Ankles that don’t move as they should will lead to unnecessary stress on your forefoot. Stretching your calves and Achilles tendon will improve your range of motion AND since the plantar fascia and the fascia covering these structures are connected, will mean you get to take immediate stress off of the bottom of your foot.

Your plantar fascia (the protective covering on the bottom of your foot) connects your heel to the ball of your feet.  If you’re the muscles in your feet weaken, you gain weight, or you take up some explosive exercises regularly, that plantar fascia that is mean to go this fixed distance is now going to have to stretch out even further since your arches are likely taking a pounding and are falling.  Since your plantar fascia is not a muscle, it has much less ability to stretch than other parts of the body.  When it has to stretch, it will become painful, ranging from a sharp pain at your heel to a burning sensation at the bottom of your foot--also known as plantar fasciitis.  Strengthening your arches will help improve your arch—which will take stress off of your plantar fascia.

When your arches, or any muscle or ligament for that matter, get over-stressed your body will support the overstressed or injured area with scar tissue.  This scar tissue is there to limit the injured tissue to allow it to heal but once the tissue has healed, it does not magically go away. Using a golf ball, write the alphabet with the bottom of your bare or socked foot.  Look for tender spots—those are where you need it the most!

Hopefully these tips will help you ease some of that foot pain.  If your pain persists, you would rather not do anything yourself to correct it, or would like to get better in the fastest, most efficient way possible contact us at info@selectspineandsport.com, call us at (414) 939-5045 or just check out www.selectspineandsport.com for more helpful tips.  Good luck!