What can you do to help with foot pain? How can you get rid of and/or prevent Plantar Fasciitis? Listen to today's episode and find out!

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Show Notes:

In this episode of "Better Than a Pill", host Cari Vann delves into the topic of foot pain, with a special focus on plantar fasciitis.

1. Cari shares her personal struggle with foot issues, starting at a young age, which included a Tarsal coalition (a missing joint in her foot), chronic Achilles tendonitis, and chronic plantar fasciitis.

2. She highlights the importance of a supportive shoe as the first line of defense against foot pain.

3. Cari advises listeners on getting fitted for shoes that meet their individual needs. She mentions her preference for Brooks running shoes, but also recommends brands like Asics, New Balance, and Hoka.

4. She discusses the potential necessity for custom orthotics, explaining how they can provide additional support where a shoe might fall short.

5. For those dealing with plantar fasciitis, she offers an overview of the condition and its symptoms, common causes, and several preventative measures.

6. She mentions specific products and brands that can aid in foot health, such as the Strausberg sock, Tommy Copper arch supports, and Silvertz indoor shoes.

7. Cari highlights the importance of maintaining foot and ankle strength and flexibility, recommending exercises with a TheraBand and other routines for optimal foot health.

8. She shares a few of her favorite tools for fascia maintenance, including the Foot Wakers by Yamuna Zeke.

Key Takeaways:

Supportive Footwear: Wearing a supportive shoe is crucial for maintaining healthy, pain-free feet. This includes getting properly fitted for shoes and possibly using custom orthotics.

1. Understanding and Treating Plantar Fasciitis: Plantar fasciitis is a common condition that causes foot pain. It can be managed and prevented through proper footwear, avoiding activities that put excess stress on the feet, regular foot stretching, and using specific products such as the Strausberg sock.

2. Fascia Maintenance: Keeping the fascia of your feet healthy is key in preventing and managing foot pain. Tools like the Foot Wakers can assist in breaking up fascia adhesions and freeing up movement in the feet.

3. Foot and Ankle Strength: Maintaining the strength and flexibility of the foot and ankle is essential in foot health. This includes strengthening all parts of the ankle and building strength in all of the toes.

Transcript:

Hello everyone and welcome back to Better Than a Pill. I'm Cari Vann and I'm so grateful and excited to be here again to share with you today. In today's episode, we're going to be talking about how to prevent foot pain as well as plantar fasciitis and I'll be sharing my personal experience with all and the solutions that I have found to be most helpful.

So, let's start off with a little bit of history about myself. I was actually given the gift of foot issues starting at a young age. I say it's a gift now, but it did not feel that way at the time. I was a dancer, I did ballet and I ended up having to stop dancing due to my feet. While I was in college, I found out that I had what's called a Tarsal coalition, which I was born with. And basically, what that means is I was missing a joint in my foot. So a lot of the impact activities I did really did not serve my body. I've also struggled with chronic Achilles tendonitis as well as chronic plantar fasciitis. In my thirties, I had so much pain in my feet, I was having trouble walking and doing the activities of daily living, which really just forced me to be more proactive and seek out more solutions, which is what I did and which is what I will share with you today.

Now, let's start off by talking about support. One of the most important things we can do for our feet is to wear a supportive shoe. Having support is crucial, in my opinion, to maintaining healthy and pain-free feet. This is your first line of defense against foot pain. This can be in the form of a supportive tennis shoe for walking and that meets the individual needs of your individual foot. If you have flat feet, that means you're going to need more arch support. If you have high arches, you're going to need less support. So finding and getting fitted for a shoe that works for your foot is most important. And I encourage you to get fitted by a professional at an athletic store if you have any questions.

There are some great brands out there. For me, I love Brooks running shoes. I don't run, but the shoe works for support for non-runners. There are other brands that I have seen people have success with such as Asics, New Balance, and Hoka. It is individualized. Sometimes a supportive shoe is not enough and you need more. And you may need to get a custom orthotic made for your foot in addition to wearing a supportive shoe. If you are still having foot pain after wearing a supportive shoe, then this would be the next step. You can meet with a physical therapist, a podiatrist, or an orthotist and have them get something that fits you and design it for you.

You can meet with a physical therapist, a podiatrist, or an orthotist and have them design something that fits you. This is what I needed for my feet, and I've tried many, even what's called a UCBL, which is a brace that comes up a bit higher on the ankle for more support. It's all based on your individual needs. If you do need an orthotic, be patient. Wear them around the house first and then gradually ease into them. Let your body and your feet adapt to this new device gradually. If it does not feel right, you may need to try a different type.

Now, let's talk about plantar fasciitis. This is one of the most common things I've seen in clients that I've worked with over the years. Plantar fasciitis is a common condition that affects the foot. It occurs when the plantar fascia, a band of tissue that runs along the bottom of the foot, becomes inflamed and painful. Symptoms of plantar fasciitis include pain and stiffness in the heel and the bottom of the foot, in the arch as well, particularly when you wake up first thing in the morning or when you stand or walk. The pain can be worse first thing in the morning and can worsen after long periods of sitting.

It can be caused by numerous things such as activities that put repetitive stress on the feet such as running, dancing, as well as your overall foot mechanics. Flat feet or high arches can affect the way weight is distributed on the feet. Overuse of the plantar flexors, such as wearing high heels or just wearing non-supportive shoes in general can cause plantar fasciitis. There are many preventative measures you can take to prevent plantar fasciitis and one is wearing a supportive shoe and or an orthotic like we had talked about, and also avoiding activities that put excess stress on the feet and stretching the feet regularly.

Lastly, I want to talk about the importance of maintaining the fascia of your feet. Developing a routine that allows you to work the fascia of your feet is key for both keeping your feet pain-free as well as preventing and getting rid of, to some degree, Plantar Fasciitis. Remember, the fascia, which we've talked about on past episodes, is a spider-like substance that covers all of our body, and this includes our feet. By breaking up adhesions, we can free up movement in the feet and also eliminate pain.

To recap, today we talked about how to keep your feet healthy and prevent foot pain as well as plantar fasciitis. We talked about the importance of support, defined plantar fasciitis, and talked about solutions for prevention, including implementing a foot fascia routine. We also touched base on the importance of maintaining flexibility and strength in the ankle and toes. I hope you have enjoyed this episode and found it helpful. I will include the links for the Foot Waker, Pro Stretch, and Strausburg Sock in this episode for you to check out. Remember, we do new episodes every week on Wednesday and I look forward to having you join me then.