Pickleball Heel Pain: Overcoming Plantar Fasciitis Without Missing Court Time

You just started playing pickleball, have been getting better and more confident each week, and now you finally feel like you can play in competitive matches. Then the heel pain strikes.  You are forced to sit out and now you feel like your friends are leaving you behind.   After a few weeks of rest, the heel pain goes away, so you start playing again, but it just comes right back. You are frustrated looking for answers. 

You probably have plantar fasciitis, and you are one of many pickleball players, or court sport athletes to go through it.  Plantar fasciitis is especially common among pickleball players for a few reasons; The hard-court surfaces provide minimal to no absorption from repetitive impacts, the repetitive nature and quick lateral movements of pickleball place repeated stress on the plantar fascia, and if you are like most pickleball players you play multiple times a week.  These three things combined lead to a high rate of developing plantar fasciitis. 

But the good news is, you don't have to be sidelined forever.  Book an assessment with our Burlington Chiropractor and find out how they can help you. For an in-depth review of plantar fasciitis, click here.     

1. Intrinsic Foot isometric Holds

• Perform 5 repetitions, 5 second hold in each postion. Perform twice per day.
  
  
• Begin seated with your feet flat on the ground.
• You are going to press your big toe down into the ground, and at the same time you are going to lift your outer 4 toes off of the ground.
• Hold for 5 seconds
• Then you will press your outer 4 toes into the ground, and lift your big toe off of the ground.
• Hold for 5 seconds
• Repeat

    2. Standing Heel Raises

• Perform 3 sets of 10-15 Repetitions per day
  
  
• While standing on two feet, press down through the balls of your feet and raise your heels up off the ground.
• Hold for 1 second
• Slowly lower your heels back towards the ground.
• Repeat

    3. Towel Assisted Calf Stretch

• Perform 2x30 second holds, twice per day
  
  
• While sitting with your knee slightly bent, use a towel or belt, and wrap it around the ball of your foot
• Gently pull the towel upward, so that your toes move closer to your shin bone, and you feel a stretch on the back of your leg
• Hold for 30 seconds
• Repeat

Learn how the shape and structure of your foot, and your footwear could be causing your plantar fasciitis.