Plantar fasciitis is a painful inflammation of the plantar fascia, a connective tissue that provides support to the arch of the foot. The painful condition tends to develop gradually due to repetitive stretching and tearing causing irritation and inflammation of the plantar fascia. Plantar fasciitis usually affects one foot only, while the pain in the heel of the foot tends to be the worst within the very first steps after getting up of the bed or prolonged seated position. Some people may experience pain due to plantar fasciitis in both feet simultaneously.
Plantar fasciitis is most often developed by people between the ages of 40 and 60 but it is also very common in athletes and individuals who engage in types of exercises that put a lot of stress on the plantar fascia such as dance aerobics and ballet. Other factors that increase the risk of plantar fasciitis include overweight/obesity, improper footwear including shoes with high heels and thin soled shoes, and occupations that require lots of standing or walking. The painful condition is more common in women than men.
There are several ways to relieve the pain caused by plantar fasciitis and taping is among the most simple and effective plantar fasciitis relief methods. It is particularly popular among athletes because it can both alleviate as well as help prevent the pain due to stretching and tearing of the plantar fascia. The tape that is applied in strips across the plantar fascia limits the movement of the fascia and enables it to rest without affecting the overall mobility of the foot. The main idea of plantar fasciitis taping is to reduce the stress on foot by reducing the amount of stretching which makes it very useful for immediate pain relief as well as to prevent the pain from occurring.
Plantar fasciitis taping technique is very easy. You can apply the tape across the plantar fascia early in the morning or tape your foot prior exercise. Either way, the tape should be removed before going to bed to allow your skin to breathe. Always apply the tape on clean feet and keep your feet dry. The effectiveness of taping depends on severity of plantar fasciitis. In severe cases, plantar fasciitis taping alone may not be adequate to relieve the pain and should be used in combination with supporting orthotics or over-the-counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen and naproxen. However, pain relievers do not treat the underlying cause. For that reason plantar fasciitis taping is most effective when used in combination with plantar fasciitis treatments that are not intended for symptom relief only but treat the root cause of the pain as well.
Plantar fasciitis taping is also useful as a preventive measure and may help you prevent developing this painful condition if being at increased risk of plantar fasciitis. In addition to taping, you should choose your footwear very carefully and make sure that it provides good arch support as well as maintain a healthy body weight to reduce the stress on your feet.
For the specific plantar fasciitis taping techniques and more you can visit our website at:
http://www.plantar-fasciitis-elrofeet.com/plantar_fasciitis_taping.html
Reference:
- www.plantar-fasciitis-elrofeet.com
- www.plantar-fasciitis-elrofeet.com/plantar_fasciitis_taping.html
- www.plantar-fasciitis-elrofeet.com/How_is_Plantar_Fasciitis_Treated.html
