Pain underneath the heel when getting out of bed in the morning is the most common feature of a condition known as plantar fasciitis. The most appropriate terminology for this problem is up for debate, but one thing is clear, it can make you feel twenty years older when you get out of bed in the morning. What a miserable way to start the day!
So why is your heel so sore when you get out of bed in the morning? Before answering this question, I need to give you a basic understanding of what the plantar fascia is and the vital role it plays in helping us to move.
The plantar fascia is a thick band of connective tissue underneath our feet. It originates from the heel and inserts around the 1st - 5th toe joints. The plantar fascia supports our arches and assists us to push off via our big toe joints.
Your plantar fascia lengthens when your foot contacts the ground and shortens as you progress towards pushing off via your big toe joint.
When the plantar fascia is irritated, stiffness tends to develop when you're off your feet. The longest time most people are off their feet is when they're in bed at night. Applying your body weight to your stiff plantar fascia when you get out of bed in the morning hurts!
Is this a sign that your plantar fascia has worn out, torn or become weaker? No! Your plantar fascia is just less tolerant of lengthening and shortening under load until it warms up. Most people can tell us exactly how many painful steps they experience before their plantar fascia warms up.
The good news is that you won't suffer when getting out of bed forever. This issue will resolve when your plantar fascia injury heals. There is also something you can do about it until this happens. Check out this blog post to find out about the simple exercise that will reduce the severity and duration of your heel pain when getting out of bed in the morning. It only takes 30 seconds to complete!
If you're sick of heel pain and ready to get some help, contact us or book an appointment online today.
Author: Shaun Bergin