Plantar fasciitis and fitness

Plantar fasciitis and fitness

Well, the first month of the new year is almost over. If you're like many people who have made a list of resolutions, increasing fitness and physical activity was probably one of your top items. Whether you're eating healthier or exercising more to lose extra pounds or to better enjoy the outdoors, improving fitness is a good solution. Not only does a healthy lifestyle make you look good, but it has also been shown to improve your physical and mental health, making you happier and more confident.

No matter where you start your fitness journey, it can be easy to overdo it in the beginning, potentially leading to injuries that can distract or postpone your new workout routine. Excessive use of the feet and legs often wears down tendons and muscles, including the important plantar fascia tendon. Plantar fasciitis is a painful foot condition that affects this tendon in the foot that connects the heel and ball of the foot, providing structure and stability to the foot and allowing the foot to be used properly for standing, walking, running and jumping. Since cardiovascular exercise is an essential part of any exercise routine, people usually devote part of their workout to walking or jogging (depending on initial fitness). If the plantar fascia tendon is injured, this important part of the training plan can become too painful.

Luckily, there are ways you can exercise and burn those calories to get you on the path to your new fitness resolution. These exercises will get your heart rate up and sweat while putting little strain on your feet:

Ride a bike.You don't need a fancy racing bike or strenuous trails to get a good workout while cycling. Depending on your fitness level and ability, you can bike on the streets in your neighborhood and ride for as long and far as you want. You can also choose the terrain by starting on a short flat route and building up to a hillier route. If you ride fast and long enough and include an increasingly challenging route, a good cardio exercise can be achieved without putting any strain and strain on your feet.

Use exercise equipment.While you may automatically head to the treadmill at the gym, most gyms have other equipment that will give you the same quality workout without putting undue pressure on your feet. Some great things to consider are the elliptical stationary bike and the rowing machine. These machines are suitable for all fitness levels as they can be programmed to go as fast or slow as you like and the resistance can also be adjusted.

Hit the pool.Pool training has been recommended by doctors and physical therapists for many years. The water provides natural resistance and the buoyancy of the body in the water reduces the weight of the feet. Water aerobics and rigorous lap swimming can not only feel refreshing, but can also give you a great workout that also reduces stress on your joints.

Yoga.While cardio classes like step aerobics and Zumba are off-limits for people with plantar fasciitis, gentle stretching and strengthening exercises like yoga and Pilates offer the combination of being low-impact while building strength and muscle tone and slimming your waistline. These exercises can also cause you to break out into a soothing sweat.

Losing weight and getting in better shape is a common and beneficial solution for the New Year. However, Plantar fasciitis pain can hinder achieving this solution by making training painful and difficult. However, there are alternatives to running and walking that offer the same cardiovascular benefits. These include cycling with the elliptical, stationary cycling and rowing machine, swimming, water aerobics and yoga.

If your plantar fasciitis doesn't go away on its own or is extremely painful, contact your podiatrist today to schedule an appointment.

Inspired by Ezine and Andy Fish