Do your heels hurt? Is the pain worst after sitting, or first step in the morning? When you step out of bed, do you have severe heel pain? Do you have trouble even walking to the bathroom? This condition is becoming more common and is seen in both men and women and usually has the diagnosis of Plantar Fasciitis.

With this condition becoming more common, home treatment options are important. In treating your Plantar Fasciitis, self treatment at home may be a good place to start.

- Stretching is an important part of any treatment for Plantar Fasciitis. Since the cause is a tight Achilles tendon (usually), aggressive stretching of this tendon should be done throughout the day. Remember, the plantar fascia is a ligament and doesn’t stretch, it only tears. Some common stretches include:

1. Calf stretch – Normal running stretch.

2. Stair stretch – Toes on edge of stairs, drop heels. (Count 10, stretch 3-4 times. Repeat throughout day).

3. Towel stretch – Place a towel (or exercise band) over the end of the toes prior to getting out of bed and pul the toes towards the nose.

Some specialized products may assist with stretching including the Pro-Stretch PS-100 or Therabands/Exercise Bands.

- Ice Massage is another great way to improve the pain and decrease swelling to the plantar fascia. This can be easily done with a frozen pop bottle or frozen water bottle. The foot is then rolled over this area to massage the plantar fascia and mobilize the swelling.

Other options include using a tennis ball, a golf ball or even a frozen foot roller. Further relief can be achieved with Biofreeze, especially in the roll-on form, since this allows the massage, the cold for swelling and the pain relief through the absorption of Ilex (a pain medication in Biofreeze).

- Anti-inflammatory Medications have also been shown to improve symptoms and alleviate pain. These can be ibuprofen (Motrin® or Advil®), Aleve® or prescription strength anti-inflammatory medications. Tylenol® will not reduce inflammation, and will therefore be less effective at alleviating the discomfort.

The Recommended dose of Motrin® for example is 200mg – 400mg every 6-8 hours. Higher doses (600mg – 800mg) may be utilized short-term, but should only be done under the direction of your Physician.

- Night Splints have also been shown to improve symptoms. It is designed to maintain the ankle and foot (ie the Achilles tendon and Plantar Fascia) in the stretched position allowing it to heal during the night. Usually the foot will relax when sitting or sleeping and the fascia will try to heal in the shortened condition again. Then each step reinjures the “healing” plantar fascia.

The biggest limiting factor of the night splint is how much it is worn. Many individuals will remove them in the night, due to discomfort. The splint can be anything from a cast boot to specially designed night splints. The Dorsal Night Splint has been shown to be very effective and more comfortable when wearing all night.

By Brandt R Gibson DPM

Now that the cold (and flu) season has arrived with a vengeance, many of us are looking for ways to stay healthier and if we are afflicted by the sniffles want to know how to fight a cold, so we stop it in it’s tracks. David Nieman, DrPH, FACSM of the American College of Sports Medicine points out that research has shown those who exercise moderately at least 45 minutes on four or more days of the week take 25-50% less time off work because of sickness.

“This reduction in illness far exceeds anything a drug or pill can offer,” Nieman says. “All is takes is a pair of walking shoes to help prevent becoming one of the thousands predicted to suffer from the common cold this winter.”

He also suggests you exercise before you get your flu shot this season. Research has shown that moderate levels of physical activity actually boost immunity in the long term.

Exercise is known to have two major benefits to the body:

- Builds up the immune system.

- Helps work infections out of the body.

What’s more, being active is something that all of us can do, in addition to good hand washing and avoiding (if you can) those who are obviously sick, to keep from getting a cold in the first place.

Rhinovirus (the common cold) can live on your skin, or any surface, for up to three hours, so disinfecting objects in your home or office that everyone uses is another great preventative step.

But what if you’re already sick? Is it better to skip the workout and head for the couch, or push yourself to go ahead?

Experts say that it depends on the severity of the illness. A head cold with a runny nose and sore throat shouldn’t be a problem when it comes to moderately intense exercises like walking – though you don’t want to overdo.

Anything more rigorous, like running, should be limited until your head clears and you can breathe more easily.

If you’re dealing with anything more serious than a head cold, stay in bed and forget the workouts for now.

Once an illness becomes systemic and goes to your chest, brings on extreme aches and pains or has you running a fever, exercise isn’t a good idea.

Swollen glands are also reason enough to take it easy for the day. If you do go ahead and exercise, don’t expect to be able to perform at your normal level – expect to be wiped out at the end of the session as well.

Once you’re feeling up to doing everyday things again, experts suggest letting a week or two go by before you get back to your workouts. This recuperation stage is important, and has a good deal of impact on how you bounce back.

Push things too soon and you’ll be wiped out and more prone to injury. Wait until you’re ready and you’ll feel good, and make steadier progress over the long haul.

Any illness more serious than a cold calls for your doctor’s okay before you start exercising again. Remember, don’t try to do too much, too soon; and take your time working up to where you were before.

The idea of exercise helping with colds fits in perfectly with the global initiative known as Exercise Is Medicine™ launched in 2007 by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and the American Medical Association (AMA).

The program was designed to get Americans to add physical activity and exercise into their daily routine, and calls on doctors to address a patient’s physical activity during every visit.

We are seeing more and more how exercise and being active are important to health (including how to fight a cold), both now and as we age, especially when it comes to the prevention and treatment of some of the most serious chronic diseases and perhaps the more common ones as well.

By Kirsten Whittaker