The Strassburg Sock is used to treat Plantar Fasciitis, Achilles Tendonitis, Heel Pain and Tight Calf Muscles. 

The device consists of a tubular knit material that fits “over the calf” with 2 attached adjustable straps to maintain the foot in a neutral to slightly stretched position. When worn at night the device will apply a force which results in the reduction and/or elimination of the pain felt during those first steps in the morning.

Learn more about this special sock from this Strassburg Sock review.

The Strassburg Sock is sold individually and available in two sizes:

Regular: Fits calf size up to 16 inches
Large: Fits calf size 16 to 21 inches

(Measure AROUND calf at the widest point.)

Click here to order a Large sized Strassburg sock.
Click here to order a Regular size Strassburg sock.

I have tried all kinds of treatments for my plantar fasciitis but using the Strassburg Sock seems to be working well for me. If you suffer from plantar fasciitis, heel pain, heel spurs, tight calves or achilles tendonitis this is an inexpensive treatment that I totally recommend.

The Strassbug sock is different from other types of night boots, braces or splints as it does not lock your ankle into one position. It does keep your foot in a neutral position (almost 90° angle) but it is much more comfortable than wearing other types of mechanical devices such as a night brace, especially while sleeping.

This sock is made of a white knit material. It looks just like a tube sock, extending up your leg and over the calf. There are two straps attached to the sock. These straps are used to keep the foot in a slightly neutral position and is worn while you are in a resting position, sitting down or sleeping.

The Strassburg Sock (1 per package) comes in two sizes, Regular and Large. The regular size strassburg sock fits on legs where the calf measures up to 16 inches. The large size fits on calfs sized 16-21 inches. To determine the best size, measure your calf around its widest point.

I found this sock to be mostly comfortable. The only real problem that I had with it was that it felt a bit tight around the calf. However, it did not deter me from using the sock and getting some relief from my pain.

Are you ready to give the Strassburg sock a try? 

Remeber to measure your calf before placing your order to make sure you get the correct size.

Click here to order a Large sized Strassburg sock.
Click here to order a Regular size Strassburg sock.

Years of walking and running can wear down our feet, and can be hard on our heels. Likewise, poor circulation, improperly trimmed toenails, disease and tight fitting shoes all contribute to pain in the heel.

Massage with water 
This treatment is ideal for any type of foot or heel pain and only needs a container of hot and cold water. Here’s what you do:

1. Soak your foot for 5 minutes in cold water
2. Move the foot to a container of hot water of a tolerable temperature. The temperature of the water should not be cool or even lukewarm.
3. Soak the foot in the hot water for 5 minutes
4. Return to the cold water

Repeat the procedure until the pain is gone. This process has a massaging effect that revitalizes feet by opening and closing blood vessels.

It is also a great idea to rub moisturizing lotion into your feet before getting into bed. The lotion makes feet easier to massage and therefore bring relief faster.

Put some heat on your feet
Using ointments enriched with capsaicin, an active natural ingredient in hot peppers also helps in relieving foot pain. These products are excellent in cooling the pain caused by burning feet particularly for diabetes patients. Initial application of the ointment may cause some burning sensation for many people, but when used regularly, the burning effect is likely to lessen.

Moreover, people who been using the capsaicin in treating their burning feet have experienced great improvement and were able to walk more easily compared to those using other types of creams. Best of all, since these are topical medicine, patients tend to avoid a lot of side effects that usually happen when taking pills.

Most ointments are available over the counter, however it is important to talk with your doctor before you begin, as this type of therapy is not right for everyone.

Avoid high-heeled shoes
For recreational walkers and runners it is important to temporarily lower how much you’re walking or running when you’re about to use brand new shoes. This will help you to eliminate many of the break-in pains. Advances in shoe development have made modern athletic footwear much less likely to cause a problem than ever before.

Stretch out your calf
Stretching the heel cord at the back of the foot can relieve heel pain. Start by:

1. Standing three feet away from a wall, place your hand on the wall.
2. Lean in to the wall, bringing one leg forward and bending at the elbows.
3. Keep your back leg straight with the heel on the floor and then gently stretch the calf muscle.
4. Repeat for the other foot

Buy shoes that fit the shape of your feet
Shoe size is considered to be the most important aspect in buying shoes — but the shoe shape is equally important. You read it right; the shape of the shoe is also an important factor to consider.

There three basic foot shapes — curved, slightly curved and straight. Although, there may be some variations, generally those individuals with high arches need a curved shoe; those with flat feet need a straight shoe and those who have neither flat or high arches need a slight curve. In this video, Dr. Oz talks about foot types.

When buying running or walking shoes it is best to select shapes that fit the curve of the arch on the inner side of the foot.

Click here for a resource with more information to heal your foot pain.

