is made based on the patient’s complaints and an initial examination by a doctor (orthopedist, surgeon, therapist). You need to be prepared to tell the specialist about such points related to the course of the disease, such as: the time when pain occurs most often, injuries (even minor ones), the nature of the work, and others.

The doctor will definitely prescribe an x-ray or MRI to find out that the symptoms are not related to another disease. It happens that it is at this moment that the patient learns about the existence of a heel spur (bone growth). It is also possible to conduct an ultrasound examination. It shows swelling of the fascial tissue.

In addition to the above, to assess the condition of nerve cells and muscle tissue, a specialist may order a number of tests. They will show the level of muscle tone, reflex conductivity and other indicators that will help adjust treatment tactics.

Medical therapy

Treatment of plantar fasciitis is long and complex. Therapeutic tactics depend on the degree of development of the disease. If at the very early stage you can get by with home treatment, consisting of folk remedies, gymnastics and massage, then later medication injections or surgery (as a last resort) are indicated. The duration of therapy can reach 2 years.

Traditional medicine

Among medications, NSAIDs are preferred. They are prescribed, most often, in the form of ointments, gels, and tablets. However, they can also be used in the form of injections. These are, for example, diclofenac, indomethacin and their analogues, and others.

In addition to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, courses of corstisteroids are indicated in difficult cases. Such medications cannot be used independently; they are used only as prescribed by a doctor. It is possible to administer injections directly into the sole. This makes it possible to quickly get rid of pain. However, it is often not used, since the method contributes to the destruction of the fascia.

Physiotherapeutic procedures

Physiotherapy procedures are aimed at eliminating swelling and inflammation, accelerating tissue regeneration, restoring trophism, nerve conduction and other processes. In the treatment of plantar fasciitis, methods such as:

ultraphonophoresis;
laser radiation;
magnetic field;
shock wave therapy;
paraffin therapy and others.

Massage is actively used as one of the methods of physiotherapy. It improves the mobility of the ligamentous, muscular and joint apparatus, increases blood and lymph flow in damaged tissues. Massage sessions go well with gymnastic exercises.

Traditional medicine

Traditional medicine, like official medicine, has a large arsenal of means and methods for treating plantar fasciitis. Basically, these are external remedies: ointments made independently, compresses, lotions, applications, baths.

ATTENTION! Greater results can be achieved by combining several procedures at the same time. For example, after a bath, apply ointment. The area can be wrapped in cellophane and then wrapped.

The following recipes can be used to treat plantar fasciitis:

steam your feet for half an hour in a strong saline solution;
keep your feet in a solution of soda and iodine for 10 minutes (per liter you need 7-10 grams of bicarbonate and 10 drops of iodine):
take vodka, vinegar (12%), turpentine - mix everything in equal quantities, keep the foot in the mixture until it cools;
steam the crushed cinquefoil root with boiling water for a couple of hours, and then apply it in the form of a paste to the affected area overnight as a compress;
pour elderberry berries with alcohol, rub the sole of the foot with the tincture, wrap the heel warmly after the procedure.

Before using traditional methods, you need to remember the possibility of an allergic reaction to plant and other compounds, and first conduct a test on a small area of skin.

Orthopedic devices

The use of orthopedic devices is an important condition for the effective treatment of heel fasciitis. For example, before going to bed you need to wear a special orthosis. This is a kind of shoe or boot that helps stretch the fascia while a person is resting.

You should also purchase orthopedic insoles, not for one injured leg, but for both. Arch supports support the arch of the foot and ease the load on the tissue. They can be ordered individually at specialized centers.

Therapeutic gymnastics

The key to the successful impact of physical therapy is its regularity. The exercises should be performed several times a day. Be sure to do it in the morning and at night. They not only help stretch the fascia, but also strengthen and increase its elasticity. This helps relieve pain and prevents foot injury.

There are different exercises aimed at treating plantar fasciitis, some of them are presented below.

Take an ice bottle or a small ball and roll it with your foot on the floor without lifting your legs.
While sitting, place your foot firmly on the floor. Using your hands, pull your thumb upward towards your shin.
While lying down or half-sitting, pull your toe towards you. You can do it without support, either with your hands, or using a cloth.
Perform circular movements with your feet in an extended leg position.

IMPORTANT! In order not to further injure your foot, you need to do each exercise a little, but often. 2-4 sets of 30 seconds will be enough.

After performing the exercises, you need to apply tape to your leg. This is a special elastic band that promotes a fixed position of the fascia and provides its support.

Surgery as a last resort method of therapy

Surgery to treat plantar fasciitis is a last resort. It is used only when the pain becomes unbearable, degenerative processes develop rapidly, and conservative methods do not bring relief for at least six months.

