If you’re here, then without a doubt, plantar fasciitis has gotten the better of you. And if you’re reading this, then you’re most likely looking for anything that can help.
Being a somewhat alternative practise, epsom salts for plantar fasciitis in most circles may be considered a bit of a wacky home remedy as there has never been any scientific research to support it.
But in actual fact, Epsom salts have been used to reduce inflammation and manage pain for hundreds of years. But do they work though?
To answer the question, do Epsom salts help plantar fasciitis, we first must understand what Epsom salts are.
What Are Epsom Salts?
Epsom salts are naturally occurring mineral compounds containing a combination of magnesium and sulfate. The minerals form on the walls of limestone caverns and mines deep below the earth.
Also called epsomite, Epsom salt is named after the town of Epsom, where it was formally discovered in 1806. The town marks a point where springs containing porous chalk fromNorth Downs connect with non-porous clay from London. As the water passes through limestone and clay soil, it becomes enriched with minerals.
While scientists verified the presence of magnesium sulfate in Epsom in 1806, locals had known about the salts for many years.
In 1618, Henry Wicker, a cow herder, drank from a pool of water in the town’s common. He discovered that the water had a laxative effect and left a white residue behind.
Epsom’s salts quickly became a go-to folk remedy for constipation. Residents of the town in Surrey, England boiled down mineral waters from a pond in the center of the market.
Epsom salt is still one of the most used home remedies for dealing with all types of aches and pains. When dissolved in warm water, the salts break down into magnesium and sulfate.
While your skin may not absorb the minerals, soaking in magnesium and sulfate helps relax your muscles and loosen stiff joints in the feet, which may ease the symptoms of plantar fasciitis.
Epsom salts are available at most grocery stores and pharmacies.
Many companies also manufacture special bath salts containing a combination of Epsom salts, essential oils, fragrances, and other ingredients.
Do Epsom Salts Help Plantar Fasciitis?
Epsom salts are commonly considered helpful for treating plantar fasciitis and other inflammatory conditions. Soaking your feet in a hot bath with Epsom salts may provide the following benefits:
- Pain relief
- Reduced soreness
- Less inflammation
- Reduced odor
- Skin exfoliation
Plantar fasciitis is a common foot condition, affecting over three million adults in the U.S. each year. It occurs when the thick band of tissue running from the bottom of your foot to your heel bone becomes inflamed due to strain or injury.
Excessive running, inadequate shoes, obesity, and injuries are the leading causes of plantar fasciitis. Doctors typically recommend rest, foot massages, and pain relievers.
An Epsom salt bath may replace the need for pain relievers. Soaking your feet in a hot bath with Epsom salt is believed to help with inflammation. The hot water also helps your muscles relax making epsom salts for plantar fasciitis a good option.
So do Epsom salts help plantar fasciitis? Unfortunately, there is a lack of medical research on the benefits of Epsom salts for plantar fasciitis.
However, a 2015 study of fibromyalgia sufferers found that magnesium may relieve pain.
As with plantar fasciitis, fibromyalgia is often treated as an inflammatory syndrome. Soaking your skin in an Epsom salt bath may reduce inflammation in the heels, helping to ease soreness.
While Epsom salt is not medically proven to treat plantar fasciitis, hundreds of years of anecdotal evidence support the benefits. Epsom salts remain the go-to home remedy for a wide range of conditions including athlete’s foot and arthritis.
Along with fighting inflammation, Epsom salt baths help keep your feet clean by removing odours and exfoliating the skin.
How to Make Epsom Salts
To prepare an Epsom salt bath, you need Epsom salt, hot water, and a place to soak your feet, such as a tub or foot soaking bucket.
You may also add a few drops of essential oils to help ease muscle tension and promote relaxation. Peppermint, lavender, tea tree oil, and cinnamon bark are known to soothe sore muscles and improve your mood.
If using a standard-size bathtub, use two cups of Epsom salt or a commercial bath salt containing Epsom salt.
When using a small foot bath, use one cup of Epsom salt.
Process
1) Start filling the bath or foot tub with warm water. Using very warm water allows the Epsom salts to dissolve faster. However, the water should not be too hot to touch.
2) Pour the Epsom salt into the running water. Use your hand to stir the water and help dissolve the remaining grains of salt.
3) After the salts dissolve, you can add the essential oils.
