If you have experienced plantar fasciitis in the past after a long run, you may wonder if there is anything you can do to prevent another flare-up to avoid the pain and discomfort the inflammation causes. If so, use the following tips to help keep yourself from going through plantar fasciitis again as you continue your running regimen.

1. Make Sure Your Shoes Support Your Arches

One way to help prevent future attacks of plantar fasciitis is to take a look at how well your shoes support your feet. If your shoes have an arch support that is too high or too low for your arch, the pressure and strain caused by the incorrect support will inflame your tendons. This may have even been one of the major causes of your previous flare-ups.

When you select your running shoes, make sure that the arch support firmly presses against your arches without pushing up on them. Also, walk around in the shoes, and pay attention to how they feel.

When trying on shoes, you also need to see if the shoes cause your feet to twist from one side or the other. If this happens, this is a sign that the shoes are not fully supporting your feet. If you have problems finding a running shoe that properly supports your feet, ask a podiatrist about being fitted for orthotic inserts.

2. Stretch Your Foot Thoroughly Before Running

Along with ensuring that you have proper shoes for running, another way to help decrease your risk of plantar fasciitis is to thoroughly stretch your foot each time before you go running. Stretching out the tendons helps loosen them up, making them less likely to tense up and become inflamed under the impact of your foot striking the ground.

To stretch your feet, start with calf raises that not only stretch your lower legs but also the tendons in your ankles and on the bottoms of your feet. Then, sit down, and pull your toes toward you and rotate each foot to fully stretch all of the tendons in your feet and ankles.

While using the above tips can help you prevent plantar fasciitis when you are a runner, you may still find that you have flare-ups occasionally that keep you off the running course and in agony. If so, make an appointment with a foot doctor clinic to discuss treatment options, as well as get personalized advice on preventing the condition in the future.