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Foot arch pain in runners can be excruciating. Once you encounter heel or arch pain, it may be difficult to adjust your lifestyle if you are used to being active. It is important for runners to be aware of the symptoms and treatments for some of the more common types of heel or foot arch injuries. To treat foot arch pain in runners effectively, you must first understand the causes.

Describing Plantar Fasciitis

When the plantar fascia, a thick, fibrous band of connective tissue in the sole of the foot that supports the arch of the foot is inflamed, it causes plantar fasciitis. The plantar fascia attaches the ball of the foot to the heel. This band of tissue supports your full body weight when the feet are on the ground. When placed under excessive stress, the plantar fascia stretches too far and tears, resulting in inflammation. The effects of the stress can build up gradually or be the result of a sudden movement.

How Plantar Fasciitis Leads to Foot Pain In Runners

Plantar fasciitisis a common type of heel pain in athletes for a number of reasons. Runners tend to exercise too long and apply too much stress to the feet and plantar fascia, especially those individuals who suffer from flat feet. Repetitive stress on the plantar fascia can be caused by wearing shoes that lack support and running routines that are too long. Severe pain is caused as a result of the inflammation of the torn fibers.

The following are some of the more common causes of Plantar Fasciitis:

• weight gain
• poorly-fitting footwear and insufficient arch support
• rapid increase in activity such as running or participating in sports
• excessive pronation of the feet

The most common place to feel pain is on the bottom of the foot where the plantar fascia is attached to the heel bone. Due to the fact that the fascia constricts when you sleep, you will typically feel the most pain in the mornings. When you get up, the sudden stretch and load of your body weight pulls on the attachment to the heel bone. Symptoms of foot arch pain in runners vary from mild to severe. The pain may linger for months at a time, with pain increasing and decreasing in an unpredictable pattern. In many cases, the pain disappears for several weeks, but can easily come back after a single workout or change in activity.
Walking may even reduce the pain. Plantar Fasciitis is a common condition that runners experience, and along with the triggers shown above, may occur by rapid increase in your training schedule, or by changing running surfaces. This is noticeable, and happens the most when going from a soft surface to a harder one.

How to Avoid Plantar Fasciitis

Treating plantar fasciitis can be a long process. foot arch pain in runners can be avoided in a number of ways. Most sports physiotherapists recommend the following approach to prevent Plantar Fasciitis:

Perform Stretching Exercises - before, during, and after sportsactivity. Tight calf and/or hamstring muscles (in back of thigh) limit range of motion and put extra strain on the plantar fascia. Keeping muscles flexible and relaxed and joints mobile can be accomplished by stretching as a warm up and a cool down. Performing plantar fasciitis exercises to stretch the plantar fascia is highly recommended.

Suitable Footwear and Orthotic Insoles – Supportive footwear is important. Many cases will benefit from wearing orthotic shoe inserts inside the shoes to improve foot biomechanics. Try not to walk barefoot, even when at home. Make sure your shoes provide support, and get used to running on a soft surface.

Try a Different Activity – You don’t have to stop exercising, however consider switching to a non-weight bearing sport like swimming or cycling. When you do try running again, begin at a much lower level of intensity and a shorter distance, then you can build up gradually. Lessen the time you spend on your feet and reduce the intensity of your training.

Apply Ice – Applying ice to the heel can help to reduce the inflammation and pain. Set your foot on a bag of frozen vegetables or a frozen bottle of water wrapped in a towel three or four times a day for 5-10 minutes each time. Never ice more than once an hour to prevent risk of ice burn to desensitized tissue.

If the problem persists, talk to a podiatrist or physiotherapist.