Upstep Answers
Our team answers your questions about the causes and treatment of various podiatric conditions, including plantar fasciitis, flat feet, foot pain, and the use of custom orthotics.
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Cycling With Plantar Fasciitis: Tips From a Physical Therapist
Plantar fasciitis is one of the leading causes of heel pain. It is the tightening of the ligamentous band that connects the toes to the heel. Often, it occurs because of overuse, causing micro-tears in the plantar fascia, which results in heel pain. The pain is generally dull and aching, worse after prolonged sitting or lying down, and aggravated by the first morning steps. When plantar fasciitis occurs, it can affect your ability to perform your regular activities of daily living. It can also reduce your quality of life and affect your fitness level. While there are a number of things to avoid with plantar fasciitis, staying active helps manage the condition—and cycling is key to doing this. Cycling With Plantar Fasciitis: FAQs Can Cycling Cause Plantar Fasciitis? No, cycling does not cause plantar fasciitis when done right. Biking (or cycling) is a low-impact exercise that requires minimal repetitive forceful contact between your feet and the ground. In fact, cycling provides a ready solution to the problem of movement and maintaining fitness with plantar fasciitis. Should You Cycle With Plantar Fasciitis? While cycling doesn't cause plantar fasciitis, it can aggravate the condition without the proper precautions. The incorrect choice of footwear, bike fit, and riding technique can worsen the symptoms of plantar fasciitis. This, in turn, could potentially lead to secondary complications resulting from plantar fasciitis in severe cases. Is Cycling Good for Plantar Fasciitis? Yes, when done correctly, cycling can help you stay fit, even with plantar fasciitis. As long as you learn the proper technique and cycle without discomfort, it is a good option for maintaining your activity level despite heel pain. » Want an expert to treat your plantar fasciitis? Contact Upstep for a pair of Plantar Fasciitis Custom Orthotics today. How to Cycle With Plantar Fasciitis There are several precautions to ensure that cycling is beneficial rather than a source of even greater pain. So if you choose to cycle, first consider the following: Adjust your saddle height If your saddle height is too low, you'll place more pressure on your heel, which can contribute to or aggravate plantar fasciitis. Adjust the saddle height to ensure that your legs are almost fully extended (80–90%) during the downswing while riding. Wear orthotics for more support While your heel won't contact the pedal, you must keep the arch and the rest of the foot supported. Orthotic insoles can help with heel pain significantly, and cycling orthotics offer several benefits in this regard. You can also opt for a bike pedal with proper heel support, which can be an excellent way to support feet affected by plantar fasciitis.Wear appropriate shoes Opt for shoes that do not pinch your toes. Also, go for shoes that hold your heel firmly. If you have it any other way, you will place undue stress on your feet as you attempt to pedal. Wearing good quality and proper fitting shoes can help you minimize this.Stretch beforehand It's always a good idea to stretch before exercising. Stretching warms up your muscles and can also help treat residual pain. You're much less likely to experience pain after cycling if you take the time to stretch beforehand.Use proper technique Ideally, the best position keeps your upper body at a 45-degree angle to your lower body, with your hands bent at a 90-degree angle. Otherwise, you may predispose yourself to unnecessary stress and injury.Use the right gear Cleats allow for more stability and strength when riding. For those who use bike cleats, ensure they are compatible with your pedals. You'll place more strain on your heels if they aren't, and this can cause plantar fasciitis. » Unsure if orthotics are the right choice for plantar fasciitis? Read our Custom Orthotics for Plantar Fasciitis review.
Asked 10 days ago
Can Too Much Arch Support Trigger Plantar Fasciitis?
Plantar fasciitis is a condition where the plantar fascia ligament, which supports the arch of your foot, becomes irritated and inflamed. One of the most common causes is excessive arch support, which can cause too much pressure on the fascia and result in a burning sensation in the soles of your feet. Activities that require you to stay on your feet for long periods of time can aggravate this—especially if you have flat feet because you place strain on the plantar fascia when it bears your weight. It's been well documented that orthotics are a safe and effective way to manage plantar fasciitis by sufficiently increasing arch support and reducing the amount of shock absorbed by your feet on a daily basis. However, incorrectly shaped orthotics can play a role in causing and worsening your symptoms. How Much Arch Support Do You Need? When purchasing orthotics, it's important to choose the correct shape for your feet. Hard and soft orthotics are available, but the most important element is that the orthotics provide sufficient—not excessive—arch support. The aim of orthotics is to redistribute body weight over the entire foot while supporting the arch and reducing shock absorbed by your foot. However, orthotics with high arch support can increase the pressure placed on the plantar fascia and may cause your symptoms to worsen. Look out for the correct alignment of the ankle joint when your foot is bearing weight. If the arch support of the orthotics is too high, the ankle will supinate (roll outwards) and weight will be placed onto the outer edge of the foot and arch. Identifying the height of your arch and acquiring orthotics to match is your best bet in attempting to reduce your pain and symptoms from this condition. The orthotics will, at first, take some time to adjust to, but thereafter, should provide relief from your symptoms.
