Let's Talk About: Plantar Fasciitis
The plantar fascia is a tough band of tissue on the sole of the foot. It is responsible for supporting the arch of the foot. When it starts to hurt, it can be a real pain!
Stress may be placed on the plantar fascia from walking in footwear that is too flat, or from bad mechanics of the foot and ankle. Stress on the plantar fascia causes some inflammation near the heel and over time, the plantar fascia begins to tear away from the heel attachment. This produces a diagnostic pain when you first step on the foot, which gets better with walking, but comes back later. Because of the repeated tearing of the plantar fascia, the body tries to strengthen it by laying down calcium in the area near the heel. This produces the image seen on x-ray known as “heel spurs.” This is actually a symptom of the problem, and not the cause.
Depending on how much pain plantar fasciitis is causing, there are different starting points for treatment. If there is a lot of pain and obvious swelling, recommended home care is to freeze a 500ml water bottle and GENTLY roll the arch of the foot on it for 10-15 minutes. This temporarily helps to reduce the swelling. In addition to using the ice, wearing a slight heel helps to take pressure off the plantar fascia. About 1-1/2 inch heels must be worn ALL THE TIME to reduce strain on the plantar fascia and help it heal. Complete resolution of plantar fasciitis may take up to 6 months.
Here at Downtown Brampton Wellness Centre, we offer approaches to help speed up healing of plantar fasciitis. A course of low-Intensity laser therapy helps the body repair the tearing of the plantar fascia, reducing the tell-tale pain. As a longer term approach, orthotics reduce the strain caused by improper motion of the foot. There are also specific plantar fasciitis accommodations made to an orthotic to lift pressure off the painful area.
If you have plantar fasciitis, you don’t have to suffer!
Give us a call: 905-451-3963 or email: info@bramptonwellness.ca
