Heal Your Heel Pain

Eli Manning is just one of countless athletes to acquire the dreaded malady plantar fasciitis. His injury could heal up in short order, or it could linger for the entire season, or longer. It all depends on the actions taken to rectify the condition.

I happened upon a couple of articles on Eli’s injury, and read them with interest, since his condition is the topic of my book Injury Afoot. Sure enough, just a few sentences into one of the stories, a doctor interviewed for the piece mentions injections of corticosteroid, often called cortisone, as one of the top treatment options. I cringed. Horror stories abound regarding heel pain sufferers turning to cortisone injections and experiencing side effects that make plantar fasciitis look quite tame. Yet some in the medical field keep recommending these injections. Yikes.

I’m sure Eli has a team of therapists and trainers working with him on active recovery methods such as icing, stretching and strengthening. Active recovery is what you want Eli; steer clear of the cortisone injections.

Patrick Hafner, Author, Injury Afoot: 30 Things You Can Do To Relieve Heel Pain And Speed Healing of Plantar Fasciitis.

Came across a good article that discusses some unexpected results from frequent use of ibuprofen. This story focused on runners, but the physiology principles are the same for anybody who comes to rely on NSAIDS like ibuprofen for aches and pains.

My thoughts: for the most reliable, long-lasting recuperation from plantar fasciitis, a person should stretch, strengthen, brace, and accommodate – don’t medicate.

“The natural healing force within each one of us is the greatest force in getting well.” – Hippocrates

I love that quote. There’s simplicity in it but also plenty of power.  As you proceed with a plantar fasciitis recuperation campaign, you will need to pave the way, set yourself up for success, whatever cliche you want to use; your body will heal itself if the best possible environment is created in which to do so. So do whatever it takes to make this happen. Alter your behavior to avoid foot-aggravating activities; commit to your healing effort. Don’t skip strengthening and stretching sessions; don’t panic and give in to despair. Stay positive and stay on track. As you learn more about plantar fasciitis healing from the discussions here, just keep in mind the overriding theme of active recovery: the body can and will heal itself. You just have to promote healing and let it happen.