Plantar Fasciitis treatment with Chiropractic Care
The plantar fascia is a fibrous band that runs the bottom of your foot from your heels to your toes. Plantar fasciitis means this band is inflamed or torn. The most common causes of plantar fasciitis are fallen arches, prolonged standing, endurance sports, poor shoes or high heels, barefoot, and being overweight. Plantar fasciitis can last indefinitely if not treated. Chiropractors utilize elastic therapeutic tape (also known as K-TAPE), therapy modalities, myofascial release, chiropractic manipulation, and arch support to help in the treatment of plantar fasciitis.
A step in the right direction to fixing your foot pain
First thing in the morning you get out of bed put your feet on the floor and BAM! You get a searing pain in the under-surface of your heel. As you walk around it seems to get better. If this is you than you most likely have plantar fasciitis.
What Causes Plantar Fasciitis and Heel Spurs?
Plantar fasciitis and heel spurs are conditions caused by dysfunction of the joints of the feet and ankles and can be made worse by:
- too much standing
- unpadded shoes on hard ground
- repetitive stress
- diets low in vitamin C
- a change or increase in activities
- being overweight
- age-related shrinkage of the heel fat pad
- an injury
- shoes with poor or no arch support; do not have a raised heel; are worn out; do not bend at the ball of the foot; do not have any cushion and are worn on a hard surface
What Is the Treatment for Plantar Fasciitis and Heel Spurs?
Restoring normal joint function to the joint of the feet, ankle and spine along with gentle stretching of the calf muscles, decreasing or changing activities, losing weight, better fitting shoes (with an arch support and raised heel), shoe inserts that have good arch support, heel pads, applying ice for five minutes after activities.
Here’s a few of my go to tips:
- Work on mobility of the feet, ankle and joints of the spine especially your hips and pelvis.
- Decrease activity or switch to exercises that keep the weight off of the feet such as stationary bike riding or swimming. Avoid anything that causes an increase in pain. Be patient, it may take months of reduced activity. Increase activities very slowly. Complete rest is not good! Some activity is necessary for recovery.
- Stretching is often recommended. In the few cases where it is caused by a sudden injury, stretching and strengthening may not be necessary. Stretching can reinjure the traumatized fascia.
- Arch support and medial wedges. Certain shoes, inserts or custom-made orthotics can give more arch support. Heel pads can sometimes be worn under inserts.
- Heel pads, 1/2″ to 1″ thick in both shoes. Not to be used while playing sports or similar activity as it can cause a serious ankle injury. Check with your doctor.
- Reduce inflammation with ice, compression and elevation. The swelling may not be noticeable, but it is often there and causes pain by putting pressure on tissue in the area.
- Ice immediately after activities or injury. Place ice on a towel, step on it and roll it under the feet for five minutes. Repeat every hour until bedtime.
- Massage in the morning and evening. Use a golf ball and gently roll your foot along the arch. For extra pain relief you can freeze the ball before doing the massage. See our website for a video demonstration: hartchiropractic.com/
Benefits of Chiropractic Care for Plantar Fasciitis
Chiropractic works to correct the foot, ankle and underlying spinal problems that cause plantar fasciitis. Chiropractic care can also help you deal with contributing factors to plantar fasciitis, which are bad posture and weight balance.
A chiropractor can help realign and balance your body so that the weight is distributed more evenly and isn’t falling more heavily on one foot versus the other, allowing the affected foot to heal more quickly and reducing the chance of symptoms recurring.
Proper foot and ankle care is critical for enjoying an active healthy lifestyle!
“What a great experience! Thanks Dr. Hart, and to the staff of Hart Chiropractic. Looking forward to my next visit!”
“Dr. Hart is totally professional, empathetic and creative regarding treatments for returning patients to high levels of wellness and then retaining that wellness.”
“I’ve seen several chiropractors over 10 years for chronic back pain with limited success. I started seeing Dr Hart about 2 years ago after moving to the area and his approach was unlike any Dr. I had ever had. ”