Yoga For Plantar Fasciitis: Heel Pain-Relieving Yoga Poses
The style of yoga or particular yoga for Plantar Fasciitis that stretches and strengthens the legs and feet can help reduce heel pain and even support faster healing of plantar fasciitis.
The only way to avoid Plantar Fasciitis is yoga. Of course, it will be difficult for some of you to believe this, but now scientific research has confirmed that yoga gives us benefits physically, mentally, and in respiration.
Keep Practice these positioning of your feet and knees for flexibility, strength, and mental clarity, and learn about how to maximize yoga for heel pain. Initially, you may experience an increase in pain but it will decrease with continuity.
Best Yoga for Plantar Fasciitis
Plantar fasciitis is one of the reasons that is believed to be the main cause of heel pain. Plantar fascia is the part of joint tissue that connects the bones of the ankles with the toes of our feet. This disease is often common but sometimes its complications make a person crippled.
Yoga is not just an exercise, but a science-based physical activity. In this, body, mind, and soul meet with each other. Yoga creates harmony between humans and nature along with foot pain and plantar fasciitis.
Heel Pain-Relieving Yoga Poses
1. Malasana (Garland Pose)
Malasana targets the fascia of the body to stretch, strengthen, and works to build up flexibility.
This asana makes legs, ankles, knees and thighs strong and flexible and removes the dirt present inside the body.
How To Do- Stand in Tadasana on yoga mats. Stretching the spine, pull the stomach inward. Take a few deep breaths while pulling the shoulders upwards and release. Bring both hands in the posture of Namaskar. Inflate the chest and keep it firm. Take a deep breath and release slowly. Sit down on your knees while exhaling. The legs will stay together but there should be a gap between the knees. Gently spread the thighs. Try moving the thighs slightly out of the width of the body. Breathing out, bend forward so that the torso fits between the thighs. Place both elbows on the inner thigh. Now the torso can be ejected comfortably. Press the inner thighs from the side of the torso. Spread the arms so that the calf fits in the armpit. Now hold your ankles. Hold this pose for a few seconds.
To know more about steps of Malasana and its benefits.
2. Vajrasana (Thunderbolt Pose)
By sitting in this posture, with the spine straight and the knees and heels relaxed, you can experience a sense of grounding and stability while also promoting flexibility in the lower body.
How To Do- Spread the yoga mat and sit in the normal posture. Now spread both your legs towards the front. Now bend your body weight to the left and slightly, bend your right leg from the knees, and put it under the right hip. And then on the same side, carrying the weight of your body, bend your left leg from the knees and put it under the left hip. Keep in mind that the paws of both your legs should be bent in such a way that you can rest your hips on them. There should be a difference between the two joints of the feet in such a way that the toes of the two toes touch each other. Now put the claws of both your hands on your knees. Both palms should be towards the knees. Keep the body upright by sitting in Vajrasana. Do not bend the waist and shoulders. Now take a deep breath through your nose.
To know more about Vajrasana (Hero Pose) and benefits
3. Adho Mukh Savasana (Downward-Facing Dog Pose)
Downward Facing Dog is an excellent yoga pose for strengthening the entire body, including the arms, shoulders, back, and legs. It helps to lengthen and stretch the muscles in the feet and calves, which can be beneficial for conditions like plantar fasciitis and heel stiffness. Additionally, it promotes spinal elongation and encourages proper alignment, while also engaging the core muscles.
How To Do- Sit on a clean, flat ground in a posture-covered Vajrasana. While inhaling, stand upright on your knees and open the knees and feet slightly. While exhaling, bend forward from the waist and rest the hands on the ground in such a way that all the weight of the body falls on the knees and hands. Open the fingers, keep the palm and fingers well stored on the ground. Turn the feet of the feet inwards. While exhaling, raise the knees above the ground and bring the body towards the sky from the middle. Try to move the last end of the spinal cord slightly upwards. Put the ankles back down on the floor. Keeping breathing normal, stop for 20 seconds, and come back while inhaling. Repeat 5-6 times as per your strength.
4. Tadasana (Standing Pose)
This is a yoga that protects the tissues by strength in the knee, fascia, and toes. the pose engage the muscles around the knees while also improving balance and stability. In the case of muscle strain, its use in the morning and evening is very beneficial in heel pain.
How To Do- To perform Tadasana, first, choose a clean and yoga mat. Now stand upright in a careful position on the mat, keep a stable body. Open the toes about 10 to 12 cm and keep the weight of the body equal on both legs. Now raise the two arms up in the sky by shaking the fingers of the hands or joining them. After this, pull the shoulders, chest, and arms towards the sky, ie Stretch the body upwards and stand on the toes of your feet, as shown in the image. Keep a stable and balanced body and keep the body taut without any movement. Keep breathing in and out and remain in this state for a few minutes i.e. one or one and a half minutes. It can be very difficult to do this asana in the initial time but success can be achieved with constant practice.
5. Utkatasana (Chair Pose)
This pose engages the muscles around the knees, ankles, and feet, which can help to improve stability and support for the entire lower body. The dynamic engagement required in Utkatasana can also promote circulation and movement of synovial fluid within the joints, which helps to nourish and protect them.
How To Do- Sit on the ground while straightening the waist. During this, keep the feet slightly away. Sit in a careful posture while keeping the head very straight. Now while pulling the breath up, try raising both legs upwards with the help of claws. Hold the hips at the ankles and keep the elbows at the knees. Stay in this position for a while and return to normal posture while exhaling lightly. It is considered best to do this yoga at sunrise.
6. Balasana (Child Pose)
Balasana, or Child’s Pose, can offer some relief for plantar fasciitis by gently stretching the muscles and tissues in the feet and calves.
How To Do- Sit on the floor on the ground or on the mat. Rest your hips on the heel or keep your weight on the ankles. During this, bend your waist forward and make the forehead hinges from the ground. Moving the palm forward, place it on the furs. During this, apply light pressure from your chest to your thighs. While doing so, almost part of your body rests on the thighs. You can do this asana for about 5 minutes. This benefits immensely in heel pain.
More Benefits of Balasana
7. Virbhadrasana (Warrior Pose)
This posture simultaneously strengthens the muscles of the foot, shoulders, thighs, and back. It is a good pose to create balance and stability.
How To Do- Start with Tadasana. Stand with your feet at the width of the hips and place your hands on your side. Let your thoughts settle. Now turn to your left. Stretch your legs apart while exhaling. There should be a distance of about 4 to 5 feet between the two legs. Bend your right leg at 90 degrees. Stretch your left leg inwards at a 45-degree angle. Align the back foot with the heel of your front foot. Put body weight on your left heel. Then, exhale while bending your right knee over your right ankle. Your calf should be straight with the floor. Now, spread your arms above your head and spread them towards the right and left sides.
See Simple steps for Virabhadrasana Yoga (Warrior Pose) and its more benefits
Conclusion
Plantar fasciitis can be quite painful, and incorporating yoga poses like the modified Garland Pose, Thunderbolt Pose, Chair Pose, and Child’s Pose can be beneficial in stretching and relieving tension in the fascia and muscles of the feet and legs.
Physical therapy can also be very effective in Plantar fasciitis, as it often involves targeted exercises to strengthen the muscles surrounding the foot and ankle, as well as techniques to improve flexibility and reduce inflammation.
