Plantar Fasciitis and Chiropractic – Hazelwood
How Chiropractic Care May Help Relieve Your Plantar Fasciitis?
The alarm goes off; you roll out of bed and put your feet on the floor and WHAM! A burning pain shoots from your heel through the bottom of your foot causing you to quickly sit back on the edge of the bed. As you initially endure the pain, you find walking through the day lessens your pain. Then by evening the burning can begin again. If this sounds like you, it is very possible you are suffering from plantar fasciitis.
The Plantar Fascia
The plantar fascia is also called plantar aponeurosis and is a thick strong tissue, surrounding the muscles in the bottom of the foot. The fascia is attached on the bottom of the heel (calcaneus) and stretches forward becoming broader and thinner and then divides into 5 small sections and attaches to the bones in the ball of the foot, metatarsal bones, or the bones that form the base of the toes. One of the main purposes of the plantar fascia is to help maintain the normal arch of the foot by acting as a shock absorbing bowstring.
What is Plantar Fasciitis?
The suffix “-itis” simply means inflammation. When added to a word it indicates inflammation of that item. So basically, plantar fasciitis is the inflammation of the fascia in the bottom of the foot.
Causes of Plantar Fasciitis
Since the plantar fascia is to act as a shock absorber supporting the arch, anything that causes increased stress or stretching of the fascia can potentially cause inflammation and pain.
Sudden, quick and forceful running steps during a sporting event or trauma from an auto accident when the foot is pressing hard on the brake pedal can cause rapid overstretching and inflammation of the plantar fascia. However, a more common scenario is a low grade, slow repetitive increase stress or stretching of the plantar fascia. This is common in people with flat feet who stand or walk most of the day.
One aspect that can predispose someone for plantar fasciitis that is related to repeated low force stress on the fascia is foot mechanics. Being flat footed or abnormal joint motion in the bones of the foot or ankle can also cause plantar fasciitis. Misalignment of the bones of the foot produces abnormal motion in the joints between the bones, increasing the stress or stretching of the plantar fascia causing inflammation and pain.
Check out our article: What Not To Do For Plantar Fasciitis
Chiropractic And Plantar Fasciitis
Chiropractic care can be quite effective if the plantar fasciitis is due to faulty foot mechanics. It has been our experience over the years that working to restore the alignment and motion of the joints in the feet can provide relief for those suffering from a non-traumatic planter fasciitis.
Through a process of joint manipulations of the foot, inflammation reducing therapies and specific exercises we find that most patients find effective relief of their plantar fasciitis. For those who spend most of their day on their feet, exercise fanatics or involved in regular sports, we may recommend custom made arch supports called orthotics.
Think you have plantar fasciitis? Call Dr. Martin today at (314) 731-4383 or CLICK TO CALL and make an appointment.
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As a 1984 graduate of Life Chiropractic College, Dr. Martin Schmaltz has years of helping those who are experiencing pain, especially those in the extremities. He is board qualified in sports injury and chiropractic orthopedics, and has hours of training in treating extremity issues.