Controlling Plantar Fasciitis (Heel Spur)

First, let me say that I am aware that, in fact, plantar fasciitis (PF) and heel spur are in fact different maladies, but PF is often misdiagnosed as a heel spur. A heel spur is a bony protuberance at the bottom front of the heel bone. It is a pretty rare occurrence, so if you have been diagnosed with a heel spur and it was done wothout an X-ray to confirm, there is a pretty good chance that you have plantar fasciitis.

I've found that using a step to stretch the plantar fascia and the achilles tendon to be one of the most useful ways to control plantar fasciitis. I used to do this stretch with both legs at once, but had one of those "lightbulb" moments one day and realized that I could stretch MUCH more effectively by stretching a single leg at a time.

To perform the stretch, stand with the ball of the foot (or front of the arch) at the nose of the step and drop the heel as far as possible. I hold the stretch for about 15 or 20 seconds and normally repeat it 2 or 3 times on each foot. I've found it to be an effective method of controlling the pain of plantar fasciitis. Normally, in order to totally eliminate PF, it is necessary to eliminate the irritation of the tissues. This can be a slow (perhaps unending) process unless the activity that irritates the tissues is significantly reduced or eliminated. (So, if you are training for a goal, you may have to live with a mild case until you achieve this goal.)

I found the website of Dr. Brian Fullem, a Connecticut-based podiatrist, to be a very thorough and informative site on this malady. Fullem is a runner and very well regarded in the running community.

Also, if you are looking for a good, small, non-technical book on running related injuries, you may want to consider Dr. Murray Weisenfeld's Runner's Repair Manual.