Foot pain in runners can become an excruciating experience. Once you encounter heel or arch pain, it may be difficult to adjust your lifestyle if you are used to being active. It is important for runners to be aware of the symptoms and treatments for some of the more common types of heel or foot arch injuries. Understanding the different types of sports injuries is the key to effective treatment of heel pain in runners.

What is Plantar Fasciitis Pain?

Plantar Fasciitis Pain is a painful inflammation of the plantar fascia, a thick, fibrous band of connective tissue in the sole of the foot that supports the arch of the foot. It runs from the ball of the foot to the heel. This band of tissue supports your full body weight when the feet are on the ground. Inflammation occurs when this tissue is stretched too far and tears. A sudden movement or the effects of long-term stress can cause this condition.

Heel Pain In Runners May Often be Caused by Plantar Fasciitis Pain

Plantar fasciitisis a common type of heel pain in runners for a number of reasons. Runners often have exercise routines that are simply too long, and too stressful on the feet and plantar fascia, especially those individuals who suffer from flat feet. Repetitive stress on the plantar fascia can be caused by wearing shoes that lack support and running routines that are too long. Inflammation occurs as the fibers tear, causing severe pain.

The following are some of the more common causes of Plantar Fasciitis:

  • poorly-fitting footwear and inadequate arch support
  • weight gain
  • abrupt increase in physical activity such as playing sports or running
  • over-pronation of the feet

Heel pain is commonly felt on the bottom of the foot, where the plantar fascia attaches to the heel bone. Typically, the pain is most severe in the mornings when getting out of bed, because the fascia shortens and tightens while you sleep. Upon rising from bed, the sudden stretch and load of your body weight pulls on the attachment to the heel bone. Symptoms of heel pain in runners vary from mild to severe. The pain may linger for months at a time, with pain increasing and decreasing in an unpredictable pattern. Often, the pain vanishes for several weeks, only to re-emerge full-blown after a single workout or change in activity.
You may experience a decrease in pain when walking. Runners often develop Plantar Fasciitis, and along with the causes listed above, may be caused by sudden intensification in your training schedule, or by switching running surfaces. This is noticeable, mostly when going from a soft surface to a harder one.

How to Avoid Plantar Fasciitis Pain

While plantar fascitis pain can be treated, it does not heal quickly. heel pain in runners can be avoided in a number of ways. Most sports physiotherapists recommend the following approach to prevent Plantar Fasciitis:

Use Suitable Footwear and Orthotic Arch Supports – Ensure that you have good footwear. Many cases will benefit from wearing arch support inserts inside the shoes to improve foot biomechanics. Going barefoot is a bad idea, even at home. Avoid shoes without arch support, and try running on a soft surface.

Ice – Icing the heel area will help decrease the inflammation and pain. Set your foot on a bag of frozen vegetables or a frozen bottle of water wrapped in a towel three or four times a day for five to ten minutes each time. Never ice more than once an hour to prevent risk of ice burn to desensitized tissue.

Change Your Activity – Consider swimming or cycling, as they may be a better exercise option for you. When you do try running again, begin at a much lower level of intensity and a shorter distance, then you can build up gradually. Lessen the time you spend on your feet and reduce the intensity of your training.

Stretch – before, during, and after physicalactivity. Tight calf and/or hamstring muscles (behind the thigh) limit range of motion and put extra strain on the plantar fascia. Keeping muscles flexible and relaxed and joints mobile can be accomplished by stretching as a warm up and a cool down. It is highly recommended that you stretch the plantar fasciitis before exercise.

If the problem persists, talk to a podiatrist or physiotherapist.