How to Prevent Plantar Fasciitis

Four words and a dash about plantar fasciitis: it hurts– a lot.
As the Moving Crew explains, the trouble starts when the plantar fascia, a band of tissue that stretches from the heel to the toes, is stretched or ruptured, something that happens–a lot. Geezer has seen plantar fasciitis sideline some of the most type A personalities on the playing field, not because it hurts, of course, but because playing on it only makes it hurt–a lot more. The afflicted must rest. And that really hurts. The Crew turns to Howard Osterman, team podiatrist for the Washington Wizards, for advice on how to make sure it doesn’t happen. Proper footwear, says Osterman, is a good place to start. In Osterman’s opinion, that means running shoes, not cross trainers. The podiatrist also suggests calf stretching before workouts. If you do injure the plantar facia, he says, treat symptoms within the first week, starting with
an anti-inflammatory like ibuprofen and ice at day’s end for 10
minutes. The Crew tells us that he also
prescribes alternating five-minute heat and ice dunks — warmth
increases blood flow, cold reduces swelling — for a total of 30
minutes. Read more about the dreaded PF and how to treat it.