Asked 4 months ago
Does Running Aggravate Morton's Neuroma?
Morton's neuroma (not to be confused with metatarsalgia) is a painful condition that occurs when the nerves of the foot become inflamed and aggravated, usually due to increased pressure or compression. It often develops after a change in footwear, such as switching to new running shoes or wearing high heels for extended periods of time. The condition is also linked to overusing the foot and requires a reduction in physical activity to allow time for the nerve to settle after agitation. Continuing physical activity will see this condition stay the same or get progressively worse over time. Should You Keep Running With Morton's Neuroma? You're usually advised to take a break from your physical activities if you experience foot pain after running. Continually placing pressure onto the forefoot could cause your symptoms to increase, therefore a rest period will give the inflamed nerve time to recover. Repetitive activity without adequate rest is the common cause of Morton's neuroma. Changing your physical activity routine and using orthotics that are best for Morton's neuroma are proven helpful management methods. Wearing shoes that don't crowd the forefoot and toes will also help to reduce the compression placed on the nerve itself. Once the symptoms have subsided, you can resume your physical activity. Take care to increase the intensity and duration of exercise gradually to avoid a flare-up. If the symptoms return, reduce your physical activity and begin again once the symptoms have disappeared. If you continue to run without making adjustments, you could develop a severe case of Morton's neuroma. The nerve grows in size and gives the sensation that you're standing on a pebble. In such cases, surgery is recommended to remove the neuroma. How Long Do Morton's Neuroma Symptoms Usually Last? The symptoms noticeably reduce when the aggravating factors are removed, such as tight-fitting shoes and the physical activity itself as already discussed. The duration of the symptoms depends on the severity and the amount of time you've suffered with Morton's neuroma. It takes roughly 4 weeks for the symptoms to completely subside. However, it may take longer in severe cases. By reducing your physical activity, and aided by other techniques such as ice, orthotics, gentle forefoot massage, wide-toed shoes, and foot stretches, you’ll reduce your overall experience of symptoms.
Asked 4 months ago
Should You Do Glute Bridges Every Day?
With more people looking to exercise their gluteal muscles, the glute bridge is one of the most common exercises you’ll find. Apart from strengthening the core and back muscles, the glute bridge also brings back pain relief and combats heel pain. Because of its many benefits, there are several questions about performing glute bridges for maximum effect, including whether the exercise can be performed daily. While the answer depends on the form, volume of repetition, and intensity of exercise, you can generally do glute bridges every day. How Often Should You Do Glute Bridges? You can do glute bridges every day. However, you must be careful to ensure proper form and technique. You may require a trainer to guide this process. Also, ensure you're not overworking the gluteal muscles as this can cause pain, which is never the goal. Likewise, the variation of the glute bridge exercise may determine how often you can perform it. For example, the regular glute bridge exercise begins with the leg flat on the floor. You can also have the glute bridges feet on ball exercise, which starts with both feet on a therapeutic ball. There's also the single-leg variation and the variation requiring barbells. Conclusion Whatever the case, glute bridges are essential for athletes looking to improve their performance. They're also great for people who sit for long periods as this places the hip in a flexed position, and a glute bridge can help counteract the effect of the extended flexion. Ensure you take note of the exercise's effect on your body. Using that knowledge, you can refine how often you perform your routines so that exercising doesn’t result in pain.
Asked 4 months ago
Orthotics & Crocs—a Match Made in Heaven
Most people find Crocs gentle and comfort-giving when worn on their feet for short periods. What may come as a surprise is that Crocs can give even more support when used with orthotics. Crocs have a deep insole and footbed, which makes them suitable for use with orthotics, particularly custom orthotics designed to fit the foot. Which Crocs Collections Are Recommended for Orthotics? While Crocs and orthotics make a great pairing, not all Crocs models are equally suitable. Just as there are different types of custom orthotics, there are different types of Crocs. You can use orthotics with the Crocs Rx collection instead of the Crocs retail collection. The Crocs Rx models are made from Croslite and aim to improve foot comfort. Examples include the Crocs Specialist Vent Clog, Crocs Women’s Neria Pro II Clog, and Crocs Rx Relief, which are all highly recommended by podiatrists. These Crocs enable optimal comfort and support. The Crocs Specialist Vent Clog has a wide toe box, a deep and soft insole, and proper arch support. Together with a custom orthotic, it will provide good shock absorption and reduce pressure on the heels.The Crocs Women’s Neria Pro II Clog has a soft, flexible sole, a cushioned memory insole, and arch support. Using orthotic inserts with this model makes it incredibly comfortable.The Crocs Rx Relief is ideal for people that spend a lot of time standing or walking. It's lightweight, very comfortable, and well recommended for use with orthotics. Conclusion While experts have conflicting opinions about Crocs, there are benefits of wearing crocs. Chief among these is improving foot comfort. When you pair the Crocs models with the appropriate orthotics, the potential for comfort skyrockets.
Asked 4 months ago
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