The 5 Minute Plantar Fasciitis Solution is a 96 page book that is quick, simple and easy to read. While it centers around a five minute treatment program that can easily be done at home, it actually provides more than that. As they say, information is the best cure there is for anything else. And that is basically what this book does. The 5 Minute Plantar Fasciitis Solution provides detailed explanation about plantar fasciitis, its symptoms, why it happens, when it happens, who it usually happens to and more. Then, after you get through all the nitty–gritty (but essential) parts, it then presents to you a simple and easy to do way of eliminating it. The 5 Minute Plantar Fasciitis Solution is true to its name. It’s simply a program that you can do within five minutes of each day – and it’s all natural and does not need any drugs, surgery or expensive equipment. This solution has been found to be effective in 94% of all recorded cases.

The author of the book, Jim Johnson, presents all the content in simple form, which means you don’t have to swim through medical jargon page after page. His years of experience as a physical therapist have enabled him to work with patients of varying mobility and pain problems. He is also certified by the American Physical Therapy as clinical instructor – and currently teaches physical therapy students all around the country while saving mankind from excruciating heel pain. The book is basically the only thing you need when you want to treat plantar fasciitis. He’s done all the research and all you have to do is read.

The 96 page book can easily be finished in one sitting – which means that after reading it, you can easily start using the knowledge you have garnered to finally rid yourself of pain in the plantar fascia forever!

Read more about the 5 Minute Plantar Fasciitis Solution

Eli Manning, Quarterback of the New York Giants was diagnosed with Plantar Fasciitis in early October, 2009. Plantar fasciitis is the inflammation of the plantar fascia, a tissue which runs along the bottom of the foot. This inflammation began during the Giants game versus Kansas City.

Plantar fasciitis is not a totally debilitating injury, however pain to the foot along the heel area can be strong. To some it feels like knives are stabbing into the heel, and to others it might feel like a bruised heel.

Plantar fasciitis is a common occurance to athletes and people who stand on their feet for long periods of time. It is also common among heavier people, people who are flat footed or do not wear the appropriate shoes for their feet.

Several other football players have sustained problems with plantar fasciitis in recent times. Some of them include Tank Johnson of the Ravens, Clinton Portis of the Washington Redskins and Antrel Rolle of the Cardinals,  among others.

Rest, ice, stretching and exercises are all part of the healing process for plantar fasciitis. One other plantar fasciitis treatment that a lot of athletes use is to tape the foot.

Those who have been diagnosed with Plantar Fasciitis or have heel pain know how painful this condition can get. There are several different ways you can treat this condition and get good results. However there is one thing to remember, every treatment will not work for everyone. So just try them out and see how your heel pain feels using the following plantar fasciitis treatment options. Also, a treatment should be tried over a period of time, for sure it will not make your plantar fasciitis disappear over night.

1. Rest

This one is quite obvious. Rest, Rest and more Rest….The less you use your foot the more time the inflammation has to heal.

2. Ice

One of the best things you can do for your foot when your plantar fasciitis is acting up is to massage it with ice. This is very simple to do. Take a plastic water bottle, fill it and freeze it.

Once frozen, place it under your foot and slowly roll it from the heel to your toes. Do this for about 10-15 minutes a few times a day.

3. Streches/Exercise

There are a few essential exercises/stretches you should do to heal and also prevent future occurances of plantar fasciitis.

The first one that I use is to stretch out my toes. I stand with the affected foot on the toes and bend them back. This stretches under the toes and the bottom of the foot. Essentially this bends the toes upwards. You can also perform this stretch while sitting using your had to pull the toes upwards.

 The next stretch is to the calf muscle. Stand facing a wall with your hands on the wall at about eye level. Put the leg you want to stretch about a step behind your other leg.Keeping your back heel on the floor, bend your front knee until you feel a stretch in the back leg. Hold the stretch for 15 to 20 seconds. Repeat 4 times.

IMPORTANT: Be sure to keep your back heel on the floor.

The third recommended stretch is the towel stretch.  Place a rolled towel under the ball of your foot, holding the towel at both ends. Gently pull the towel toward you while keeping your knee straight. Hold this position for 15 to 30 seconds, and repeat 2 to 4 times.

 This will also stretch your calf muscle.

 4. Anti-inflammatory painkillers/Joint Creams

Any of the common anti-inflammatory painkillers will help to relieve some pain. Keep in mind this alone will not solve the problem and make the pain permanently dissappear. It will however make it a little more bearable. Some people have adverse reactions to taking too much anti-inflammatories. You might want to consider a natural alternative.

Joint & Muscle Pain Cream

Pain Relief Complex

5. Orthotics/Insoles/Heel Cups

 There are all kinds of orthotics, insoles and heel cups available. These devices range from inexpensive to very expensive. Orthotics are usually custom made and molded to your feet. They are made to be put into your shoe to offer the most comfortable fit.

Insoles usually can be purchased in most drug stores, shoe stores and online. They are usually pretty inexpensive. They are also made to be placed into your shoe and can be moved from shoe to shoe. They are not customized to your own feet but do make a difference.

Heel cups are similar to insoles, but are just made to fit on your heel within your shoe. They are used to support your heel and protect it from further damage.

