The symptoms were suggestive of developed plantar fasciitis as it is often seen in ladies aged between 40 and 60.

Plantar fasciitis is a foot condition characterised by pain in the heel and bottom of the foot, caused by inflammation of the plantar fascia, a band of tissue that runs along the sole of the foot. If left untreated, it can lead to chronic pain and discomfort, making it difficult to carry out your daily activities.

People often complain of ‘first step’ pain, when they get out of bed in the morning. The pain slowly settles and improves with exercise, but is worse at the end of the day or after a lot of activity.

Poor posture can contribute to plantar fasciitis by placing excessive stress on the feet and lower body. It can also be made worse by tight plantar flexors (the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles that run down your calf). 
 
Exercises for the feet and toes (such as rolling a tennis ball under your foot and toe stretches against a wall) should be done alongside massage. Stretches of the lower leg which we do in our classes will loosen the plantar flexors and reduce the risk of this condition. 

Other simple suggestions that may help are sleeping with sheets untucked. If you sleep with your sheets tightly tucked in, your feet will be held in “plantar flexion” all night (feet pointed). This tightens the calf muscles even more while you sleep. Alternatively, you could try a boot sock at night which pulls the toes back and keeps the foot in dorsiflexion, stretching the plantar flexors.

Luckily for me, the pain has subsided, but I will definitely choose more appropriate footwear in future!