Plantar Fasciitis and Chiropractic
What is Plantar Fasciitis?
Plantar fasciitis is a condition that causes heel pain. The plantar fascia is the thick band of connective tissue on the bottom of your foot. It connects the heel bone to the base of the toes and is responsible for the longitudinal arch of your foot.
When this tissue becomes inflamed, you will experience pain in your heel and foot. Irritation to the plantar aponeurosis tendon, along with the quadratus plantae and the flexor digitorum brevis muscles, also contributes to the pain.
People who suffer from Plantar Fasciitis are commonly people who are on their feet a lot such as factory workers or people who are highly active. However, it is certainly not exclusive to these people. It also happens to many middle-aged people.
A classic symptom of Plantar Fasciitis is a sharp pain on the bottom of the foot that radiates to the front of the heel. This makes it very hard to put any weight on the foot. The first few steps out of bed in the morning are generally the most painful. However, it’s not unheard of for people to get sudden jabs of pain throughout the day.
For people who suffer from Plantar Fasciitis, it can be very discouraging. Any ambitions of getting into shape and starting an exercise routine go out the window.
Don’t let this treatable condition put a barrier between you and your daily goals. Your local chiropractor can treat Plantar Fasciitis naturally.
What Causes Plantar Fasciitis?
Most of the time, Plantar Fasciitis occurs when the ligament that supports the arch becomes strained. However, there are a number of precipitating factors that can lead to inflammation of the plantar fasciia. Some of these things include:
- Over-pronating (rolling your feet inward when you walk)
- Having flat feet (or, conversely, high-arched feet)
- Being overweight
- Standing for long periods of time in bad shoes
- Having tight Achilles tendons
- Sudden increase in repetitive stress activities, such as running or cycling
Misalignment between the bones in the heel and foot are responsible for causing the pain in your foot (or feet). Many of the factors listed above put an unnatural pressure on the muscles, tendons, and ligaments in the foot. When a soft tissue’s length and position is altered it is more prone to irritation and inflammation.
If these misalignments are not treated in adequate time, the body may respond by depositing calcium in the long tendons on the bottom of your foot. This will form heel spurs or other severe problems and further complicating the condition.
Plantar Fasciitis is often confused with Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome and arthritis. Your Reno Chiropractor can help you determine what the source of your foot pain is and offer a treatment.
A Chiropractic Approach to Treating Plantar Fasciitis
If you’re among the millions of Americans who have become frustrated with the overuse of prescription drugs and surgical procedures, take comfort in knowing this isn’t the only way to fix your problems. Chiropractic care has become a leading option for those suffering from Plantar Fasciitis.
Chiropractors uses a gentle adjusting technique to correct the misalignments in the foot that are causing you pain. Most patients experience relief from their pain after their first chiropractic visit.
Each case of Plantar Fasciitis is unique to itself. In combination with regular visits to an active life chiropractor, we may also suggest additional treatment such as stretching your calf muscles, custom orthotics (a special kind of insole that is designed to keep your feet properly aligned), arch or heel supports, or cryotherapy. If a Chiropractor thinks that you may need medication, injections, or even surgery, he will make that suggestion. With his wealth of experience in orthopedic surgery and physical therapy, Chiropractors able to determine whether or not these additional treatments are necessary.