Yoga has long been known for its various therapeutic effects. Studies show that it is yoga’s capability to reduce and even prevent the pain associated with your body structure, your mind, your emotions, etc. Hence, taking up yoga is not only a way to maintain your fitness and look great but also to stay healthy. But how about your heel pain? Can it be alleviated by practicing plantar fasciitis yoga?
So, in order to find out whether Yoga can actually come in handy for those suffering from plantar fasciitis – or the heel pain, we should go first into finding out what plantar fasciitis actually is and the causes behind that. Then, we should move further into the mechanism through which yoga can tackle your pain.
What is plantar fasciitis?
As you may have heard, plantar fasciitis is the name of the sharp pain in the heel that one may often feel when he or she gets out of bed in the morning. However, do you know what really causes that kind of irritating pain?
The root of the pain lies in the ligament supporting your arches – the plantar fascia. When this ligament is overly strained, pain will consequently come to your feet. That explains why people who are on their feet quite often, for example athletes, may be more likely to experience plantar fasciitis than others. Plus, it is also easer for those who are born with deformed feet structure such as overly flat feet or high arches to suffer from plantar fasciitis.
Once you have plantar fasciitis, it may become really painful for you to take the first step in the morning. After you take a few more steps, the pain can gradually fade away. However, it always comes back after you stand up again after you enjoy a short period of sitting. What a nuisance!
Luckily, this annoying thing can be healed. People have a lot of options to deal with it. For instance, some may choose to go to the hospital and demand a surgery while some choose to take up some remedies right at home. One of most common way that you can cure yourself of plantar fasciitis is to apply appropriate stretching. And stretching does sound very much like yoga, right?
Can yoga come in handy?
The answer is yes. Definitely yes. Thanks to yoga, your body can go through a combination of passive and active stretching, which may eventually lead to the alleviation of your pain. In other to help you apply yoga in real life for plantar fasciitis, we would like to go recommend 3 poses of yoga suitable for plantar fasciitis patients.
1. Chair pose
Chair pose is often referred to as the Utkatasana. When you apply this pose, your thighs and ankles are strengthened. At the same time, it tones the muscles of your shoulders, hips, butt, back and the nervous system. One thing special about Chair pose is that it allows you to stretch your Achilles ligament and your shins. As a result of this, Chair pose proves to be really helpful for flat feet. Hence, if you happen to experience plantar fasciitis for you are born with flat feet, apply this yoga pose and you will feel much better. But how to pose Utkatasana?
You can consult the following clip for the detailed instruction. Make sure you get the exhale and inhale right for the best result.
2. Garland pose
You may hear people call this pose as the Squat pose or the Malasana. In general, when you pose Malasana, your body is kept in a squat position. It challenges the balance of your body. By doing this, it can stretch your ankles gently and support the tendon of your feet at the same time. Therefore, it can help a lot with your heel pain, especially in the case that you have overly flat feet, too tight tendon or unusual high arches. People who are overweight should practice this pose, too. Please note that being overweight also put you under greater risk of plantar fasciitis.
In order to pose Malasana in the right way, please follow this clip.
3. Downward Dog Pose
In fact, it is one of the most well-known of yoga poses all over the world. You may hear yoga people referring to it as the Adho mukha Svanasana: adho for downward, mukha for face and Svanasana for dog. As its name suggests, you are supposed to come onto your fours, which means that your body turns into a position somewhat like a table. By applying this pose, you straighten your elbows and knees. Consequently, the calf muscles and the entire plantar fascia are stretched, which means that your pain can be eased.
Follow this clip for step-by-step instruction on this pose: