Treating Plantar Fasciitis

Plantar Fasciitis is one of the most common causes of heel and foot pain. The plantar fascia is a thick band of tissue that connects the heel bone to your toes running along the bottom of your foot. It helps support the arch of your foot. The fascia can become weak, swollen, and inflamed leading to the condition known as plantar fasciitis. Continue reading to learn more about plantar fasciitis and how our team here at Living Health Integrative Medicine can help you.

Some of most common symptoms are pain at the heel or bottoms of a patient’s foot. The pain is usually sharp or stabbing in nature. A very common trait I hear from almost all patients with plantar fasciitis is the pain is most excruciating right upon waking. As soon as they get out of bed in the morning and start to walk is when they experience the most intense pain. This is because while in bed for 6-8 hours at night they are non-weight bearing. This extended time of not being on their feet allows the plantar fascia to tighten and literally contract to a shorter state. As soon as they step out of bed and put weight on that inflamed and tighten fascia, the tissue is instantly stretched back out causing that sharp, stabbing pain. Other commons symptoms include achilles tendon pain and tightness, along with calf tightness. Once up and moving around for a little the pain in the feet and heels will usually decrease. It can however return after long periods of standing or after prolonged sitting. Plantar Fasciitis is particularly common in runners. In addition, people that are overweight and those that wear shoes with inadequate support are more susceptible to the condition.

In our office we take a conservative approach to treating plantar fasciitis. We give no medications or steroid injections. The first step in treating this condition is to first get the inflammation out of the plantar fascia. We do this through conservative treatments such as electrical muscle stimulation, cryo-therpay (ice), and we also use a start of the art class IV cold laser. After getting the initial inflammation down, we have to start addressing the chronically tight plantar fascia. We literally have to start stretching out the fascia through soft tissue manipulation. This will usually include the doctor manually stretching the tissue and breaking up any adhesions. All patients will be given at home exercises and stretches to be done daily, sometimes multiples times throughout the day, to help prevent the tissue from flaring back up. If necessary the patient may be prescribed a special boot or splint to be worn at night to help keep the foot and fascia in a stretched state, preventing that early morning pain.

Plantar Fasciitis can be one of the most frustrating and aggravating conditions because so few treatments out there are effective. Don’t let this condition impede you from living the life you want and doing the activities your desire. We’ve had high success rates at treating this condition through our comprehensive evaluation and conservative treatment of your individual condition. If you or a loved one has been suffering with this debilitating condition please call our office immediately to determine if you would be a good candidate for care.