The operation is most often performed using endoscopic equipment. With this approach, healing occurs faster and the process is easier to tolerate. When performing manipulations, the surgeon can make a partial incision in the fascia in the area of the heel bone or completely cut it off.

Surgery helps eliminate pain only in 70-75% of cases. In other patients, pain does not disappear. In addition, this approach has a high risk of complications: damage to nerve fibers, development of a tumor (neuroma), infection, and others.

Forecast

With the right approach to treatment, the prognosis for plantar fasciitis is favorable. If symptoms are ignored, treatment requires great physical, moral and material costs. Therefore, you need to contact a specialist in a timely manner.

At least as systemic deviations, since one-time, temporary troubles, of course, can arise here too. But disorders that affect the deep structures of the organ are mainly localized here. Or start from here. For a long time we don’t even suspect about them or ignore the first signals. For quite a long period of time this comes quite easily to us. Moreover: we often blame the toes and heel themselves for problems with the toes or heel, without suspecting that their already pronounced pathologies are directly related to the disease of the arch of the foot that has not yet manifested itself.

An unexpected train of thought, isn't it? Nevertheless, this is so: the arch of the foot connects its two supporting ends to each other. As we remember, it is formed by a set of convex metatarsal bones, ligaments that can partially move these bones, and fascia - the largest and most powerful muscle of the foot. Due to the fact that the arch of the foot serves as a bridge connecting the heel to the toes, disorders of its structures very often first manifest themselves as diseases of one of the two ends of this bridge. And there is nothing surprising about that.

Tight foot syndrome is essentially the first warning, a signal of the onset of fasciitis. That is, inflammation of the fascia is the next stage - the disease itself. Like everything that is called a syndrome in medicine, a tense foot is a whole complex of sensations, and the sensations are quite different. Each of them separately is expressed rather weakly and may not attract due attention on our part. However, all together they create quite a strong discomfort, causing a desire to part with it upon returning home.

A tense foot usually ache both during movement and at rest. Moreover, it is the sole that aches - not the heel, but the entire arch right down to the tips of the toes. Attempts to instinctively pull your toes towards you without the help of your hands are difficult - the arch of the foot literally does not want to straighten, the toes are curled and pressed to their base. It is possible to straighten the foot with the help of the hand, but the aching pain intensifies significantly. And when we let go of the leg, we realize that it has returned to its previous crooked position and we have achieved nothing by this.

No wonder: this phenomenon means that the naturally flexible and easily stretchable muscle fiber gradually loses its elasticity. Most likely, due to constant and too frequent microscopic ruptures inside it. Normally, such tears occur when each muscle is working. And in theory, they should be easily restored due to the ability of the muscles to grow two or three new ones in the place of each dead cell. This feature of muscle fiber is called hypercompensation. And it exists so that the next time the muscles can do more work than the previous time. Longitudinal striated muscle tissue is predisposed to growth less than striated muscle tissue, but to one degree or another, overcompensation is characteristic of any muscle of the body, even the heart.

Of course, the question of why the normal mechanism fails in this case remains open. This can also occur due to a disruption in the blood supply to the fascia - as, for example, with arthrosis, deep vein thrombosis, or destruction of capillaries as a result of diabetes. On the other hand, Pele, who had congenital diabetes mellitus, somehow managed to live a full and vibrant life in football and maintain excellent blood supply to his legs for more than ten years in big sport...

In fact, fascia much more often loses its ability to regenerate due to another phenomenon characteristic of muscles, which we discussed above. A muscle that often freezes in a tense position for a long time will relax on its own for some time, immediately after the end of the load. But it will gradually lose this ability, because such a rhythm of work (tension, and after 8 hours - relaxation) is not normal for the muscles. They can endure it without consequences once, or they can endure it quite often, at more or less impressive intervals. But when static tension (and dynamic tension means “shrink-relax”) becomes the main principle of their work, all the degenerative phenomena that we can imagine quickly begin in them. Therefore, a tense foot is the result of actually straining for many hours during the day and losing the ability to relax on its own even in the evenings.

In many patients, pain when the arch is stretched and the tendency of the fingers to clench into something like a fist is accompanied by a burning sensation in the heels when standing on them for a long time. Let's say when we stand motionless for some time or lie down on the floor/bed, bending our knees and resting our heels on the floor. In addition, tight foot syndrome involves frequent aching pain when stretching our feet, that is, not towards ourselves, as we did when trying to stretch, but away from ourselves, as we would do if we wanted to stand on our toes. Such pain is no longer associated with loss of flexibility of the fascial fiber, but with its spasm. When we try to strain it, the spasm intensifies, and its fibers compress the ligaments of the metatarsal bones.

If during periods of idleness and rest we experience similar sensations, we should understand that we already have a low-grade inflammatory process. And that without urgent measures on our part, it will not go away on its own - it will lead to the next round of sensations called plantar fasciitis.

