5 Massages For Healing Plantar Fasciitis Pain At Home
Plantar fasciitis is a condition that will ultimately affect 1 in 10 people during their lifetime. While the condition can be especially bothersome for professional athletes, the rest of us aren’t immune to the many physical stressors we face in everyday life.
While there are many treatments, it’s often a long-term battle.
In this article, we’ll show you step by step how to heal your pain at home with a plantar fasciitis massage.
How massage can help plantar fasciitis
Plantar fasciitis is one of the more common causes of heel pain. Plantar fasciitis occurs due to inflammation of the thick band of tissue on the bottom of your foot known as the plantar fascia and frequently involves pain in the arch or heel of your foot and many times both.
Thankfully, massage done consistently has been proven to help relieve symptoms of plantar fasciitis. It helps by increasing blood flow to the area, and thus recovery.
“Your goal is to soften and shorten the plantar fascia to increase blood flow to the area. If you can increase the flow of nutrient-rich, oxygenated blood, you’re creating a healthy environment to slow or even stop tissue degradation.”
Doug Nelson, licensed massage therapist in Champaign, Illinois, and founder/president of Precision NMT seminars
A study by SA Health found that “cross friction massage of the plantar fascia and stretching of the gastrocsoleus complex showed the greatest overall improvement in terms of reducing the pain and disability.”
For best results, it’s recommended to massage your feet twice a day, but one massage is better than none. That said, the best massage routines aren’t massage alone, and podiatrists agree—stretching in addition to your massage routine can help further reduce pain and improve overall mobility.
Just as you need to go to the gym and eat healthy more than once to start seeing results, regular massage is crucial for best results.
5 massages for alleviating plantar fasciitis pain at home
Here are 5 massages you can do at home.
1. Scraping along the plantar fascia
Earlier we mentioned that increasing blood flow to the plantar fascia is crucial to recovery. Healthy blood flow means more nutrients are being delivered for faster recovery. Scraping has been shown to increase blood flow by 4x, making it your best option compared to manual hand massages.
Scraping is unlike any other recovery tool. The bright red spots (known as petechiae) that occur during scraping is an indication that scraping is completely different to other recovery techniques. Note: These subside within 48-72 hours and do not hurt!
2. Thumb presses
One of the easier massages to perform, thumb presses are an excellent starting point, particularly on areas that are tender and painful. We don’t recommend going to the point of pain, so keep it light and gentle if necessary.
3. Thumb pulls
Similar to thumb presses, thumb pulls (also known as a splay massage) can help further reduce tension in your foot. The areas closer to the heel (specifically at the insertion point of the plantar fascia) will likely be more sensitive, so you can go lighter on those areas. You can add a bit more pressure higher up the foot as those areas are usually less sensitive.
4. Toe pull stretch
For those who have plantar fasciitis, the morning is often the time when you’re most stiff and have the highest degree of pain. This technique is perfect in the morning because it’s gentle and gets some small movement in your feet after stiffening throughout the night.
5. Ice and heat massage
Both ice and heat therapy have also been proven to help alleviate symptoms of plantar fasciitis. There is a catch, however. Heat, in some cases, may aggravate the pain for some. In this case, experiment with both ice and heat massage to determine which type of massage is most beneficial for you.
Finding relief for plantar fasciitis with massage
While having access to massage therapists to aid in recovery can be helpful, the reality is, it’s not always affordable or convenient. We believe in taking control of your recovery as much as possible. By incorporating several of the massage recommendations above, you can help relieve your pain caused by plantar fasciitis at home and tackle your physically demanding day.
Ultimately, massage is a great way to help manage your pain in conjunction with other treatment options. Plantar fasciitis can be frustrating, but know that lots of people have conquered it and you can too.