Heel pain after exercise may be plantar fasciitis. What should I do?

As the Winter Olympics draws near, Huazi's friends are more enthusiastic about sports than ever before. But several friends told Huazi that they have heel pain after exercise, especially when they get out of bed and take the first step in the morning. The pain can be relieved a little after exercise, but the pain will continue to worsen after standing for a long time. What's wrong?

Huazi said that heel pain that occurs after exercise is likely to be plantar fasciitis, a common foot disease.

1. Why do we suffer from plantar fasciitis? The shape of our foot bones is like a "bow", and the plantar fascia is the string on the bow. When we walk, the muscles in our calves pull the "bow string" to tighten and stretch, "catapulting" the body out. When the plantar fascia is damaged, aseptic inflammation will occur, causing pain.

Common causes of plantar fasciitis are sudden strenuous exercise without regular exercise habits, excessive weight, which increases the load on the foot joints, and excessive strain on the feet caused by standing, walking, wearing high heels, etc. for long periods of time, all of which can cause plantar fasciitis.

2. Warming up fully before exercise can prevent the disease. Although plantar fasciitis occurs in the foot, the movement of the foot is mainly controlled by the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles in the calf. Therefore, warming up fully before exercise and relaxing the calf muscles with "lunge stretching" can reduce the probability of plantar fasciitis.

When exercising, it is best to use professional sports shoes and sports insoles, which provide good support for the arch of the foot and can also reduce the occurrence of plantar fasciitis. When exercising, you should do it within your ability and not exceed your limit. It is more appropriate to control the exercise time within 30 to 60 minutes.

3. What to do if plantar fasciitis occurs If plantar fasciitis has occurred, adequate rest is the best way to treat the disease. If the pain symptoms are mild, they can be cured after a few days of rest. You can also massage the sole of the foot to relieve pain. Use one hand to forcefully bend the big toe toward the instep, and use the other hand to massage from the heel to the toes. Find the point where the pain is strongest, and massage slowly with moderate force to relieve the symptoms.

After plantar fasciitis occurs, hot compress may aggravate the inflammation, and ice compress can relieve pain. You can fill a mineral water bottle with ice cubes and roll it back and forth on the sole of your foot, which is equivalent to ice compress and massage at the same time. Lunge stretching can not only prevent plantar fasciitis, but also has a certain therapeutic effect after the disease occurs.

4. Severe cases require prompt medical treatment. Plantar fasciitis is a sterile inflammation that can be treated with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. It is recommended to use topical medications first, such as various gels, ointments, sprays, patches and other drugs with analgesic effects for treating traumatic injuries, and apply them directly to the painful area. If the symptoms are severe, oral medications can also be used for systemic treatment.

If the symptoms are severe and do not improve after a few weeks, you should seek medical attention immediately. The doctor can perform shock wave therapy to relax the plantar fascia and muscles. You can also use hormones and local anesthetics for "closed" injections to quickly relieve symptoms. For long-term plantar fasciitis, surgery is needed to relax the overly tight plantar fascia.

In summary, it is good for health to keep exercising, but you should warm up fully before exercising and pay attention to self-protection during exercise. If you experience heel pain after exercise, it is likely that plantar fasciitis has occurred. Pain can be relieved by rest, ice compress, massage, etc. If the symptoms are severe, you need to see a doctor in time. Drugs must be used under the guidance of a doctor. If you have any questions about medication, please consult a doctor or pharmacist.

I am pharmacist Huazi. Welcome to follow me and share more health knowledge.