It’s estimated that every year 6 million people in the UK will go down with Plantar Fasciitis. For some, it’s just a mild foot pain that wears off after a short but, for others, it’s one of the most painful experiences they’ll ever have. So what is Plantar Fasciitis?
The Plantar is a ligament which stretches from the ball of the foot to the heel. It’s like a piece of elastic which is connected to the small bones in the bottom of the foot and pulls them together to create the arch. The arch of the foot is important because it acts as shock absorber to the skeleton. As we walk we push down on the arch and it ‘gives’, which helps reduce the impact on the joints, in particular the knees and hips. When we push down on the arch the bones spread and the plantar stretches. As we lift our foot, the plantar contracts and pulls the bones back into position in time for the next step.
The problem is that our foot evolved over thousands of years of walking around in bare feet on grass, sand and soil. When we walked around on those surfaces, because they aren’t naturally flat, they would have sat under the arch, giving it some support as we walked along. However, nowadays we spend most of our lives in shoes walking around on flat surfaces both in the workplace and in the street. Even in our homes most people taken out carpets and have replaced them with wooden floors, laminate and tiles. Now there is nothing to give the arch support so, as we walk, the arch is being pressed down too far, the ligament is over-stretched and at some point – I tears.
The tear can be very slight, so slight that you mightn’t even feel it, it’s when you sit down and rest – and then stand up – that the pain takes hold. This is because, as you’re resting, the tears are trying to heal. When you stand up you’re putting weight on the arch, pushing down on the ligament, stretching it and ripping open the tissue which is trying to mend. It’s like getting a cut on your hand and, as the cut starts to heal, you rip the scab off. Putting the healing process back to square one. And ironically, the longer you rest, the more the healing process is taking place and so the greater the pain when you stand up. And that’s why getting out of bed on a morning can be exceptionally painful for most people.
This is where orthotics, or foot supports can help because an orthotic will give some level of arch support. Orthotics can be made from a variety of materials including hard plastic, rubber, foam or leather. However, unless the orthotic has been especially moulded for your foot, then the support is limited. Off the shelf orthotics are made for the ‘average’ foot, which is ok if you have an average foot. Unfortunately the majority of people don’t, which is why, for most people, they give little or no support.
So why do Sole Mates insoles work when others don’t?
Sole Mates are a liquid filled orthotic. They act in a similar way to a waterbed. Fluid has no shape, so when you stand on the insoles, it moulds to the shape of your foot. They act in a similar way to pouring jelly into a mould. As you stand on the insole, pressure from the ball and the heel, pushes the fluid into the gaps, in particular the arch, giving it amazing support. This is because it’s your body weight which is creating the pressure on the fluid, it means that the arch has the same support under it as the pressure that is pushing down on it. The result is that the plantar ligament is no longer being over stretched and, in vast majority of cases the pain relief is immediate.
However, the benefits don’t stop there. Because the insoles constantly support the ligament, when you rest and stand up, the fluid immediately pushes into the arch and prevents the ligament from further damage. If placed in slippers next to the bed and put on BEFORE, you stand up, they prevent the ligament re-tearing, enabling the healing process to continue. This process is further enhanced by the massaging affect that the fluid in the insoles creates as you walk, which increases the blood flow to the foot and lower leg. The benefits provided by the insoles is so significant that, if used as directed, they will usually cure Plantar Fasciitis in about 4 to 6 weeks.
How confident are we? We offer thirty-day money-back guarantee. If the insoles don’t give you’re the support and pain relief you need – simply send them back for a full refund. You won’t get that kind of guarantee from the well-known brands.