Plantar Fasciitis – Um …. what?

For those unfamiliar with the term plantar fasciitis, a quick definition:

Plantar fasciitis (PLAN-tur fas-e-I-tis) is one of the most common causes of heel pain. It involves inflammation of a thick band of tissue that runs across the bottom of your foot and connects your heel bone to your toes (plantar fascia).

This is according to a quick Google Search… clear as mud now?

 

Some important points

Not all heel pain is plantar fasciitis

There are some key features that we as practitioners look for including: “it feels like I am walking on broken glass”, it is worst first thing in the morning or after I have been sitting for a while then I stand up and walk again, and “nothing seems to help…”

 

Ok so what can we do about it?

 

Even if you have had treatment and no success in the past there is still hope.  I have helped lots of people with this condition basically because I tend to try to throw everything I know at it – it is a stubborn one so I have found over the years that is what tends to work.

Here is what I do:

Prescription of orthotics

hands on therapy including adjustments in the lower back and ankle

Graston technique

Cold laser

Kinesiotape application

prescription of specific exercises

and this one is key:  do not go barefoot – I mean at all – running shoes and orthotics on as soon as you roll out of bed in the morning (this isn’t forever – just until it heals).

Here is why:

The plantar fascia is a thick band attached to the heel bone.  Despite what it says above about inflammation plantar fasciitis is actually a micro tearing (or even a macro tearing) of this fascia away from the bone.  It hurts every time you stand after laying in bed for 8 hours because it has started to heal and then you stand up and tear it away again. Orthotics are crucial because they help approximate the bone and the tendon, not allowing it to pull away as much and tear away repeatedly…. this gives the body time and a chance to actually heal the damn thing!

More clear now?

So anyways, even if you have had this for a while, there is hope and help out there!