Ice versus Heat for Plantar Fasciitis

Ice can serve three purposes:

Immediately after injury 24-48 hours you will likely experience pain and swelling. The ice can help with both.
Even after 48 hours ice can continue to serve as a natural pain control method by numbing the area without medications.
Ice can also help with blood flow. When you ice an area the blood vessels initially contract. When you stop icing, the affected area warms up and encourages blood flow. This can be helpful to an area with poor blood
supply. Simple way to ice: Fill plastic water bottle 2/3 full of water and freeze. Merely roll
the bottle under the arch for 10 to 15 minutes. You get the benefit of ice and some massage.

Heat
Regular heat only penetrates a few millimeters into the skin and fascia. Infrared heat can penetrate 60 millimeters or 2.36 inches. Therefore, we are big advocates of using infrared heat. An excellent product is the big slipper or big shoe by Thermotex. You can slip both of your stocking feet in it while at the office or home. An alternative would be the Thermotex platinum model- which can be used on the feet, but also back, shoulder, knees, hips, etc. Use the links provided in the description of the video for a significant discount on all Thermotex products.
http://www.thermotex.com/bobandbrad