6. Night Brace

Braces for Plantar Fasciitis work by keeping your foot flexed at night so that your calf muscle does not have time to shorten and therefore tighten the plantar fascia. When this does happen, the pain you feel in your heel each morning when taking your first few steps occurs because the plantar fascia had time to tighten, and now walking on it, it must be stretched again.

7. Specialized Shoes

The right shoes make all the difference in the world. Wearing supportive shoes that have the proper arch support and a slightly raised heel reduces stress on the plantar fascia.

Here is a recent article that I came across which discusses the use of Shock Wave Therapy for plantar fasciitis treatment. This therapy is a non-invasive alternative to surgery and seems to have great success.

Suffering for months with Plantar Fasciitis, Eli Manning, one of the NFL’s star quarterbacks, continues to struggle with the intense pain as a result of Plantar Fasciitis (PF). According to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons almost one of every six Americans (51 million) suffers from this injury commonly known as ‘Heel Spur Syndrome’ or heel spurs.

“Week-end sports warriors that continually use their injured foot can rupture the foot ligament and could eventually lead to permanent disability,” warns Dr. David Zuckerman, the country’s foremost medical expert on treating Plantar Fasciitis with Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy. “If Eli Manning continues to wear cowboy boots as a treatment for Plantar Fasciitis in his present condition, it could cause his Achilles tendons to shorten permanently, thus causing other pain and disabilities.”

Foot and ankle medical specialists traditionally treated this painful ailment with physical therapy, especially stretching exercises, immobilization devices, drug treatments and, if all else failed, surgery. In the early ’90s, Dr. Zuckerman sought to change all that. A leading heel pain specialist in minimally invasive surgery, he began to experiment with Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy (ESWT), slowly replacing traditional heel surgery in chronic cases of Plantar Fasciitis, with amazing results.

He wanted to eliminate the pain associated with Plantar Fasciitis and even minimal invasive surgery. Passionate about ESWT, he discovered that this procedure’s application, in over 90% of all cases, reduced or eliminated foot pain. These statistics were confirmed in later years by FDA studies. His pioneering work soon attracted the attention of major hospitals, clinics and the medical community.

Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy (ESWT) is an 18-minute non-surgical procedure used to cure chronic Plantar Fasciitis, Achilles tendonitis, tennis elbow, shoulder tendonitis and other tendinopathies. It forces the body to create new cells in damaged areas without surgery.

In 2001, Dr. Zuckerman along with Denise Ashcraft, founded Excellence Shock Wave Therapy, a training and equipment provider, based in Woodstown, N.J. To date, they have trained over 500 physicians and surgeons affiliated with major hospitals and medical clinics based in the Northeastern part of the U.S. including Dr. Steven Sheskier, orthopedic surgeon, foot and ankle consultant to the NY Rangers, and Dr. Lee Cohen, podiatric consultant for the Philadelphia Eagles.

Dr. Sheskier points out, “ESWT is a viable medical treatment alternative because there is no downtime to treatment as opposed to surgery that can take months for recovery. It is a highly effective treatment for professional sports figures.”

In a recent telephone interview, Dr. Cohen stated, “We have found ESWT to be a successful treatment for our athletes who have suffered from chronic Plantar Fasciitis.” To date, over 10,000 patients have successfully been treated by Excellence Shock Wave Therapy.

An avid jogger for almost 20 years, Dan Cunning suddenly experienced severe pain on his left foot. It was September 2008. “The pain got progressively worse,” said the 36-year old N.J. State trooper and resident of New Jersey’s Woolwich Township. He risked losing his job which required an annual physical training exam.

“I heard about Dr. Zuckerman’s work through my sister-in-law,” stated Trooper Cunning, who sought his medical help. “After my first and only ESWT treatment that took place in his office, there was immediate pain relief.” After 6 months, Dan was pain free and to this day still jogs without any painful effects.

Dr. Zuckerman recommends that everyone should wear good shoes that cushion the heel, have a stiff arch and allow flexion at the ball of the foot. He also emphasizes stretching exercises. He cautions that standing or bending on your toes or up on your heel for long period of time can cause Plantar Fasciitis. He urges treadmill users to cross train with other aerobic exercises to help prevent this painful condition. He warns, “If you suspect you have Plantar Fasciitis, you should see a podiatrist right away. This is not a condition to ‘work through’ the pain.”

Practicing medicine for over 29 years, Dr. Zuckerman is recognized as one of the pioneers and the foremost expert in ESWT in the United States. He developed the Achilles tendon protocol for the Dornier Epos Ultra. Patients from around the world, with long term heel pain, come to receive Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy from him. He also lectures to the medical communities around the country and in France about his medical discoveries. He has appeared on WABC TV New York, FOX’s Channel 17 and NBC’s channel 10 in Philadelphia and was featured in many articles including DEUCE Magazine.

Dr. Zuckerman, an expert on Plantar Fasciitis, is available for TV, Radio and print interviews.

Read our other posts on plantar fasciitis treatments and stretching exercises.