Plantar fasciitis (“PLAN-ter fash-ee-EYE-tus”) is the most common cause of foot pain. The plantar fascia is the flat band of tissue (ligament) that connects your heel bone to your toes and which supports the arch of your foot. If you strain your plantar fascia, it gets weak, swollen, and irritated (inflamed) and then your heel or the bottom of your foot hurts when you stand or walk.

Plantar fasciitis is common in middle-aged people, but it also occurs in younger people who are on their feet a lot. It can happen in one foot or both feet and it is caused by straining the ligament that supports your arch. Repeated strain can cause tiny tears in the ligament which can lead to pain and swelling. This is more likely to happen if:

Reflexology is the most popular treatment I offer but you don’t have to miss out if you think you may have athletes foot.

Athlete’s foot (also known as ringworm of the foot or tinea pedis) is a fungal infection of the foot, especially between the toes. The infection can make the skin can turn white and thicken. The fungus can also cause the skin to redden, crack and flake and this may cause itching.

If the infection spreads across the sole of the foot it is referred to as moccasin athlete’s foot. The soles of the feet, the heels and the edges of the feet are then dry, scaly and may be itchy.

You can treat athlete’s foot naturally by soaking your feet for at least 10 minutes in warm water. Add ½ cup of apple cider vinegar and 2 tablespoons of Himalayan crystal salt or sea salt to the water and repeat this for up to two weeks. When drying your feet it is important to make sure they are completely dry.

Essential oils that are particularly helpful in treating athlete’s foot are tea tree and peppermint. Tea tree oil is well known for its anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties and peppermint oil has astringent and antimicrobial properties and contains menthol, which can help provide relief to the inflammation this condition causes. The combination of these oils create a perfect synergy to combat athletes foot. They must not be used neat on the skin as they need to be added to a carrier oil or cream before application.

Being the perpetual student that I am, I went on a Reflexology for pregnancy course at the Penny Price Aromatherapy Academy in Hinckley. There is always new information to learn and more interesting people to meet out there and I am so grateful that my job as a therapist allows me to do this.

The academy has an amasing smell as you walk up the driveway as the aroma of essential oils just flood out. What a fantastic environment for learning.

I previously trained for a Diploma in Reflexology in 2003 and since then this has been one of my most popular therapies. I have noticed over the years that clients wanting to get pregnant seem to get pregnant very quickly after having a few sessions of Reflexology and some even after one session.

My Reflexology training in 2003 was fantastic but it only touched on the subject of Reflexology in pregnancy and although I was qualified to treat pregnant ladies with the Diploma qualification, I never felt confident enough to do this.

The training at Penny Price was excellent and I am now love providing continued care for my pregnant ladies. Helping provide support before, during and after pregnancy is a fantastic honour and Reflexology can also play a part in the labour itself.

During the training, we also discussed the safe issue of using essential oils during pregnancy. As a trained Aromatherapist I am qualified to blend essential oils into the foot cream so clients experience a combined Reflexology and Aromatherapy treatment.