One of the most common causes of foot pain is plantar fasciitis.
Characterized by a sharp pain in the heel of your foot, plantar fasciitis is caused by inflammation of the plantar fascia ligament which is the nerve that connects the heel bone to your toes. The pain is primarily located in the heel but can be present anywhere along the length of the ligament. Pain from plantar fasciitis is usually the worst after you have been sitting for long periods of time or when you get up in the morning.
If you’re experiencing pain in your foot or heels, you can schedule a consultation with our chiropractors to conduct a physical examination to diagnose the inflammation and identify the cause of your pain.
How do I get plantar fasciitis?
There are multiple reasons why someone might start experiencing plantar fasciitis. Here is a list of some of the most common causes.
- Poor foot mechanics
- Long-distance running
- Poor choices in footwear
- Strenuous exercise routine
- Sudden increase in activity
- Carrying around excessive weight
- Occupations that keep you on your feet for a long period
Plantar Fasciitis can be extremely uncomfortable and debilitating.
The following is a list of symptoms that you can expect with plantar fasciitis:
- Pain on the bottom of the foot near the heel.
- Pain with the first few steps after getting out of bed in the morning
- Pain after a long period of rest such as a long car ride or watching a movie.
- Greater pain after (not during) exercise or activity.
The first step in treating your plantar fasciitis:
The first step in your recovery is receiving a medical diagnosis from a professional like our chiropractors.
If plantar fasciitis is the primary cause of your foot pain, there are several ways we can treat it.
The treatment and prognosis of your plantar fasciitis may vary based on the severity of your pain and the extent of the injury itself, and usually starts with a thorough history and exam of the presenting pain. '
Treatments that may be recommended by our chiropractors at Lake Effect Chiropractic include:
- Chiropractic care
- Soft tissue manipulation/ treatment
- Rehabilitation exercises
- If more progressive treatment is needed we may use our painless Class IV Summus Medical Laser.
If you are suffering from a injury that is getting in the way, call us today at (989) 686-6808 to request your appointment at Lake Effect Chiropractic with our chiropractors.
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How We Treat Plantar Fasciitis
Active Release Technique
Active Release Technique (ART) is a soft tissue therapy designed to rid injured areas of scar tissue. Here at Lake Effect Chiropractic, we incorporate ART in our treatment of musculoskeletal disorders to remedy injuries such as carpal tunnel syndrome, shin splints, rotator cuff injuries, sciatica, plantar fasciitis, knee problems, tennis elbow, headaches, and back pain. All of these conditions tend to have one thing in common: the result of an overused muscle.
Summus Class IV Medical Laser
Laser Therapy is the use of specific wavelengths of light (red and near-infrared) to stimulate the body's natural ability to heal. Improved healing time, pain reduction, increased blood circulation and decreased swelling are the major effects of laser energy. Summus Medical Lasers are designed to target the body's optimal light-absorbing complexes to treat pain and accelerate the healing process.
Chiropractic Adjustments
At Lake Effect Chiropractic we specialize in chiropractic adjustments that improve joint health as well as overall health and get you feeling great. Proper foot mechanics is ESSENTIAL to conquering plantar fasciitis.
Compression Therapy
Compression therapy is designed to increase blood flow and push swelling up out of the feet to speed up recovery from workouts or from injuries. This therapy involves NormTec Boots that help this process and increase recovery time.
Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization (IASTM)
IASTM is another option to resolve pain and tightness in the body. This approach to fascia and muscle work reduces friction which allows for precision, sensitivity and depth that cannot be accomplished with the hands, knuckles, elbows etc.
Therapeutic Exercises
Here at Lake Effect Chiropractic, we specialize in assisting our patients through physical rehabilitation to keep them healthy after they experience an injury or pain in any way. Strengthening the feet ankles is essential to keeping plantar fasciitis away.
McKenzie Method
Without a full range of motion and proper use of joints, our backs, necks and joints become stiff and less mobile, leading to pain, greater loss of movement and dysfunction. The McKenzie method is a standardized assessment tool, defining and classifying movement problems and recommending appropriate treatment. There are special cases where low back pain can present as "heel pain".
Pulstar
If you are uncomfortable with the more traditional manual adjustments, or have had surgery in the area of concern, the PulStar is an amazing option for light force chiropractic adjustments.