Causes of fasciitis

Fasciitis is inflammation of the fascia. As already mentioned, this muscle allows us to bend our toes down, as if in ballet. And if we want to feel it under the arch, the easiest way to do this is by placing our fingers inside the arch, a little closer to the heel, and waving the toe in the air.

Why can the fascia become inflamed? For some reason, the majority of the planet's population without medical education believes that inflammation and sepsis are synonymous. In most cases, what we see in our bodies is indeed sepsis - inflammation as a result of infection. But a slightly smaller percentage of cases are associated with aseptic inflammation, which occurs without infection, as a result of chronic tissue injury.

We understand what a chronic injury is: this is the name given to the result of minor damage that occurs when this tissue or bone is exposed to some negative factor for a long time. Chronic injuries are never severe in terms of the number of areas affected and the depth of changes in them. However, getting rid of them quickly is a rare scenario. Likewise, after such episodes it is difficult to achieve complete tissue restoration. Inflammations that occur at sites of chronic injury are not infectious, although infection may occur later. We have already seen a similar scenario - just now. when they talked about cracked heels. But we said that fasciitis occurs as a result of chronic injury to the fascia. What could have led to it?

The answer is obvious: of course, loads on the foot that arise during walking or in other special situations. For example, this disease often appears in dancers, including ballet dancers, gymnasts, and circus acrobats. By the way, it is professional fasciitis that is closest to acute in its manifestations and course. It begins suddenly, is painful and unsettles the dancer for a long time. In our country, it develops more like a chronic disease, but under certain circumstances it is easier to treat.

Fasciitis occurs when too much pressure is placed on the middle of the foot. At a young age, the reason for this may be excess weight or a love of shoes whose upper part is wider than the lower part. Most women's shoes are made according to this type. Let's pay attention to the beauties around us: whether they stand on heels or soles, the bones of their thumbs and little fingers certainly protrude so that they extend slightly beyond the sole. At the same time, men's shoes most often look different: the outline of the sole when looking at the toe of the shoe from above is clearly visible - along with the stitching seam.

We agree that the model “the sole is wider than the top” looks a little less elegant and resembles either a crow’s foot or fins for diving. Especially if a person has naturally wide legs. The majority of the fair sex considers their feet to be far from the ideal of beauty - that is, too wide and excessively long. Like Chinese women, modern European ladies are sure that the more miniature a woman’s foot looks, the closer it is to perfection. Hence the features of shoes made for mass use.

In principle, downward-sloping shoes can not only cause fasciitis due to the automatic roll-in of the foot when walking. It is characterized by extreme instability; the foot constantly strives to slide off it, either outward or inward. This is completely independent of the owner’s habit of wearing shoes of this type, the shape of her feet, posture, and skeletal condition. These types of winter boots greatly increase the likelihood of a serious injury from a fall, not to mention the likelihood of the fall itself. And demi-season and summer weather can accelerate the development of deforming arthrosis of the ankle and knee. And lead to deformation of the toes (especially the little toes), the appearance of serious skin problems on the fingers - ingrown dry calluses and corns. On the heel side, the picture is even less encouraging, because chronic fasciitis is considered one of the reasons for the development of heel spurs. However, shoes and an addiction to a natural antidepressant - sweets - are not always to blame. Fasciitis often develops in people who, on the contrary, strive in every possible way to maintain good physical shape by playing sports. For example, it can be caused by intense work in almost all exercise equipment for the leg muscles, any type of dancing and athletics, finally. And then, fasciitis often occurs as an age-related phenomenon - as the arch of the foot straightens and flattens over the years. This is especially true for people who were born with a relatively high arch. With this anatomical feature, the likelihood of fasciitis increases significantly, since almost any prolonged load that causes “sagging” of the arch to the floor leads to excessive tension in the fascial fiber.

Symptoms and signs of fasciitis

No matter how strange it may sound, the main symptom of fasciitis is dull, aching, pronounced pain in the sole, with a clear emphasis on the heel rather than the toe. In an acute (as acute as it can be with fasciitis) process, pain occurs literally every time you try to get up on your feet after a break of more than 30 minutes. Also, acute fasciitis is often accompanied by slight swelling of the area between the heel and the adjacent part of the arch, an increase in temperature in the entire cavity of the arch, swelling after prolonged exercise, and stiffness of the foot, which is especially noticeable at the end of a step, when pushing the toes back.

Chronic fasciitis also causes pain, but most often only after a really long rest, say, overnight. The first steps after waking up are difficult for the patient, since the pain at this time can be acute and even shooting. The mobility of the foot in all moments where we need to rise on our toes is noticeably reduced. But after a while the sensations dull and pass. It is not common for patients with fasciitis to limp when walking, when the foot has already been “developed” after sleep. And besides these first few steps, which are given with great difficulty, the disease may not remind you of itself.

