Plantar fasciitis is an exercise-induced injury that can mess with your training. It can result from wearing worn-out shoes, having a tight Achilles tendon, and a range of different things, but are boots one of them? More specifically, can cowboy boots cause plantar fasciitis?
Scientific studies have shown that an elevated heel reduces tension and relieves pain in the plantar fascia (the tissue on the bottom of your foot). Some cowboy boots have an elevated heel, which is unlikely to cause plantar fasciitis.
What is Plantar Fasciitis?
Officer’s heel, plantar fasciitis, there are a lot of names for it. Don’t worry; you will not get fined for having this condition.On a more serious note, plantar fasciitis is also known as policeman’s heel. It is a pain in the heel caused by the inflammation of the plantar fascia, a thick band of tissue that runs along the bottom of your foot.
You can also think of the plantar fascia as a bowstring connecting the heel to the toes. It functions as a shock absorber and supporter for the foot, especially when you’re in motion.
Symptoms of plantar fasciitis are sharp, stabbing pains that are located on the bottom of the foot and heel, particularly in the morning after getting out of bed or after long periods of being on your feet, such as standing for long hours. As time progresses, you will be able to feel tenderness when pressing your thumb into your arch. This condition may come on gradually or suddenly. The pain can be mild to severe, and it can even radiate up toward your knee.
What causes Plantar Fasciitis?
Plantar fasciitis can be caused by many different things, including but not limited to these:
Pressure on the plantar fascia
If the strain on the plantar fascia in your foot is severe enough, it could lead to plantar fasciitis. Cowboy boots can help prevent this condition because of their shock-absorbing soles.
Substandard footwear
Footwear that is too flimsy or ill-fitted can cause plantar fasciitis. Unlike cowboy boots, which support your foot’s arch with raised heels and help prevent plantar fasciitis, low-quality shoes can tear the plantar fascia and lead to the condition.
Running or walking too much
If you work in an office and spend most of your day on your feet, you are at a higher risk of getting plantar fasciitis. When wearing regular shoes, your heel is abruptly pressed down as you walk, which causes the insoles of the shoes to rub and inflame the plantar fascia.
The elevated heels of cowboy boots will enable you to move faster, and their soft, cushioning insoles will definitely not irritate your plantar fascia.
Changes in movement
If you used to walk for three hours a day, but now walk for less or more than three hours, your plantar fascia might react by developing plantar fasciitis.
However, wearing cowboy boots with raised heels can help your plantar fascias quickly adjust to the new walking pattern by supporting them.
Are there some factors that make cowboy boots less effective at supporting the plantar fascia despite their elevated heels?
Although cowboy boots are unlikely to cause plantar fasciitis, some factors may reduce the ability of your cowboy boots to support your plantar fascia despite their raised heels.
These factors are:
Brand of boots
By purchasing from brands that have made a name for themselves, you can ensure you get the best product available.
When choosing cowboy boots, consider these brands.
Condition of boots
You might have a pair of cowboy boots that you love. You know they are worn out, but you just can’t bear to part with them.
By continuing to wear these boots and putting up with the discomfort, you’re sending a message to your plantar fascia that says, “I don’t care about you.” And that’s an invitation for plantar fasciitis.
Use of boots
Please tell me you’re not one of those people who wear riding boots for dancing or work boots for riding.
There are special cowboy boots for each activity. If you use your cowboy boots for things they weren’t meant for, you could end up with plantar fasciitis.
Can Cowboy boots help plantar fasciitis?
For people with plantar fasciitis, conventional shoes just don’t cut it. That’s why a lot of people who deal with this condition choose to wear cowboy boots, which have wide heels and are physically supportive of the foot muscles.
Better yet, these boots are designed to serve particular purposes. For example, walking boots are made to cushion the wearer’s feet as they stroll, thus easing the tension around the latter’s pedal anatomy during that activity. If there’s anything that helps chase plantar fasciitis away faster, it’s wearing task-appropriate footgear.
