Plantar fasciitis is a foot condition that is often characterized by sharp pain on the bottom of the foot. Plantar fasciitis can affect all types of people, though it is common among military personnel and professional athletes. Dr. James Wright, an orthopedic surgeon, suggests that having a larger body mass, spending long amounts of time standing and limited ankle range of motion put you at greater risk for getting plantar fasciitis.
Trigger Point Therapy
Trigger points are tiny collections of muscle fibers that tense to create a tight contraction. Often these muscle knots transfer pain into the plantar fascia of the foot. Trigger point therapy is done by a professional massage therapist, or you can learn to perform a few of the techniques on your own feet. To identify where the trigger points are on your feet, poke at different spots with your thumb or index finger. If you press on a spot that makes you jump in pain, you have found a trigger point.
Press Release
After locating various trigger points on the bottom of your foot, the treatment is to release them. Sit on the floor with your legs stretched out in front of you. Bend the knee of the injured side, and rest your ankle on your other thigh. Rotate your ankle inward so the bottom of the foot faces up. With your thumb over the trigger point, press down and hold for 10 seconds. Repeat three to five times over each trigger point. The pressing will elicit pain, but you will notice it decrease as you maintain the pressure.
Passive Stretch Release
Another variation of trigger point release is done with a stretch. Sit in a chair. Place the ankle of your injured foot onto your other thigh. Place one hand on your ankle to stabilize the joint. Place your other hand over the toes and gently stretch them back toward your shin. Once you pull the toes back, it will be slightly uncomfortable, but hold it for 30 seconds. Pull the toes back a little further and hold for another 30 seconds. Rest and repeat the cycle three to five times.
Assisted Release
Sometimes the pressure that is required to release the trigger point is too much for your thumb or index finger. In that case, you can use an object for assistance. Sitting in a chair, place a golf ball, tennis ball or rolling pin under your injured foot. Add a small amount of pressure and roll the object under your foot. Once you roll over a trigger point, hold the pressure there for 10 seconds before moving on to the next. Repeat three to five times.