CBD & Plantar Fasciitis: Can CBD Help Heal Your Foot Pain?

How does your foot hurt? Let us count the ways. Stabbing. Burning. Aching. Numbing. Swelling. Tingling.

If you nodded along in agreement, then you might be suffering from plantar fasciitis.

Those who have this common foot condition know all too well the pain that comes with it. The aching can make standing or walking unbearable.

How can you reduce that pain and get back to enjoying your life? One potential solution is CBD oil.

Check out how CBD might help you put your best foot forward.

Plantar Fasciitis Defined

Let's get our footing on this (pun intended). Before we discuss whether CBD can help with plantar fasciitis, it's important to understand what the condition is.

If you've never heard of it, we'll save you the Google search: Plantar fasciitis is an inflammation of the connective tissue on the bottom of your foot.(1) It's one of the most common causes of heel pain.

The pain gradually develops over time, and is often worse in the morning or after long periods of rest.

Symptoms Of Plantar Fasciitis

Plantar fasciitis often looks like:(2)

• Stabbing pain that starts in the heel
• Sharp pain when you take your first steps in the morning or after sitting for a long time
• Pain that worsens after spending time long periods of time on your feet

Plantar Fasciitis Causes

Why does plantar fasciitis develop? There are a few things that can increase your chances of getting plantar fasciitis, including:(2)

• Obesity or being overweight
• Older age
• Pregnancy
• Wearing high heeled shoes
• Being a runner
• Structural foot problems like flat feet or high arches

These risk factors can lead to an overstretching of the plantar fascia ligament — causing intense pain.

Treatment For Plantar Fasciitis

There are a variety of treatments for plantar fasciitis, including:(3)

• Resting your foot
• Icing and anti-inflammatory meds
• Corticosteroid injections
• Physical therapy
• Shock wave therapy
• Surgery

The treatment recommended by your doctor will depend on the severity of your plantar fasciitis. If the pain isn't too bad, resting and icing might be enough.

If the pain is more severe, you might need medication or physical therapy.

In some cases, your doctor may recommend surgery. Though this is often considered last because it may cause other complications like chronic pain and nerve damage.

How CBD May Benefit Plantar Fasciitis

Now that we know a little more about plantar fasciitis, the question is — can CBD help?

There isn't much research on CBD and plantar fasciitis specifically, but there's a lot of research on CBD and pain.

From what we can tell, there's a good chance that CBD could help reduce inflammation and pain in people with foot pain conditions like plantar fasciitis.

Here's some science to tread about with….

CBD May Help Reduce Inflammation

CBD oil has anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties that could help ease the pain and inflammation of plantar fasciitis.(4)

Studies show that topical CBD application can reduce pain and swelling in chronic inflammatory conditions like arthritis.(5)

CBD Can Alleviate Different Types Of Pain

Other studies have found that CBD oil can help significantly reduce pain and unpleasant sensations caused by nerve damage in the hands and feet.(6)

This is why CBD continues to be examined in studies — it has potential to help manage chronic pain conditions that are difficult to treat.(7)

CBD is a good candidate for a range of chronic pain conditions and we'll likely see a plantar fasciitis-specific study in the coming years.

Can CBD Help Plantar Fasciitis?

Can CBD reduce the inflammation and pain associated with plantar fasciitis? It stands a good chance of being able to help.

We need more research to be sure, but the evidence so far suggests that CBD is a strong anti-inflammatory.

However, while CBD might help reduce the pain and improve your quality of life, we don't have evidence to say that it can address the root causes of your plantar fasciitis.

You should continue to work with your doctor to find the best treatment plan for you. CBD might just be something that can help make your treatment plan more effective.

Check out our article titled How To Safely Use CBD With Your Medical Treatment Planfor more on treatment planning.

Next Steps: Treat Your Feet To A Little CBD

When you're in foot pain, every footfall feels like it’s on an uphill trek on rocky terrain. CBD oil may be able to help you take those steps with a bit more ease.

As an inflammatory condition, plantar fasciitis can be difficult to manage. But CBD oil has been shown to help reduce inflammation and alleviate pain in many different cases. Consider asking your doctor if it could work for you.

You never know. If you're suffering from plantar fasciitis, using CBD as supplemental support could just be the relief you've been pounding the pavement looking for!

SHOP FOR CBD

References

1. (2022). Plantar fasciitis. Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/plantar-fasciitis/symptoms-causes/syc-20354846
2. Wheeler, T. (2021). What Is Plantar Fasciitis? Jump Start by WebMD.   https://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/understanding-plantar-fasciitis-basics
3. (2022). Plantar Fasciitis.  Johns Hopkins Medicine. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/plantar-fasciitis
4. Atalay, S, et al. (2019). Antioxidative and Anti-Inflammatory Properties of Cannabidiol. Antioxidants. https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox9010021
5. Hammell, DC, et al. (2016). Transdermal cannabidiol reduces inflammation and pain-related behaviours in a rat model of arthritis. European journal of pain. https://doi.org/10.1002/ejp.818
6. Xu, DH, et al. (2020). The Effectiveness of Topical Cannabidiol Oil in Symptomatic Relief of Peripheral Neuropathy of the Lower Extremities. Current pharmaceutical biotechnology. https://doi.org/10.2174/1389201020666191202111534
7. Russo, EB. (2008). Cannabinoids in the management of difficult to treat pain. Therapeutics and clinical risk management. https://doi.org/10.2147/tcrm.s1928