How To Use A Tennis Ball To Relieve The Pain Of Plantar Fasciitis

Thanks to its flexibility, a tennis ball can be our best ally in doing exercises and stretches to relieve and improve fasciitis plantar.

Fasciitis occurs when the fascia becomes inflamed, whether from overworking the muscle, poor stretching, or shoddy shoes. One can relieve the pain of plantar fasciitis through exercises using a tennis ball.

The role of the plantar fascia is to support and protect the tendon on the sole of the foot. Plantar fasciitis is also common in overweight or obese people, since the extra effort required generates micro-trauma in the tissues.

Most cases occur in adults between the ages of 40 and 70, but also early in athletes. Its main symptom is pain on the sole of the foot or heel. Although sometimes it extends to the ankle or toes.

The treatment is based on the consumption of analgesics and anti-inflammatory drugs but it can be supplemented with several stretching exercises.

The exercises  help relax and strengthen the affected muscles. In this article, we are going to share them with you in detail. Do not hesitate to practice them whenever you feel discomfort.

A massage while turning

Rolling your foot on a tennis ball is one of the best therapies to rehabilitate it and relieve pain.

This allows for massage and stretching with clean control to reduce the tension of plantar fasciitis.

How to do ?

• Sit on a chair with your back straight and put the sole of your foot on the tennis ball.
• Apply gentle pressure to it, pushing the foot towards the ground and making movements from the front to the back, from the toes to the heel.
• Then roll the ball for 30 seconds and repeat with the other foot.
• Do this twice a day, for three or four days, until the pain subsides.

Flexions

To stimulate the strength of the feet and support them, it is good to do exercises that work the flexibility of their muscles and tendons.

The following activity helps relieve the pain of plantar fasciitis, but also strengthens the soles of the feet, ankles and legs.

How to do ?

• Place the tennis ball against a wall and do a flexion stretch.
• Then put the ball on the upper part of the foot, keeping the heel on the ground.
• Lean your upper body against the wall to increase the stretch.
• Take three slow breaths, rest, and repeat 8 times.

Relaxation stretch

With this relaxation activity, you will be able to associate the work of breathing with the pressure on the tense areas. 

It is used to reactivate blood circulation and relieve the pain of plantar fasciitis.

With the pressure exerted on the ball, we perform a massage on the soft areas of the foot, to relieve the pain of plantar fasciitis.

How to do ?

• Take off your shoes, stand with one foot in front and on the ball.
• Press down on the pad between the arch of the foot and the toes, but keep the weight of the body resting on the hind leg.
• Maintain this posture, take a deep breath of air and then exhale, while putting the weight of the body on the front foot.
• Bend the knee a little, hold for 5 seconds and again press the body weight on the hind leg.
• Repeat the activity with both feet, up to 5 repetitions on each side.

The pressure point

You want to know more ? Read: Find out why you should put lemon peel on your feet before going to bed

Pressure point exercises focus on  relaxing the muscles in the lower part of the feet. 

We can then put the ball just below the area where the pain is concentrated.

How to do ?

• Put the tennis ball under the ball of the foot then press firmly for 10 seconds.
• Change the position ball to the upper or lower part of the foot and repeat the exercise.
• It is good to start at the points near the base of the toes and gradually move the ball up to the heel.

As you can see, a simple tennis ball can become the best tool for exercising and strengthening the feet.

In the event of a lesion, bunion or horn, this type of exercise can bring a feeling of relief even if other complementary treatments are advised.

Follow each of the instructions given here so as not to make the problem worse.