Imagine waking up in the morning and getting up from bed. Ouch! There's intense foot pain throughout the arch and focusing near the heel. The pain continues every step, lessening more from endurance and personal fortitude than actual relief.
This describes textbook plantar fascitis. The plantar fascia is a sheet of dense connective tissue stretching from the ball of the foot to the heel like the string of a bow. (The foot bones of the arch curve like a bow) Indroduce gravity to this scenario and is becomes obvious that the fascia must stretch under the body's weight. Unfortunately, fascia doesn't like to be stretched, so it inflammes and voila: plantar fascitis.
Initially, it would seem that nature gave us a faulty design, but there is another component requiring consideration: the muscles. Several muscles are responsible for holding up the arch of the foot and maintaining proper biomechanics. The front and back tibialis muscles are two big players in the calf. The foot also has intrinsic muscles to secure the arch. If any of these muscles become neurologically inhibited (weakened), the arch begins to 'collapse' and the fascia is the last line of defense which remains to bear the brunt of all that weight. These muscles are supplied by nerves originating in the low back and traveling as the sciatic nerve, eventually through the tarsal tunnel of the ankle. Therefore, any low back instability or ankle problem can interrupt the brain-muscle communication and weaken these muscles. Each scenario must be appropriately ruled out.
Another player is the triceps surae, the calf muscles attaching to the Achilles tendon, if they become over-facilitated (tight) the heel bone is pulled posteriorly - also stretching the plantar fascia and causing inflammation. Tightness here can be THE predisposing factor for Achilles rupture as well.
Another common sequella of plantar fascitis is a heel spur. When the body has inflammation, calcium infiltrates the tissue and can calcify, or harden into bone. A heel spur is exactly that: calcification of the plantar fascia (and sometimes the Achilles tendon).
If the previously mentioned muscles are balanced properly, each of the scenarios above can find relief. (Achilles tendon rupture requires surgical repair first, but with corrected muscles healing is accelerated and pain is more easily managed.)
Pain medications should only be considered for temporary relief. Orthotics may be permanently necessary when there are anatomical deformations. Surgery is rarely necessary and should only be considered when other options are exhausted.
Based on affordability and safety, the best option is chiropractic treatment from a professional applied kinesiologist. An applied kinesiologist can isolate each muscle and test them to see if they are functioning properly. If they are found to be the cause, various methods can then be tested for muscle improvement. Some of those methods are: spinal or extremity manipulation, acupuncture/acupressure, orthopedic massage, or nutritional supplementation.
Don't suffer any longer. Find the nearest professional applied kinesiologist and get the relief you deserve. For more information on where to find a professional applied kinesiologist, visit the International College of Applied Kinesiology (ICAK) online.
This describes textbook plantar fascitis. The plantar fascia is a sheet of dense connective tissue stretching from the ball of the foot to the heel like the string of a bow. (The foot bones of the arch curve like a bow) Indroduce gravity to this scenario and is becomes obvious that the fascia must stretch under the body's weight. Unfortunately, fascia doesn't like to be stretched, so it inflammes and voila: plantar fascitis.
Initially, it would seem that nature gave us a faulty design, but there is another component requiring consideration: the muscles. Several muscles are responsible for holding up the arch of the foot and maintaining proper biomechanics. The front and back tibialis muscles are two big players in the calf. The foot also has intrinsic muscles to secure the arch. If any of these muscles become neurologically inhibited (weakened), the arch begins to 'collapse' and the fascia is the last line of defense which remains to bear the brunt of all that weight. These muscles are supplied by nerves originating in the low back and traveling as the sciatic nerve, eventually through the tarsal tunnel of the ankle. Therefore, any low back instability or ankle problem can interrupt the brain-muscle communication and weaken these muscles. Each scenario must be appropriately ruled out.
Another player is the triceps surae, the calf muscles attaching to the Achilles tendon, if they become over-facilitated (tight) the heel bone is pulled posteriorly - also stretching the plantar fascia and causing inflammation. Tightness here can be THE predisposing factor for Achilles rupture as well.
Another common sequella of plantar fascitis is a heel spur. When the body has inflammation, calcium infiltrates the tissue and can calcify, or harden into bone. A heel spur is exactly that: calcification of the plantar fascia (and sometimes the Achilles tendon).
If the previously mentioned muscles are balanced properly, each of the scenarios above can find relief. (Achilles tendon rupture requires surgical repair first, but with corrected muscles healing is accelerated and pain is more easily managed.)
Pain medications should only be considered for temporary relief. Orthotics may be permanently necessary when there are anatomical deformations. Surgery is rarely necessary and should only be considered when other options are exhausted.
Based on affordability and safety, the best option is chiropractic treatment from a professional applied kinesiologist. An applied kinesiologist can isolate each muscle and test them to see if they are functioning properly. If they are found to be the cause, various methods can then be tested for muscle improvement. Some of those methods are: spinal or extremity manipulation, acupuncture/acupressure, orthopedic massage, or nutritional supplementation.
Don't suffer any longer. Find the nearest professional applied kinesiologist and get the relief you deserve. For more information on where to find a professional applied kinesiologist, visit the International College of Applied Kinesiology (ICAK) online.
About the Author:
Charles Leahy writes about training related injuries and alternative health care. Learn about chiropractic by visiting Kinesis Healthcare at Kinesis Healthcare for you.