Massage and icing of the foot were a big part of healing my plantar fasciitis the first time around. Massage and icing went hand in hand for me because I used the "pop can" method of cold therapy on the foot when I had it years ago.
What is the pop can method? At first I just massaged the bottom of my foot and my calf with my hand and tried an ice pack on my heel - whoah, that's cold! But then I recalled my doctor's somewhat bizarre advice to take a soda can, put it in the freezer for ten minutes, then sit on a chair and roll the soda can along the bottom of my foot.
I tried it and found that not only did it feel good and soothing, but it also effectively massaged the plantar fascia, stretching it gently, while it cooled the inflamed tissue. I did this twice a day, not every single day, but most days, for a few months.
I tried it and found that not only did it feel good and soothing, but it also effectively massaged the plantar fascia, stretching it gently, while it cooled the inflamed tissue. I did this twice a day, not every single day, but most days, for a few months.
I didn't stop manually massaging my foot or calf, though. I especially made sure to do this right before arising, after a period of rest, so my foot would be loose and limber when I first stepped on it.
I also used various massage tools on my foot.
- I wore Birkenstock Super Noppy sandals a few minutes daily - no more - to massage the bottom of my feet.
- I had an acupressure mat similar to this one with lots of nubs on it that I stepped on to massage the soles of my feet (that one got left behind in my last move).
- I have a foot roller that broke after many years of use and that I recently replaced.
- When plantar fasciitis hit me recently, I bought the Foot Rubz Foot Massage Ball Roller, which was the cheapest of all and which I love the most, because it massages deeply exactly the area I want without hurting at all, as some of those other massage tools can. I could press deeply into the arch and it felt good, and I could do it while I sat at my desk, working.
Icing, by the way, either with an ice pack or a Coke can, didn't do anything for me on the intense second bout of plantar fasciitis. In fact, I suspect it hurt more than it helped. I even tried heat, occasionally - hot, wet rags - on the foot, and that actually helped a bit. But not all the time. So because it didn't seem to be helping, I didn't do much application of cold or heat when plantar fasciitis hit me the second time around at all.
My conclusion: Massage is essential for healing plantar fasciitis. Icing and heat can temporarily alleviate the symptoms but that they are not a critical part of healing.
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