4) Soak your feet for 12 to 15 minutes. Allow the muscles in your feet to relax.
For best results, try to soak your feet every day.
Daily soaking may improve recovery and provide pain relief after a long day.
You can also learn how to make Epsom salts bath bombs by combining Epsom salt with essential oils and other ingredients.
Gather the following ingredients to make a homemade Epsom salt bath bomb:
- 1 cup baking soda
- 1 cup Epsom salt
- ½ cup cornstarch
- ½ cup citric acid
- 2 teaspoons coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon water
- 10 drops of essential oils
- Molds
Process
1) Combine the baking soda, Epsom salt, cornstarch, and citric acid in a large bowl. In a smaller bowl, combine the oils and water. Use 10 drops of any essential oil, such as chamomile or lavender.
2) Slowly pour the liquids into the dry mixture while stirring continuously. The mixture should have the consistency of mostly dry sand.
3) Scoop the mixture into molds and pack it down firmly. Allow the mixture to stay in the molds overnight before removing it.
4) To use the bath bomb, simply drop it in the foot bath or standard bathtub filled with warm
water.
The bath bomb should instantly start to dissolve, releasing the Epsom salt, baking soda, and oils.
Follow the previous instructions to add the bath bomb to a foot bath or standard-size tubs.
Best Epsom Salts for Feet
Epsom salt is typically sold in large bags containing one or more pounds of salt. You may buy pure Epsom salt, also labeled as magnesium sulfate, or Epsom salt combined with essential oils.
Three best Epsom salts for feet:
1 – Solimo Epsom Salt Soak
Solimo Epsom Salt Soak is an Amazon Brand product. It is sold in eight-pound bags. Each bag contains about 16 cups of salt.
When purchasing a three-pack of eight-pound bags, you receive enough Epsom salt to soak your feet 48 times in a small foot bath or 24 times in a standard-size tub. The large bags provide the best overall value for anyone who needs standard Epsom salt.
The Epsom salt from Solimo is pure magnesium sulfate without any additional ingredients or scents.
It meets the U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP) requirements for food, drug, and medicinal use.
This pharmaceutical-grade Epsom salt dissolves easily in warm water and should provide optimal results compared to other salts.
2 – Dr. Teal’s Epsom Salt Soaking Solution
Dr. Teal’s Epsom Salt Soaking Solution is a popular choice, thanks to its relaxing properties. Instead of pure Epsom salt, this soaking solution is infused with chamomile.
Chamomile promotes relaxation, reduces pain, and may ease inflammation. These benefits may increase the effects of an Epsom salt bath for plantar fasciitis.
Chamomile also adds a pleasant aroma. People often describe it as sweet and apple-like. As this product includes an additional ingredient, it costs a little more compared to standard Epsom salt.
However, you receive two three-pound bags for a relatively affordable price.
Each pound of Epsom salt equals about two cups. To keep the salt fresh, the bags include Velcro closures.
One purchase should offer enough salt for 9 to 18 soakings.
3 – Epsoak
Epsoak Epsom Salt comes in a large 19-pound bag. It is pure unscented Epsom salt, suitable for those with allergies to certain oils or scents.
The salt is produced by the San Francisco Salt Company, a leading distributor of Epsom salt in the U.S. The company does not use any genetically modified organisms and only uses the highest-quality salt.
It is also a USP-grade Epsom salt. However, Epsoak is not the most affordable option.
Epsoak is a premium Epsom salt that dissolves quickly. With the resealable 19-pound bag, you receive enough Epsom salt for 19 to 38 soakings.
Conclusion
Taking an Epsom salt bath is a traditional remedy for dealing with plantar fasciitis. The magnesium in the salt is believed to reduce inflammation. This eases the pain associated with plantar fasciitis.
The hot bath also relaxes tight muscles and allows you to rest your feet, which may aid recovery.
Epsom salts are not a complete treatment for plantar fasciitis. Consult with your doctor and use Epsom salt as an aid. It may ease some of the pain and discomfort related to plantar fasciitis but the medical benefits of Epsom salt are not proven.
If you want to try the therapeutic properties of Epsom salt for yourself, pour one cup of the salt into a foot tub filled with warm water.
Remember to soak for about 12 to 15 minutes and repeat as necessary to soothe your sore feet.