When should I see a chiropractor for my plantar fasciitis?
This is an important question to ask and to answer!
Many cases of plantar fasciitis can be treated with the type of chiropractic treatment we offer. Whether it's an acute form of heel pain that's newly injured up or an aggravated chronic type that you've been struggling with on and off for years.
It excites us to have new patients who have had other chiropractic experiences, what we do at Lake Effect Chiropractic is target the source of the problem and work to extinguish it! Getting the body moving, from the joints to the muscles, we know MOVEMENT IS MEDICINE!
Despite the fact that plantar fasciitis is common, the seriousness of the injuries and the conditions that cause them to vary. What we do is different, your plantar fasciitis treatment is always individualized and we are here to help you with whatever pain you may be experiencing here in Bay City, Michigan.
We work together with the medical community to make sure you receive the proper care no matter what your condition may be, new or old, minor or serious, we want you to get back to a pain-free life and enjoy it!
What Causes Plantar Fasciitis?
There are multiple reasons why someone might start experiencing pain in their heel. Here is some information about the foot and where plantar fasciitis can develop from.
The most common presenting complaint of plantar fasciitis is a sharp pain with the first couple of steps in the morning or following any period of prolonged inactivity. Symptoms are often noted during the push off phase when the band is at peak tension.
Symptoms are amplified by prolonged weight bearing, especially when compounded by inadequate foot support or walking barefoot, when your not used to this.
Walking upstairs and sprinting or forefoot running tends to exacerbate symptoms by increasing plantar fascia strain. Patients report relief when unloading the foot by sitting or lying down. Symptomatic episodes are more frequent following periods of inactivity late in the day.
Quick Facts:
- Plantar fasciitis is the most common cause of plantar heel pain, affecting approximately 10% of the population.
- The condition is responsible for one quarter of all foot injuries.
- Plantar fasciitis presents bilaterally in 20-30% of those affected.
- The condition is common in young runners and middle-aged women, but the majority of plantar fascia patients are over the age of 40.
- Leading cause biomechanically is a fallen arch. This increases the tension pull (micro trauma) on the inside of the heel where the plantar fascia inserts into the calcaneus (heel bone).
- Halux valgus (bunions) change the spring mechanism of the foot and toe off which can increase the irritation to the plantar fascia at the heel.
Although the term, "plantar fasciitis" implies inflammation, more recent studies suggest that plantar fascia pain results from a non-inflammatory, degenerative process.
Initial insults may generate an acute inflammatory reaction, but repetitive chronic overload results in a breakdown of the inflammatory process and a disorganized healing process that fails to regenerate "normal" tissue.
Tips:
- Once patients reduces workload and finds a tolerable level of activity, they should not increase their training intensity by more than 10% per week
- Runners may benefit by reducing stride length and increasing cadence.
- Running shoes lose half of their shock absorption capacity after 300-500 miles and should be replaced within that range.
- Safe cross training from running should include swimming, bicycling, and elliptical machines.
- Strengthening exercises are appropriate for the gastroc, soleus, posterior tibialis, and intrinsic muscles of the foot.
- Examples include marble and towel gripping exercises.
- Strengthening exercises for the posterior tibialis can be implemented to help arch support.
What Patients Are Saying!
I started going to Lake Effect Chiropractic about a month and a half ago for my plantar fasciitis, with hope in prolonging surgery. Dr. Ashley suggested to do a red light therapy with extra stretches. It’s definitely helped me and made getting up on my feet in the morning a little easier! First time ever going to a chiropractor in hands-down one of my favorite times of the week. Staff is fantastic and friendly, walk out feeling great!
-Rachel from Essexville, MI
Lake Effect has been a staple for me and my recovery game with all the hard training it takes to compete in the sport of CrossFit. I came into Dr. Brittany’s care with some injuries that have been nagging me for over two years. Within just a couple treatments she not only drastically improved my situation but boiled it down to the root cause of the injury. I highly recommend anyone from the serious athlete to anyone dealing with any nagging issues to check them out!
-Jeremy from Saginaw, MI
I am a current patient who came to Lake Effect due to some problems with my plantar fascia. Some days I could barely walk from pain. Dr. Ashley has been working on not only my back, but feet and calves as well. I have seen so much improvement. I highly recommend her and Lake Effect for all your Chiropractic needs.