So, if returning your traumatized feet to peace and joy counts as helping, then yes, cowboy boots can help with plantar fasciitis.
What helps to relieve the pain of plantar fasciitis?
Don’t stand, sit or walk for long periods
If you stand, sit or walk for an extended period and then abruptly switch to another form of movement (e.g., running), especially if your body is already fatigued, you may feel a painful tightening in the heel of your foot.
Thus, one way to relieve pain from plantar fasciitis is to not remain in the same position for too long.
Stretch your arches
The best way to relieve plantar pain is to stretch your arches and massage them. This will lessen the pressure on your plantar fascia and hasten your recovery.
When I suffered from plantar fasciitis, my doctor recommended that I use a golf ball to massage the bottom of my foot. After a couple of weeks of using the golf ball, the plantar fasciitis was gone.
Stay away from worn-out or substandard shoes.
If you have plantar fasciitis, you will want to purchase supportive shoes to help your plantar fascia. It would be best if you did not skimp on the cost of quality and comfortable footwear; do not settle for less support than is needed, and do not buy shoes that do not fit well.
Put some ice on your heel
For some people, ice is a lifesaver in easing pain. Plantar fasciitis is one of those conditions that respond well to ice and other treatments. When you feel a stabbing pain shoot through your foot, apply some ice to the affected area to help relieve your discomfort.
Change the sport you engage in
If you’re suffering from plantar fasciitis, and play tennis often, try substituting tennis for volleyball. Lawn tennis has many similarities to volleyball, but it also has its own distinct rules and equipment. You might find that your plantar fasciitis improves if you switch to a different sport.
Keep a healthy weight
To relieve the pain of plantar fasciitis, you want to keep a healthy weight. This can be achieved through eating healthy and exercising. There are specific exercises that would not only help to relieve your plantar fasciitis but also aid in its healing. Engage in these:
Ice baths
Ice baths are considered one of the best ways to treat plantar fasciitis because they reduce inflammation in the tissues, such as ligaments and muscles. The cold temperature numbs the nerves, reducing pain signals sent to your brain. Soak for 15 minutes every day for two weeks or until your symptoms resolve completely.
Calf raises
Stand on an elevated surface (for example, stairs) with your feet together, and raise onto your toes by flexing your calf muscles until they are fully contracted. Hold for a few seconds, then slowly lower yourself until your heels are flat on the ground again. Perform three sets daily.
Stretching
You need to stretch your calf muscles. They are the ones that support your feet and help in walking. When they are stretched, they get flexible and strong enough to bear your body weight without causing any harm to your feet or ankles, which usually happens when you walk or run.
Stretching also helps stimulate blood flow into the area around the heel, which helps in reducing inflammation, as well as allowing oxygenated blood to reach all parts of the foot so that healing can take place faster than usual.
A simple exercise that will help stretch out your calf muscles is sitting on a chair in an upright but relaxed posture, with both legs resting on the floor. Place a resistance band or towel underneath the ball of the foot of the leg you’re about to stretch. Hold both ends of the towel in your hands, then pull upward slowly. You should feel the calf muscles “stretch.” Maintain this position for a couple of seconds. Switch legs and repeat.
Final Answer: can Cowboy Boots cause plantar fasciitis?
No, cowboy boots do not cause plantar fasciitis. Cowboy boots have vast toe boxes, making them ideal for plantar fasciitis sufferers. In addition, they are extremely firm (due to the fact that they are made from solid leather) and do not compress the foot due to their elevated heel.
Therefore, when purchasing new shoes, it is best to look for quality supportive shoes with wide tongues (this will prevent your foot from slipping forward in your shoe) and a raised heel. If you have avoided cowboy boots until now because of your diagnosis of plantar fasciitis, we hope that this article will change your mind about cowboy boots and lead you to discover just how comfortable they can be.