The Relationship Between Your Weight and Plantar Fasciitis
Most of us are carrying around a few extra pounds that we’d like to get rid of. We all know that maintaining healthy body weight is important, especially because that additional weight may be impacting your health in some surprising and unsuspecting ways.
Key Takeaways
- Carrying extra weight can lead to foot and heel pain, including the common condition of plantar fasciitis, due to the added stress on your feet, joints, and cardiovascular system.
- Maintaining a healthy body weight through exercise and sensible eating habits can help alleviate pressure on your feet and joints, as well as decrease the likelihood of developing plantar fasciitis.
- Wearing properly fitting shoes, such as those with KURUSOLE technology, can also help prevent plantar fasciitis and provide ideal arch support and protection for your feet.
What Weight Can Do To Your Feet
Your feet carry the brunt of your body weight every single day and with every step that you take. Most people average between 2000-4000 steps per day, which means that your feet are doing a very important and often thankless job.
When a person has a higher than healthy body weight, that extra weight is adding extra stress. Not just on your feet, either: being overweight also adds strain on your joints, such as your hips and knees, and your cardiovascular system.
One of the most common causes of foot and heel pain is the condition known as plantar fasciitis. Plantar fasciitis occurs when your plantar fascia, which is the thick band of tissue that runs along the bottom of your foot, becomes irritated and inflamed. The condition is extremely common in runners but is also seen frequently in folks who are middle-aged, overweight or spend a lot of time on their feet.
Obesity and pregnancy are also conditions where plantar fasciitis is more likely to develop because the additional weight overloads the plantar fascia.
Plantar fasciitis is caused by stretching the plantar fascia, causing tiny tears in the tissue. This leads to weakness, swelling, and pain that can range from mild to severe. Being overweight can add additional pressure on the arch of the feet, which can cause the plantar fascia to stretch, flatten out and tear more easily. The additional weight and pressure on your feet can also lead to ruptured tendons, weak ankle joints and a higher likelihood of developing diabetes.
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Get Moving
Staying active is a great way to avoid plantar fasciitis for several important reasons. When you exercise frequently, you are likely to maintain a healthy body weight which eases pressure on your joints, legs and feet. You are also generally more limber, which helps avoid plantar fasciitis as a result of tight calf muscles.
Be cautious as you exercise, however, as plantar fasciitis can also strike when you begin ramping up your workouts or if you have not warmed up thoroughly enough. Your Achilles tendon runs along the heel and connects to the calf muscles, so when you don’t stretch out and warm up thoroughly, it can not only lead to heel pain but arch problems and plantar fasciitis as well.
Eat Clean
A key aspect of maintaining a healthy body weight includes sensible eating habits. Eating small snacks throughout the day can help you avoid overeating at mealtimes, and snacking smart can help keep excess pounds at bay. Snacks that are packed with protein, such as hard-boiled eggs, nuts and cheese can keep you feeling full and energetic all day long and are easy to carry with you, whether you are on the road or connected to your desk.
Get The Right Support
Plantar fasciitis can also be a result of wearing shoes that are ill-fitting or worn out. If your shoes have seen better days, toss them out and invest in a new pair. Your health is worth it- and who needs an excuse to buy new shoes, anyway? Many fitness experts even recommend having several pairs of athletic shoes at your disposal, because switching out your shoes every couple of days allows your footwear to dry out, helping cut down on your risk of developing athlete’s foot.
Feeling the pain of plantar fasciitis? Discover relief in our comprehensive guide, featuring expert insights, exercises, and preventive strategies for effective management.
A healthy body is a result of a healthy lifestyle, which is made easier with a great pair of fitness shoes. KURU’s athletic footwear makes it easy to stay active because of the one of kind KURUSOLE technology that protects your feet while keeping you completely comfortable. Our shoes are designed to be more anatomically foot-shaped which gives you ideal arch support and protection. Fitness shoes from KURU also help ease pressure on your heels, thanks to our deep heel cup which squeezes dynamically inward as you move, cradling and cushioning your heel.
Don’t forget daily plantar fasciitis stretches to manually help your feet stay healthy and pain-free.
You can stay active and protect your health with every step that you take, whether it’s 2000, 4000, or even 10,000. Each day is a journey—begin yours with KURU.
No matter which activity you are wanting to do in your life, KURU has a shoe for you that will give you the support, comfort and style that your feet have been craving.
About Us
At KURU, we're on a mission to help you Heel Better™ with footwear technology designed to relieve foot pain, so you can live a life you love. Since launching our innovative technology in 2008, we’ve received more than 36,000 five-star reviews from thousands of customers who tell us their KURU shoes helped them get back to doing what they love.
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