Sports mix well with many things: socializing, parties, being outdoors, having fun, and more. Unfortunately, sports don’t mix with everything—and some mixtures can be incredibly painful. That’s often the case when you try to play your favorite sport with plantar fasciitis. Sports and heel pain don’t mix well. However, with the right care, you can still enjoy your favorite activities.
Plantar fasciitis is a common overuse injury. Too much pressure and strain on the plantar fascia overstretches it. The tissue becomes irritated, swells, and thickens. Sometimes microtears develop in the ligament as well. The problem is the repetitive hard impacts and overwork that happen frequently in sports not only cause the initial damage, but compound the problem.
So the more you play on your hurting heels without treating them, the worse you make them. Playing sports will only become increasingly uncomfortable for you. Eventually, the pain may prevent you from being able to enjoy your favorite activities altogether.
That said, while sports and plantar fasciitis don’t really mix, developing heel pain doesn’t mean you have to kiss your favorite activities goodbye forever. With the right heel pain care, you can get back out to the field or court, and play your best without worrying about your heels holding you back.
The important thing will be getting the plantar fasciitis diagnosed and treated. Some of this foot care may include:
- Resting – That’s right, scaling back your activities or taking a short time off can help you heal.
- Wearing better shoes – Supportive athletic footwear helps cushion hard impacts and improve biomechanics, reducing the stress on your heels.
- Getting orthotics for sports – If shoes are not enough, custom orthotics can add extra padding and better stability for your feet when you’re active.
- Additional therapies – Physical therapy exercises and additional therapies like EPAT may help improve painful heels faster so you can be active again.
