Why You Get Plantar Fasciitis in the Summer

With warm, sunny weather comes more ways to get outside and be active. Unfortunately, summer is also a time when people experience more foot pain. If you have heel pain in summer, a common foot condition known as plantar fasciitis might be the cause. PowerStep® orthotic insoles and summer sandals for plantar fasciitis relieve and prevent pain, so you can enjoy your summer with healthy, pain-free feet.

Why is plantar fasciitis more common in the summer?

Plantar fasciitis happens when the ligament that connects your toes to your heel bone becomes inflamed either from tearing or excess stress. It is also the cause of most individuals’ summer foot pain.

A 2022 study revealed that the terms “plantar fasciitis” and “heel pain” were searched on Google more in the summer months versus the winter months across several countries. Along with past studies on the same topic, these summertime peaks suggest that plantar fasciitis can be seasonal with people experiencing it more often in summer.

Several factors may cause your plantar fasciitis to flare up in the middle of summer. From underlying health conditions like rheumatoid arthritis to causes of plantar fasciitis you can control like wearing the right shoes, plantar fasciitis can worsen in the summer due to:

• Being more active: People are more active in summer as they try new workout routines, take daily walks, play outdoors with the kids, or start training for 5ks. This influx of repetitive activity can put stress on your heels and feet, causing inflammation and pain.
• Wearing shoes with no support: Popular summer shoes like flip flops lack support and cushioning. Along with going barefoot, wearing unsupportive shoes puts strain on the joints, muscles, and tendons in your feet. The best summer shoes for plantar fasciitis should have sufficient support for your arches.
• Standing for long hours: Some summer jobs or hobbies like road construction, seasonal retail, and hiking require long hours of being on your feet. Standing for a long time puts too much strain on the heels and causes aching pain.
• Wearing high heels: Summer is a great time to show off those peep toe pumps, open-toed sandals, and espadrille wedges. However, wearing high heels puts pressure on the bottoms of your feet and can cause both plantar fasciitis as well as ball of foot pain.
• Being overweight: If you waited for the summer to start your weight loss journey, you might be at a higher risk for developing foot pain. Being overweight puts more pressure and stress on your arches when working out but wearing an athletic insole with arch support can help.

How Summer Weather Affects Plantar Fasciitis Symptoms

The symptoms of plantar fasciitis range from dull discomfort to sharp, burning pain around the heel and arch. You might feel this when you first get out of bed in the morning, when standing for a long time, or after sitting for a while then standing up. The pain usually feels worse after exercise. If left untreated, your plantar fasciitis pain can outlast your summer, leading to long term discomfort.

Temperature & Plantar Fasciitis Pain

Weather and temperature can affect your musculoskeletal system and may irritate your plantar fasciitis. While causes of foot pain in warmer weather are more behavioral based, like the activities you do or the shoes you wear, painful feet in winter could have another explanation.

In cold weather, the tendons, muscles, and other connective tissues in your feet can become rigid and shrink, pulling on sensitive nerves or joints and causing pain especially if you have arthritis or gout. If you get plantar fasciitis pain in the summer, it's best to treat it before it gets worse.

Treatment Options

Despite plantar fasciitis being more common in the summer, you can treat your pain and get back to the activities you love with PowerStep. As the #1 podiatrist recommended brand of orthotic insoles for plantar fasciitis, we've put that same trusted support in our orthotic sandals with arch support to help relieve and prevent pain. Here’s how you can relieve your summer foot pain:

• Stretch: Make daily foot stretches a part of your normal routine and include your calves, Achilles tendons, and toes. Stretching your feet with the UltraFlexx Foot Rocker can help improve flexibility, strengthen the ligaments in your feet, and prevent injury and pain.
• Wear orthotics: Orthotic insoles for plantar fasciitis provide arch support while redistributing pressure to alleviate pain and prevent further damage. Our PowerStep Pinnacle insole features our patented arch support with premium cushioning, stability, and motion control to limit excess stress and relieve pain.
• Wear shoes with support: When choosing summer shoes for plantar fasciitis, make sure they have enough support. Either add a plantar fasciitis insole or opt for orthotic sandals like PowerStep® ArchWear™ sandals and slides. Our orthotic sandals for men and women’s sandals are stylish and comfortable, so you can break free from foot pain from flip flops.
• Take a pain reliever: Over-the-counter pain relievers help reduce inflammation, but natural topical pain relievers like Doctor Hoy’s offer safe, clean, and effective relief from plantar fasciitis, joint pain, arthritis, and more.
• Apply hot/cold therapy: Icing the arch and heel can reduce inflammation and help alleviate pain. The PowerStep Hot/Cold Therapy Wrap is easy to use for fast plantar fasciitis pain relief, adding compression with a soothing cold or warm sensation.
• Use a night splint: Keeping the plantar fascia stretched overnight can aid in healing and relieve morning foot pain. The UltraStretch Night Sock (also known as a Strassburg Sock) provides a comfortable, gentle stretch to your foot to help speed up recovery and alleviate pain.

Prevent & Relieve Plantar Fasciitis with PowerStep

Don’t let painful feet ruin your summer plans. Instead, stay active and have the most fun in the sun with PowerStep orthotic insoles and summer sandals with arch support. With PowerStep, you can experience relief from plantar fasciitis all year round and enjoy your favorite summer activities without worrying about recurring pain.

References:

Is Plantar Fasciitis More Common in the Summer? (2021, June 7). Central Texas Foot Specialist.

Why is Plantar Fasciitis More Common in Summer? (2019, August 12). The Foot & Ankle Center of Maryland.

Can Weather Affect Heel Pain? // Texas Foot and Ankle Center. (2022, January 6). Txfac.com.

Hwang, S.-M., Kim, S., & Hwang, S.-H. (2022). Seasonal Variation for Plantar Fasciitis: Evidence from Google Trends Search Query Data. Healthcare, 10(9), 1676.