Patients with this disease can even attend training according to their usual schedule and withstand the usual load on their legs, although they are no longer destined to endure competitive loads. However, every productive day or workout only worsens the morning sensations in the sore leg. In addition, people who are more or less attentive to themselves may notice that in the second half of a fruitful (especially for the legs) day, a feeling of heat and aching heaviness appears in the sore leg.

Treating Stressed Foot and Fasciitis

Self-treatment of a tight foot (as the first indicator of problems with the fascia) is quite possible and will not be particularly difficult for anyone. The main thing here is to stop deluding yourself that a few almost intuitive finger rubs will solve the problem. Intuitively, we do everything correctly - we want to knead, rub, massage a stiff spot... In the same way, natural self-healing skills tell us to warm up the site of inflammation or, conversely, apply ice to the site of the bruise.

These instincts are worth listening to, but listen more carefully. If we feel that the foot needs a massage, we should also understand that a massage performed in 3-5 seconds has not helped anyone in any way. True, instinct will not tell us the latter - we will have to understand it with the help of reason.

Indeed, the essence of our current problem is that the fascial fiber is slightly damaged (not so far), there is a spasm in it and, probably, blood stagnation. In two to four weeks this stagnation will become the basis of extensive inflammation, so it would be wiser to remove it now while we can get a quick and good result. If we do everything correctly and apply a minimum of effort, we won’t even need to change shoes, install any special insoles, or be interested in arch supports made exclusively for us...

However, if our legs periodically receive some kind of stress in addition to normal walking (in fact, any sport, including swimming), we definitely need to give it up for up to two weeks. In most cases, treatment takes about one week, sometimes a couple of days more. Let us take comfort in the knowledge that we will treat fasciitis much longer and without any guarantee that the elasticity of the fiber will be completely restored. And when the consolation works, we will begin treatment.

Treating a Stressed Foot

Often, chronic spasm of the foot muscles reflects the general condition of the body’s nervous system. Negative stress, general psychological tension, overload of the cerebral cortex with information - all this is an indispensable attribute of modern life. The work of muscles is controlled by neurons, so their general excitation and overload simply cannot help but create pockets of muscle tension. In addition, muscle activity and tone greatly depend on the amount of stress hormones in the blood, especially adrenaline.

Let's say this: the power of the cortex's influence on the muscles of the body (and the muscles of the body on processes that are fundamental to the whole organism) should not be underestimated. If we are always “on edge”, do not know how to calm down in a timely manner and leave the day’s troubles at the front door, gradually our fingers will begin to reflexively clench into fists not only on our feet, but also on our hands. And then either these very fists will be used, or we will end up with a cardiologist with hypertension, arrhythmia, angina pectoris and a couple more units in the “bouquet”.

If our foot problems are directly related to stress, then they will be observed in both fascia to the same extent. In addition, they will get worse each time. when we get more nervous than usual. Of course, if for the sake of experiment we temporarily change our shoes to orthopedic ones, under purely nervous tension this will not give any result.

In general, we should remember that tight foot is a syndrome that affects both feet at the same time. The result of stress affects both feet equally and rarely develops into fasciitis. But with physical trauma, we will get more pronounced symptoms only in one leg. Usually we are talking about the foot, on which the heel wears out faster and the sock comes off. Or the leg on the side of that, so to speak, hand in which we most often carry a regular and grocery bag.

We will not go into details about the essence of the signs. To find out why we have different loads on different legs, we will have to undergo a complete and most thorough examination of the entire musculoskeletal system. We may have scoliosis (curvature in the scapular region) or kyphosis of the lumbar region. Maybe there was some kind of trauma in childhood or simply in times long forgotten by us. Or maybe we already have age-related phenomena or muscles are unevenly developed in certain parts of the body... There may be many reasons, but the essence of the issue is always the same: the peculiarities of the physical development of the bones and muscles of the whole body inevitably affect the condition of our legs. Quite often it turns out like this. that one leg suffers more than the other - it all depends on the location of the defect.

In the case of an obvious neurological syndrome, we will have to pay great attention to stress relief. The simplest option is known to everyone: a month on mild herbal antidepressants. For example, tincture of motherwort or valerian. You can also focus on more modern drugs: “Novopassite”, “Persen-ne”, “Notte”, etc. If the problem is more like an injury (one leg feels much more strained in the evenings than the other), you don’t need to take antidepressants . But in both cases, along with other measures like relaxing baths, aromatherapy and meditation, we will have to pay attention to the fascia, its fiber and its condition.

