Massage for Plantar Fasciitis

Plantar fasciitis is a common cause of heel and foot pain. Fortunately, stretches and foot massage that you can do at home may help relieve pain and prevent the condition from becoming chronic. 

Here are some tips and self-massage techniques you can try at home.

Tips to start

Massaging your feet should feel good, or a little uncomfortable, but not painful. Start with a softer touch and increase the pressure of your hands or objects you use as your pain improves. Avoid pushing on very sore spots.

Because heel pain is often most intense when you first get out of bed, you can try one or two of these techniques sitting in bed, before you start putting weight on your feet.

It’s good to warm up your feet with light massage, letting blood flow to the area. You may want to use a small amount of moisturizer for the massage.

If both your feet are affected, massage each foot.

Experiment with these techniques to find what works best for you.

Heel-of-hand massage

1. Sit down on a bed or chair and bring one foot up to rest where you can reach it with your hand.
2. Use the heel of your opposite hand to push down on the sole of your foot, working from the heel to the toes.
3. Start with longer strokes and light pressure, then lengthen your strokes and increase the pressure. Use your body weight to increase the pressure, leaning in as you massage.
4. Cover the surface of your foot a few times to loosen up the fascia tissue.

You can also use a softly clenched fist for this massage.

Thumb pushes

1. Sit down on a bed or chair and cross one leg over the other.
2. Use both thumbs to push along the length of your sole, moving from the heel to your toes and then back. Work in a line toward your big toe. Then move up and down the foot in a line to each other toe.
3. Work your thumbs up and down the foot for 1 to 2 minutes.
4. Increase the pressure by leaning in to use more body weight.

Thumb pulls

1. Sit down and cross one leg over the other.
2. Put both thumbs in the middle of your foot. At the same time, pull one thumb toward the right side of your foot and the other to the left side, moving the fascial tissue. Do this for 1 to 2 minutes.
3. Move to other areas of your foot, pulling your thumbs to each side for 1 to 2 minutes. Cover the surface of your foot with this motion.
4. Increase the pressure by leaning in to use more body weight.

Adding a toe flex

While doing the heel-of-hand massage or thumb pushes, try pointing and flexing your toes in each direction.

You can also massage each toe individually, pulling it out and moving it in circles. Keep your toes relaxed while you do this.

Ball massage

You can use many types of balls for this massage: golf ball, tennis ball, lacrosse ball, dryer ball.

1. Sit down in a comfortable chair or couch and put a ball under the arch of one foot. Lean forward to use your body weight to regulate the pressure on the ball.
2. Slowly roll the ball up and down the length of your foot and then from side to side. Start with mild pressure and gradually add more by pressing down on the ball as you roll it.
3. Roll for about a minute.

Ice massage

This is similar to the ball massage, but it’s done using a frozen can or frozen water bottle. This massage can help in the morning before you get out of bed and also at night. It stretches out the fascia, massages it, and calms it.

You may want to leave a small cooler with the frozen bottle near your bed so you can use it in the morning before putting weight on your foot.

1. Start sitting on a bed or chair.
2. Place a frozen bottle or can under your foot.
3. Roll it back and forth with moderate pressure for 5 to 10 minutes.

Source: healthline

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