Plantar Fasciitis is a very common condition affecting the bottom of the foot and heel. The plantar fascia itself is a thick band of fascia and connective tissue that goes from the bottom of the toes to the heel. When there is too much stress on the bottom of the foot, the plantar fascia becomes inflamed and can be very painful. Plantar Fasciitis is characterized by sharp heel pain, usually worse in the morning, and is painful to walk.
While Plantar Fasciitis may be more common in some people, such as runners, it can develop in anybody. The one thing that all people have in common that suffer from Plantar Fasciitis is that they all walk on their feet! In order to get rid of Plantar Fasciitis, we have to figure out what the problem is that is causing the inflammation in these tissues.
There are around 55 joints in one of your feet! When some of these joints are not moving the way they are supposed to, it will put too much stress on the tissues around them. Not only will this cause inflammation in the plantar fascia (Plantar Fasciitis) but can eventually lead to knee, hip, and back pain. This is where most Plantar Fasciitis treatments fall short. Traditional treatments, such as bracing/splinting, ultrasound, ice, and stretching often fail to resolve the foot pain because they do not address the reason the plantar fascia is inflamed in the first place.
The key to curing Plantar Fasciitis is evaluating and treating the entire kinetic chain, not just treating the plantar fascia itself. To ensure that too much stress is not being put on the foot, you must ensure that all the joints and muscles of the foot, leg, and spine are functioning properly. When you are suffering from a great deal of pain, laser therapy is a great tool to help jump start the rehab process. A chiropractic specialist can then assess the joints of the foot and ensure that stress is taken off the plantar fascia, knee, hip, and spine. Taking a whole-body approach is most often the best way to go about treating pain and, most importantly, correcting the reason you are having pain in the first place.