Plantar Fasciitis: The causes, treatments, and why you should choose a Chiropractor to help!

What is your plantar fascia?

Your plantar fascia is a thick band of soft tissue that runs along the bottom of your foot and helps to protect the muscles, ligaments, and nerves. It also helps the foot move functionally while walking. It goes from the heel of your foot to your toes. Your calf muscle comes down to attach at the heel as well via the Achilles tendon. The tendon blends with the fascia in that if the calf is tight then the odds of getting plantar fasciitis increases.

Signs/symptoms

It is a common misconception that plantar fasciitis only affects the heel of your foot but this isn’t true. While it is one of the most common symptoms, there can also be pain the arch of your foot. You could have extra pain when first getting up in the morning which then decreases for a while because it has stretched out. Your pain can return though with activity or long standing. There could also be swelling on the heel of the foot. Your foot will also feel stiffer because your calf and fascia are tight and it will be harder to flex your foot.

Prevention options

There are some ways that you can help yourself avoid plantar fasciitis. Wear well fitting shoes that cushion the heel or use inserts that help promote proper posture and gait. Extra weight can also cause pain in your plantar fascia since it has more to support. Losing any extra weight and maintaining a healthy weight can help prevent issues with your feet. Make sure you are stretching your plantar fascia and calf regularly. If these stretches are part of your routine, it is hard for them to get too tight. Exercising on hard surfaces can also cause a flair up of your fascia or even standing for long periods on hard surfaces.

Treatment options

There are several treatment options for plantar fasciitis but some of the main ones used by a chiropractor are going to be manual adjustments, massage, myofascial release, exercises and stretches (especially for your fascia and calf), and cold laser. Adjustments help to increase the range of motion and eliminate restrictions. Massage, especially cross friction therapy, is especially beneficial when it comes to breaking up fascia and scar tissue. Cold laser therapy works on two levels, it helps you heal faster and helps with your pain but you need different wavelengths to achieve each objective. The special MLS class 4 cold laser, like at Prince William Chiropractic Clinic, can emit both of the wavelengths to work on healing and pain relief at the same time. This more efficient treatment helps the fascia to heal while helping to decrease your pain. 

Why chiropractor 

Chiropractic adjustments of the foot and the back can equally be beneficial depending on the root cause of your foot pain. Sometimes, aligning the back helps with the pain you are feeling in your feet because the nerves for your feet come from your low back. Adjusting the foot allows the joints of the foot to work optimally and help to relieve pain and discomfort. Adjusting the foot/ankle also increases the range of motion and function which are decreased with plantar fasciitis.

Summery

There are many beneficial things a chiropractor can do to help you with your plantar fasciitis pain. By adjusting the feet and back, they are helping to restore proper function and communication between them. Cross friction massage can help to break up adhesions in the fascia and cold laser therapy helps your foot heal faster while helping to decrease the pain.