Plantar Fasciitis Part 2

Last week I discussed the nature of plantar fasciitis as a common cause of foot and heel pain.  The best way to avoid this condition is to maintain a healthy weight and wear proper fitting and supportive shoes especially when exercising or working on hard surfaces such as tile or concrete.  Most often this condition begins with fallen arches of the feet.  To check for fallen arches, stand up straight while looking straight ahead and have someone on the ground looking at your feet.  They will be looking to see if the achilles tendon on the back of the heel is bowed instead of straight up and down and they should feel if they can get 3 or 4 fingertips under the middle arches of your feet.  They can also look for a bulging toward the inside of the heel.  If any of this is observed, you should probably be checked by a chiropractor or podiatrist for orthotic (arch) supports.

If you already have plantar fasciitis, I would highly recommend custom orthotic supports immediately.  Chiropractic adjustments of the feet and ankles often help.  There are numerous stretches, taping techniques, therapies and exercises that should be performed to provide lasting relief.  For more information on these treatments, I like the website heelspurs.com. 

Here in our office, we use a low-level laser treatment for plantar fasciitis. This combines laser treatments in combination with a handheld percussion massager to release muscle tension. If you are struggling with this condition and would like more information about these treatments, please call the office at (812) 273-4325.

In dealing with plantar fasciitis remember that it starts as an annoyance, but can become a difficult and chronic condition very fast.  So, listen to your feet and take good care of them!

Plantar Fasciitis Part 1

Over the next two weeks, I’d like to discuss an easily preventable condition that I see much more often this time of the year.  The condition is called plantar fasciitis and is most commonly experienced by pain in the heels and soles of the feet.  It often begins as a painful annoyance that can quickly develop into sharper pain preventing you from exercising or even walking and can become a more chronic condition.

Plantar fasciitis occurs when the muscles and the plantar fascia ligament along the bottom of the foot become inflamed or torn.  Most of the pain is felt in the middle of the heel where these muscles and ligaments attach.  For this reason, if the condition goes unresolved, the tension on the heel can remodel the bone into a heel spur which is much more painful difficult to deal with.

Why is this condition more common in the summer (especially with women)?  Two words – Flip Flops!  Improper fitting and unsupportive shoes are the most common cause for any foot problem, and for many people flip flop and other sandals are a recipe for trouble.  Another reason for the seasonal nature of this problem is people jumping into an exercise or running routine that they are not used to for the summer.  While the intention is good, you need to start slow and wear supportive shoes.

Next week I’ll discuss how to prevent and resolve this condition.

There’s Another Way

It has come to my attention after 20+ years in practice that one of the main reasons people avoid or discontinue chiropractic care even when they are getting good results is that they are uncomfortable with the “popping” feeling and sound of the manual chiropractic adjustment particularly in the neck.  In the past, I’ve reported that this sound is merely pressure releasing from a swollen, injured joint.  This pressure is largely made up of nitrogen gas that is only there as a byproduct of the inflammation in the joint.  What I’m beginning to understand is that even knowing this, some people still cannot get comfortable with the whole idea.

I always emphasize that chiropractic is meant to be a de-stressing experience.  Much like exercise and massage, research has shown that chiropractic adjustments interrupt the stress response at a brain level.  So, the last thing I want is someone experiencing stress from their adjustment.  This is why almost every chiropractor gets trained in low-force, gentle adjusting techniques that are easy, effective and do not elicit the stereotypical “popping” release of pressure.  These techniques may involve an instrument, a special table or simply light touch and my experience is that sometimes less is more, and an alternative technique can often prove more effective for some people.

By restoring the spine back to its normal anatomy and function, and reducing interference to the nerves that communicate between the brain and body, chiropractors get to see peoples pain reduce and health return literally at their fingertips.  It troubles me to know there are so many people suffering unnecessarily and aging prematurely without at least attempting to see if chiropractic care could help.  If it’s anxiety over the hands-on, audible adjustment that is keeping you from seeking or continuing care, my advice to you is to literally interview your chiropractor about any concerns you may have and work together to agree on a method that you are comfortable and still gets the results anticipated through a series of adjustments.