Plantar Fasciitis and Sole Care – Buyer’s Guide
The Plantar Fascia is a strong fibrous band that runs along the bottom of your foot. It is vital in foot posture and helping to push off the toes effectively during running and walking. With excessive exercise, standing, walking or inappropriate footwear the Plantar fascia can become stretched and strained causing micro tears within the fibres leading to inflammation and pain. The pain is often felt first thing in the morning when getting out of bed or after sitting for a period of time.
In order to help the condition, night splints may be beneficial in keeping the foot in a dorsiflexed position overnight to stretch the Plantar fascia and allow it to adapt to a longer position. Other products that can help include; Massage balls to reduce adhesions within the fascia, our Plantar Fascia Airheel, or an insole or orthotic.
Plantar Fasciitis Supports
A Plantar Fasciitis Support is a comfortable, lightweight strap that incorporates two interconnected Air Cells, under the foot arch and at the back of the heel, which apply pulsating compression to both these areas with every step, reducing swelling and pain, as well as improving circulation.
Night Splints
Night Splints are designed to treat Plantar Fasciitis while you sleep. Research has indicated that Night Splints can reduce the painful symptoms of Plantar Fasciitis in over 80% of cases by stretching the Plantar Fascia to encourage the fibrous sheath to return to its normal alignment. Night Splints work by holding the foot in a ‘dorsi-flexed’ position, stretching the Plantar Fascia throughout the night.
Flat Foot Supports
Fallen arches or flat feet are bio-mechanical conditions that, as well as causing foot pain and heel pain, can affect your posture and gait. The fallen arch causes your foot to over-pronate (roll inwards excessively after the heel strike), giving rise to shin pain, knee pain or back pain, especially if you spend long periods on your feet. While you may suffer from flat feet from childhood, you become more likely to develop flat feet and fallen arches as you get older, so it is important that you wear shoes that have an appropriate foot arch support. Arch cushion orthotic insoles provide support and cushioning for the foot arch, reducing levels of foot pain caused by fallen arches and flat feet. By improving foot bio-mechanics and foot stability, orthotic arch supports also prevent and relieve shin pain, knee pain and back pain.
The Posterior Tibial Tendon is important in maintaining support on the inside of the foot arch. Posterior Tibial Tendon Dysfunction (PTTD) injury causes the foot arch to collapse, making your normal walking or running action painful and inefficient. If the Posterior Tibial Tendon becomes inflamed and painful, or if a flat foot condition deteriorates to the point where it is affecting your ability to walk without foot pain, a Flat Foot PTTD Brace is the ideal solution. You can use the Flat Foot Brace’s integrated hand bulb to inflate the AirCell, which comfortably lifts the foot arch into a more natural position and reduces the strain on the muscles and the Posterior Tibial Tendon that support the arch.
