Doctors and patients alike often confuse the terms heel spur and plantar fasciitis. While these two diagnoses are related, they are not the same condition. Plantar fasciitis refers to the inflammation of the plantar fascia, which is the tissue that forms the arch of your foot. In contrast, a heel spur is a hook of bone that can form on your heel bone, and is actually often associated with plantar fasciitis. About 70% of patients with plantar fasciitis have a heel spur that can be seen on an X-ray. On the other hand, many patients without symptoms of pain can have a heel spur. When it comes to a heel spur, the spur of bone usually is not the primary cause of pain. Instead, irritation and inflammation of the plantar fascia is probably the major problem.

Managing heel pain on your own should include using a night brace. It’s the simplest way to avoid the morning heel pain of plantar fasciitis. That’s because a night brace elevates your foot while you sleep, which pre-stretches the tissues in your sole. Doing so avoids having pain in the morning. A great example is the Stretch-Away Plantar Fasciitis Night Brace. Like other night braces, it eliminates the heel pain before it even starts without expensive splints and therapies. When you wake up and take your first step in the morning, your tissues are already pre-stretched – and this avoids having to stretch out your foot to get rid of the heel pain.

Other self-care management tools might include using ice, stretching, wearing proper footwear, and altering training methods. Ice should be applied prior to and following activity for approximately 20 minutes. Try using a frozen 12-16 oz. bottle of water and gently rolling it under your arch and heel.
Your calf muscles can be stretched by standing facing a wall. Step your sore foot back and while keeping that heel down, lean forward until a comfortable pull is felt in the back of the lower leg. Hold this stretch for 30 seconds and repeat.
If you must continue training or have a job that demands prolonged walking or standing then it is essential to minimize the stresses on the heel. Start by purchasing a pair of heel cushions.

Find out what thousands of others with heel pain from plantar fasciitis have learned from wearing a night brace: the Stretch-Away Plantar Fasciitis Night Brace is the most affordable and effective way to do away with morning heel pain due to plantar fasciitis.

www.StretchAway-PlantarFasciitis.com