Our problem now is this. that the fascia has lost the ability to straighten on its own. This phenomenon is not so new to our body. Haven't we ever had a sore neck after a long day at the computer? Or did you not have “lumbago” in the lower back after a “shock” weekend spent at your summer cottage? Of course, both one and the other happened - at least once in a lifetime, but this happens to every person in the world.

Now roughly the same thing is happening to the fascia - it has shrunk and cannot relax. We know that the best remedy against such spasms is massage - preferably in-depth. You can then apply dry heat to the affected area. The next day after both procedures, a “luxurious” hematoma will appear in this place - blood released by massage from the compressed area of the muscle. But the airy ease of movement that we will find in this area will seem familiar to us, but a feeling forgotten in childhood.

If we've done this before, we'll be able to figure it out with the leg as well. If we treated the lower back and shoulder with ridiculous compresses of ice or, conversely, mustard and fixing bandages, we made a big mistake every time. Namely, they eliminated the effect instead of the cause. From now on, we will know that a spasm differs from a sprain in only one condition: if we get a “shot” while trying to jerk more than 20 kg. We definitely have a sprain. And if it “shot” during a sudden movement (when we grabbed the handrail in the subway), there is nothing to damage the muscles, and we have a normal spasm.

A warm compress will certainly help. From the third to fifth time, but it will help. We walk for a week, unable to turn our heads in the painful direction even a millimeter. Plus, we have a lot of trouble taking painkillers around the clock. Then we will live peacefully for another week after the pain from this “lumbago” gradually fades away. And in the end, the situation will inevitably repeat itself - a situation that in reality could have been completely resolved in hours and prevented for a very long time...

So, the first thing you need to learn how to do for tight foot syndrome is foot massage. Preferably both, even if one of them doesn’t bother you for an hour or only bothers you a little. We should take any suitable position in which we can freely, with any effort, press our fingers inside the arch of the foot. Fascia is a relatively large muscle, more precisely, the largest muscle of the foot, but its size cannot be compared even with the triceps muscle of the forearm. Therefore, her massage does not require any special skill or supernatural efforts. The main thing to remember is that the slightest pressure with the pad of a finger deep into the swollen and pinched fiber will inevitably be painful.

If we have ever been to a massage therapist's office, we probably remember: he warned that it would hurt, and he kept his promise. So, the pain will still be there - burning, aching, but without “lumbago”. It should be remembered that it is not only not a reason to stop warming up - it is a reason to continue it. There is nothing anomalous about this. For comparison and to make sure, let’s press our finger deeper into some point on the surface, say, of the thigh or buttock. And, having felt the same pain there, we will repeat the experiment with any point, for example, the wrist. Nothing like that, is it?

We should draw two conclusions from the experiment:

pain when pressing inside the fibers of the fascia does not apply only to it. In exactly the same way, any overworked and swollen muscle will hurt, which means that during massage we do not injure it. We traumatized her much earlier;
By comparing how much the muscles of the arms and legs hurt, we can easily guess which ones need our help more and for what reason. In our ordinary life, our hands do not do even a third of the work that falls to our legs. So why would they really get sick? If it’s hard for us to endure, let’s try a trick and make several deep targeted pressures with the element of “screwing in a screw” in different places of the muscle. Let's let go, wince and wait until the burning in the places where we pressed subsides. Then we'll repeat. From time to time the pain will dull, gradually turning from burning to sort of itching. This is just great, and when the sensations become more or less bearable, we can significantly speed up the process by starting a continuous, intense massage of the entire arch.

We will have to endure such a painful procedure only for the first time, although we will not be able to do without a comprehensive, deep foot massage session that opens our therapeutic season. This should definitely be done once, even if due to excess weight or loss of flexibility we need to resort to outside help.

Until we remove the spasm that has kept the muscle tense for weeks, we will not restore blood circulation in it with any tricks. Until the stagnant blood leaves the vessels, the muscle will not be able to start the restoration of its fibers. There is no way out here - you will have to somehow contrive and be patient.

To further maintain normal muscle function, deep massage of its fibers can be done no more than twice a week. And during the second session, we ourselves will feel that the pain we experienced the first time is not there at all, at most the muscle aches slightly at the first pressure. And in the interval between such a deep impact, we can limit ourselves to a few simple exercises that will help relieve daytime fatigue and help the feet relax in a matter of minutes. By the way, many of these techniques improve overall well-being and restore good spirits even after a day full of unpleasant events:

