How to Cure a Torn Plantar Fascia

The plantar fascia connects the heel bone to the toes. When small tears form in the plantar fascia, pain and inflammation occurs in the heel area; it is called plantar fasciitis. Sufferers describe it as a sharp pain in the heel. Plantar fasciitis is more common in runners, overweight people, pregnant women and people who wear shoes that don't have adequate support. A doctor can perform tests such as an X-ray or MRI to rule out that the heel pain is not caused by other problems such as a stress fracture, pinched nerve, or bone spurs.

Things You'll Need

• Ice
• Over-the-counter arch supports or heel cushions
• Shoes with good support

Show More

Instructions

• 1

  Rest your foot. The first and simplest treatment for a torn plantar fascia is to rest your foot until the inflammation eases and the pain is gone.

• 2

  Apply ice. Three or four times a day, you can apply ice to the hurting part of the foot for about 20 minutes at a time. An ice massage can also help; freeze water in a paper cup and roll the cup over the area that is hurting.

• 3

  Take it easy. If you are a runner, scale back on the distances until the pain eases. Or you can substitute low-impact exercise, such as swimming or biking, for running or walking.

• 4

  Get support. Shoes with shock-absorbing soles can provide relief. You can also purchase inexpensive over-the-counter arch supports or heel cushions to provide extra cushion and support.

• 5

  Stretch. You can sometimes get relief from simple stretching exercises. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons has diagrams of simple exercises on their website at http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00149