Plantar fasciitis may sound super scary, but it is just the technical name for something that causes pain in the heel.
I used to be quite active during my younger years and would never miss a morning run. But as age started catching up to me, everyday morning runs turned to every other day. But that was not even the worst part; as a result of running, I would often develop foot pain. I wrote it off as post-exercise muscle pain, but I was wrong.
One impromptu meeting with a podiatrist made me realize I was suffering because of plantar fasciitis. Thankfully, the doctor gave me some tips on how to reduce the pain. One of those tips was wrapping my foot with an ACE bandage.
Hi! My name is Stacy, and if you’re looking for more information on plantar fasciitis and foot wrapping, you’re in the right place. I have put together this short guide to give out as much information as possible on this subject.
Now, without further ado, let’s get to the details.
As I mentioned, I was suffering when my heel started hurting, and I learned it was because of plantar fasciitis. I think my face must’ve given away how clueless I was about it, which led to the doctor explaining it further.
The underside of every foot (the sole) has a ligament called the plantar fascia, which is directly linked to the heel. If the ligament is injured, the pain is directed straight towards the heel. These injuries are labeled as plantar fasciitis, and it triggers intense heel pain.
Since this is an injury that happens under the foot, it is no surprise that runners suffer quite frequently from it. Pregnant women, people with flat feet, and even obese people tend to suffer due to the pressure on the plantar fascia.
Most of the time, rest and compression are recommended for foot injuries, but in this case, massaging might help as well. The heel pain can be pretty intense, so massaging it right from the start may not be possible. However, once the foot has gotten ample rest, it may become easier.
The next and most important thing to do is to wrap the foot with a bandage. This is mainly done to reduce pain and make it easier to walk around, so putting minimal pressure is still advisable. For me, applying a pain relief cream and then wrapping my foot with an ACE bandage helped ease the pain to quite an extent.
However, it is crucial to know how to wrap the foot, so it is effective. The last thing you need is more pain because of improper wrapping technique. Read on below to know a few methods of wrapping that helped me.
This was the first type of wrapping I tried, and it is done using an ACE bandage. Admittedly, I was unsure how to go about it and ended up researching how to wrap a foot for plantar fasciitis with an ACE bandage.
On further contacting the podiatrist I had met earlier, he gave me a few ways, and this one seemed like the easiest to do. Here are the steps:
Start wrapping from the ball of your foot (under the big toe). Wrap sideways till the bandage is secured under your toes.
Continue wrapping sideways till you reach the heel and stop there. At max, it might help to wrap around the start of the heel but not all the way down. You can go under the heel (behind the foot) and secure the bandage there for more support.
Once the sole is covered and the bandage is secure, use the elastic clips with the bandage to keep it in place.
Tip: Make sure every layer of the bandage partially overlaps the other in a smooth, even fashion.
I also used kinesiology tapes, aka KT, to reduce the pain. An old friend, who was a physiotherapist, recommended this to me. She mentioned that it allowed better blood flow in the foot and suggested a taping method. Here are the steps:
Before taping the foot, cut three pieces of the tape that are a little shorter in length than the length of your foot.
Once you have the three pieces, take the first piece and stick a portion of it to the ball of your foot (under the big toe). Stretch the tape a little till it reaches the back of your foot and stick it there.
Next, stick a portion of the second piece a few inches above the ankle. Stretch the tape, so it goes over the start of the heel to the other side of your foot, and stick the tape there.
Finally, the third piece will also be wrapped similarly but at an angle. Stick a portion a little lower than the second piece and stretch it diagonally as it overlaps the second piece. This piece will go over the foot’s arch (where the ligament is) to the other side of the foot.
Tip: Make sure you gently rub each piece at the arch so that it creates a bit of friction and heat for pain relief. And also, rub the whole tape, so it is smooth and even.
And that is how I wrapped and taped my foot when I was suffering from Plantar Fasciitis for a brief period.
Before leaving, I’d like to point out that everything I did was after taking medical advice from professionals, and I highly encourage you to do the same. Do not take any pain medication or even corticosteroid injections without consulting a medical expert.
On that note, I shall now sign off. I hope this guide has been helpful and has given more insight on how to reduce the pain.
See you next time!
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