Let's buy a rubber or plastic mat from the store with a well-cut relief on the surface. Only a rug with a pointed “decor” should be taken only under one condition - if these spikes are soft and do not damage the skin. You can stomp on such a rug in the morning, placing it right in front of the bed, or at the bottom of the bathtub when we take a shower. A relaxing exercise with a relief mat should be carried out in the evenings by running a stream of warm water over it. A tonic in the morning is a trickle of cool water. While we are walking on a piece of improvised massager, don’t forget to rub your feet on it, straighten (even spread) and pull your fingers several times. Stroke them with relief pads. The procedure should be carried out for at least 15 minutes.
We can grow a multi-improved version of the massager with our own hands or bring it from a summer vacation at sea. The grown tumbler is, of course, the special grass that is used to sow football fields. It is very unpretentious, thick, soft and highly resistant to attempts to eradicate it. It is unwise to grow one of these in your summer cottage, because along with the weeds, it will “strangle” the garden plants. But at home, it is often sown as feed for pets, since cats readily nibble on this grass. We will need a wide tray made of durable material, with the bottom perforated in several places - so that water for irrigation does not accumulate at the bottom. You should pour a layer of soil into the basin (a universal mixture is more suitable), sow the grass, water it and place the tray where it will receive sunlight. Naturally, if there are cats in the house, the tray should be placed in a place inaccessible to them. Otherwise, we won’t see this grass like our ears. When it sprouts, you should walk along its cover every evening - just as we would do for our own pleasure, in ordinary grass. You should “walk” through your home meadow slowly, with pleasure, with pleasant thoughts in your head, for 15-20 minutes. The simulator that we can take away from a trip to the sea is called sand or coastal pebbles. You need to collect at least 2 kg of it, and upon arrival home, carefully sort it out, rinse and dry it. The sand should contain fewer shell fragments, and it is better to choose medium-sized pebbles, without large stones. For exercise, you need to pour a piece of summer brought from the sea into a wide bowl made of durable material and take yourself a short walk along it - 15-20 minutes is enough.
It is also possible to do without all these devices that require care and delivery efforts. Modern manufacturers of household appliances offer us a wide range of foot massagers and baths with massage functions. If we cannot massage the feet ourselves, the massager should be used in different modes and every evening. Combining it with a relaxing foot bath will be a very successful idea. At the end of any massage work, we will try to slightly pull the fascia in order to better control the effectiveness of the measures taken. To do this, let's grab the toes with our fingers and smoothly pull them towards the ankle, towards ourselves. If everything is in order, we will be able to pull the toes freely, almost without effort. A slight nagging pain will be felt evenly over the entire area of the arch and sole. If not, the stretching will be as difficult as ever; at the beginning of the heel the pain will be more pronounced than elsewhere. And every attempt to take the opposite action (bend the foot down, as in ballet) will end in an aching spasm in the entire arch.

Treatment of fasciitis

It goes without saying that not all of the recommendations given in the previous section apply to fasciitis. So, attempts to pull your socks toward or away from you with fasciitis are dangerous and doomed to failure. It will hurt, the foot will not want to stretch and will immediately return to its previous position. And our feelings from all this will not improve, but rather will worsen - both now and in the morning.

Fasciitis will take much longer to treat than a strained foot. And starting therapy should be incomparably smoother. Massage at the stage of existing inflammation not only will not help, it can also cause serious harm. By the way, in addition to massage, acupuncture should never be used for fasciitis.

The first thing we need to do is to remove the load from the fascia as much as possible, transferring it to any other part of the foot or shoe. High heels, narrow toes, platforms, hard polyurethane and heavy rubber soles will definitely have to be abandoned during treatment. It is necessary to switch to sports shoes, and be sure to insert orthopedic insoles into them. With advanced fasciitis, the arch of the sore foot may become deformed. Then the patient’s gait becomes similar to one-sided flat feet. Plus, the affected leg pushes off the floor when stepping not with the toes, but with the middle of the arch, which only exacerbates the difference in the movement of the two different legs. Therefore, sports shoes alone will not be enough here: the sore muscle has long no longer supported the arch as it should normally. And this function will temporarily have to be taken over by all the additional devices that we can select individually.

Well, as for the insoles, it is best to make them to order, according to the measurements of your feet. But you can also buy ready-made ones - after the most careful fitting, of course. And when choosing sneakers, we should take into account their design, since sports shoes can also be different, optimized for different sports.

Our sneakers must have:

