Relieve Plantar Fasciitis Pain with a Foot Massage

Plantar fasciitis is one of the most common orthopedic complaints.  Those that suffer often experience sharp heel pain and stiffness with their first step out of bed in the morning. This pain can range from mild discomfort to debilitating and is caused from inflammation of the plantar fascia tissue. This thin web-like ligament runs across the bottom of your foot connecting your heel bone to your toes. This thin ligament is the foot’s arch support that helps you walk. The pain normally lessens as your foot limbers up throughout the day, but it can return if you spend a majority of your day standing. We don’t consider it, but our daily lives put a lot of stress on our feet and plantar fascia ligament.

Plantar fasciitis affects nearly 2 million Americans each year and is a common orthopedic condition frequently found in runners. The ligament normally acts as a shock absorber, and putting too much pressure on this ligament can wreak havoc on your feet. Although, planter fasciitis doesn’t just affect runners, you may also be at risk if you are overweight, late in a pregnancy, menopausal, or wear shoes with inadequate arch support. Maintaining a healthy weight, stretching before physical activity, and wearing shoes with proper arch / heel support may mitigate your risk.

A specialized massage can help relieve some of the pain and discomfort caused by plantar fasciitis.  A reflexology massage is beneficial because it uses pressure point techniques to release tension in the feet and relieves heel pain caused by plantar fasciitis. A less invasive natural treatment for Plantar Fasciitis is to massage the feet. Plantar Fasciitis surgery is too invasive for most people and costs a lot of money!

During a reflexology massage session, you fist soak your feet in hot Epson mineral salt water to help draw inflammation out of the sore muscles. Once your muscles have loosened up from the warm salt soak, a therapist begins working on breaking up the “crystals” in your feet, loosing up the tight bands of the fascia, and then stretches the ligaments and Achilles tendon.  This massage technique helps to further relax the muscles in the feet and calves, and increases circulation and flexibility. Consequently, increased circulation and flexibility in your lower legs and feet reduces the inflammation causing pain. Like most injuries, there's no instant cure, but receiving regular foot massage and reflexology sessions can help you achieve pain relief in minutes. When treated frequently, this specialized massage helps to gradually experience less pain on a daily basis, and improves overall flexibility and range of motion in your feet, heels, and lower legs.

To view the original version of this article, visit: http://www.yourfootpalace.com/how-foot-massage-can-relieve-your-plantar-fasciitis-pain/