light and springy foam sole, covered with a layer of rubber only on the sole - so that it does not wear out too quickly;
Confident heel and toe support. That is, sneakers with a heel formed by a series of rubber springs or a sole molded in the shape of a horseshoe. looks unusual, which can attract our attention. But this type of shoe is designed for sports that require frequent jumping in different directions. They play basketball and tennis in it, do sprinting and shuttle running, etc. But they are not suitable for us at all due to the difficult balance of the heel with every movement. Therefore, the heel of the sole of our sneakers should be solid;
the heel in our sneakers should be 5-7 mm higher than the toe. This rise is equally necessary for both men and women - to avoid the effect of throwing the body back;
the middle part of the sole should follow the natural shape of the foot (the footprint of the shoe should follow the contour of a normal foot, not a flat one, that is, the inside of the sole should not be imprinted on the floor);
the sole in the middle part should be equipped with rigid external instep supports. Typically, they are molded from hard plastic (much harder than any other part of the sole) and painted in a variety of colors. That is, they also perform a decorative function. The instep supports we need will be wide, slightly concave inward, located along the sole, and not across it;
the sole on the toe cannot be too thin. That is, its thickness should not be less than 1 cm. Shoes with thin soles look more elegant, but we should remember that we won’t be able to stand up on our toes on our own. Therefore, with each step between our stiff fingers and the floor there must be a pad - a shock absorber - capable of bending under the pressure of the pads;
the toes of the sneakers should be wide and high enough so that the toes are free in them, and if desired, we can even move them slightly;
The upper part of the shoe on the sides in the middle should narrow slightly - in accordance with the natural narrowing of the foot in this place. Shoes called “shoes” (a special type of youth shoes, sneakers with flat soles that are deliberately widened at the sides) require a lot of effort from the feet to keep them on the leg. Since the “shoes” are almost not secured with lacing, the feeling of wearing them is in many ways reminiscent of walking in sandals - the shoes slap the heel with every step and tend to come off. Sandals without heel fixation are not suitable for every fashionista, and with fasciitis, a similar effect is contraindicated.

We are forbidden to massage the fascia in this state of affairs. However, we definitely need to begin to slowly relieve the spasm and fatigue of her fiber, otherwise this treatment may last for months, almost wasted. The question arises: how can we stretch the fiber without resorting to active warm-up, which it may not be able to withstand?

As already mentioned, the main enemy of muscles is not heavy weight or rhythmic, intense, long-term work. In fact, they can work, constantly contracting and relaxing, for hours, and this will not bring them any problems. If we remember to supply them with new portions of sugar with their food on time, nothing tragic will happen - they will just get pretty tired. But if we force the muscles of the body to freeze for a long time in a tense position, we will always have plenty of complications even without weights in our hands. Hence the conclusion: our fascia does not normally work as it should.

Perhaps this is due to our excess weight. Perhaps the fact is that over the years our metatarsal bones straighten, the arch of the foot sags towards the floor and stretches the fascia more than it should. Perhaps it's our habit of carrying weights in only one hand. It is even possible that we have been falling on this particular leg for a long time due to some problems with posture or the bones of the sacrum/pelvis. In any case, when walking, she tensed up more than usual for a long time and remained in this state longer than necessary. And now, as the pathology progresses, its fiber itself is already undergoing degeneration. That is, it cannot recover after exercise due to impaired blood supply and simply collapses.

We have already removed the load from it, let our new sneakers and the insoles inserted into them do the work for the muscle. It remains to try to speed up the process of resorption of blood clots in its fibers due to more varied movements of these fibers without weight. And, of course, not without the help of physiotherapeutic procedures.

To return the fascia to the feeling of normal compression-tension work, we will use gymnastics for the feet:

Let's take off the slippers and socks from our feet, sit on the floor without a carpet, bend our knees and pull them towards us so that our bare feet can stand freely on the floor. Place a handful of coins, pebbles of any shape, or glass balls for decoration right under your toes. In a word, any objects a little less or a little more than 1 cm in diameter - objects that it will be easy for us to grab with our toes from the floor. Small dishes should be placed next to and to the side of the foot. And now we need to, without lifting our heels from the floor for a second, grasp one or two pebbles with our toes, turn our foot towards the bowl and put them in it. Practicing for more than 20 minutes will be unnecessary, even if we have not moved all the objects. And after working with one foot, you need to immediately move to the other.
Let's sit on the floor in the same position: pulling our legs up to our chin so that our feet stand freely on the floor. By the way, in order not to overload your lower back, you can do this against a wall, leaning your shoulders on it - it will become much easier to maintain your balance. No matter how we choose, we should grab our toes with our fingers and slightly pull them, not upward, towards ourselves, but forward, as if we want to slightly stretch them in length. Count to three, let go. Repeat 5-7 times.
Let's sit in the same position on the floor, confidently place our bare feet on it and “ride” them forward, away from ourselves as much as the contraction of the Achilles tendon allows us. Let's stop at the point where the feet are already trying to lift off the floor, and place a waffle towel or any thick cotton fabric under the fingers. Let's grab this fabric with our toes and begin to pull it along the floor along with our feet back towards us. You cannot play any part of the foot off the floor. 2-3 such passes from the farthest point to the nearest one will be enough. You should not move the towel away from you - you need to move it back only with your hands.
Sitting on the floor, stretch your legs forward and spread them slightly to the sides so that there is room for movement. Of course, the feet should not stand on the floor, but “look” at the ceiling - as usual, when we sit with our legs stretched out along the surface. Our task now is to swing our feet back and forth and left and right freely, without the action of weight or the application of other forces. Rotations can be preferred to pendulum movements to the sides. We need to move our feet only as widely and actively as we can with minimal effort. You cannot “press” the sore muscle all the way in any direction. If we notice. that the amplitude of free movement of the diseased foot is gradually leveled out in comparison with the healthy one, we can congratulate ourselves on the obvious successes in treatment.

Of course, all these warm-ups and other measures are recommended to be combined with therapy for swelling and inflammation. Swelling will be especially noticeable at the end of another day spent at work. Even in orthopedic insoles, and even if we sat most of the time, as befits people with sore feet. Well. It’s not difficult to deal with the swelling itself: it can be easily reduced by applying a container of ice prepared in advance. A 0.5 liter plastic bottle or, even better, ice cubes placed in a plastic bag will do. You can also get reusable drink coolers - plastic balloons filled with water. These balls are frozen like regular ice in molds and used as needed to cool drinks that do not need to be diluted with ice.

Ice prepared in advance should be poured into a bag, tied tightly and applied to the foot, closer to the heel than to the toes, for 10-15 minutes. An option is to lay it on the floor and place your foot on top. Then you shouldn’t press the bag or bottle too hard with your foot, but lightly is quite acceptable. You can do with our cooler the same way we did with a rubber mat, grass and pebbles - knead it with your fingers, roll the sole on it.

Only you need to do all this exclusively while sitting or even lying down. If with tight foot syndrome we can still afford to be treated when the weight of the whole body presses on the fascia, then with fasciitis we are instructed to strictly avoid such combinations.

If there is not so much swelling as inflammation (the foot is hot, “shoots” when moving, when palpating you feel a hard swelling near the heel), it is not always reasonable to treat it with heat. In case of inflammation and spasm of the shoulder, we would apply mustard plaster without hesitation and we were right. But the fascia in many patients reacts to local heating by increasing the tendency to edema instead of the expected relief. If we could eliminate the very cause of blood stagnation, this would not happen. But since we are forced to influence it entirely by indirect methods, high temperature in the tissues can enhance the coagulation (clotting) of crumbs. And since the blood flow in this area is already impaired, we risk worsening the problem.

So with fasciitis, it is better to relieve inflammation with injections of purely medical drugs. Antibiotics are of no use here (after all, there is no infection), but corticosteroid hormones would be quite appropriate - they will increase muscle activity naturally, relieve pain and indirectly reduce inflammation. However, if hormonal drugs cause us legitimate doubts (they can disrupt the functioning of the adrenal glands and pituitary gland), it is permissible to resort to other options. For example, fix your ankle with a plaster cast or walk for a while in a foot splint. However, you can try some traditional medicine. Just before using them, you should remember that all these components should be applied to the arch of the foot for a long time and cold.

So we can choose from:

plantain leaves: grind fresh leaves until the juice appears, put the whole pulp in gauze, bandage it to the arch of the foot closer to the heel. Dry plantain needs to be brewed: 1 tbsp. spoon of herb in 1 glass of water, let it boil, cook covered over low heat for 10 minutes. Then let it cool and strain, soak gauze folded several times in the broth, apply it to the base of the heel and fix it until it dries;
Comfrey leaf: apply and fix until it withers, if the leaf is fresh. You can mash it to release the juice. If dry, proceed as described above with plantain;
celandine herb: take only in dry form, since celandine is poisonous. But it is very good as an anti-inflammatory agent. 1 tbsp. A spoonful of dry celandine herb should be poured with 1 cup of boiling water, heated in a water bath for 10 minutes, cooled and drained. Make a tampon from cotton wool and gauze, soak it in the broth, put it in the recess of the arch and fix it for 30 minutes. You should not use a decoction of celandine for more than 7 days in a row;
finally, there is another remedy that significantly improves the condition of all joints of the body, accelerates their regeneration, and promotes the restoration of cartilage and tendon tissue. This remedy is shark oil. The product is sold in the dietary supplement department of the pharmacy. It is recommended to apply shark oil to the skin of the foot and rub it in as intensely as the condition of the fascia allows. If it does not allow this, you should thickly smear the arch with fat, bandage it on top, and then put on a thick sock.

And by the way, one more nuance. If we have problems with any muscles in the body, during the period of their recovery after injury, we need to consume a sufficient amount of protein in our diet. All body cells are not built from carbohydrates or even from fat - they are built from amino acids, into which all types of meat and fish break down in our stomach. Therefore, if we are vegetarians or simply do not like meat, with any muscle damage we will have to temporarily sacrifice our food preferences to necessity. The average person without athletic training and large muscle mass needs to eat 150 g of meat or fish per day.