Plantar Fasciitis
Treatment for Plantar fasciitis in Loughborough & Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire. This condition is the inflammation of the thick band of tissue that connects your heel bone to your toes, known as the plantar fascia. In my experience, depending on the location of pain under the foot, the actual cause of the pain can have differing sources. Whether it is down to joint restrictions, trigger points, fascial tension or acute injury, I am confident we can help to find the problem and improve / eradicate it.
Plantar Fasciitis & Treatment
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Plantar fasciitis is inflammation of the plantar fascia, a part of your foot that connects your heel bone to your toes.
Symptoms of plantar fasciitis include pain around the heel and arch of your foot. It may be worse in the morning.
The location of the pain is really important in helping to diagnose the cause. It is also extremely useful to track back to when the pain started. Sometime, there will be evidence of an acute injury which needs time to rest and heal, however, often the cause is as a result of restrictions further up the body and the plantar fasciitis is merely the symptom.
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Causes
Your plantar fascia is in the shape of a bowstring, supporting the arch of your foot and absorbing shock when you walk. If tension and stress on this bowstring become too great, small tears can occur in the fascia. This is what we can deduce as an acute injury which needs to heal. However, it is extremely important to treat away from the area of pain to find and remove the problem which has created that extra tension and stress.
Potential areas to explore could include trigger point (see specific page on this website) developments in the soleus and calf muscles, which can create strain on the ankle joint. There could be joint restrictions from a rolled ankle which is now preventing full motion of the foot. Fascial tension of the shin could be affecting the normal functioning of the hallux (big toe) meaning the force translation in the foot changes. All of these potential causes may well create different symptoms and locations of pain underneath the foot and there can be many more, hence it is imperative to look for and treat the problem, not just manage the symptom.
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Risk factors
Even though plantar fasciitis can develop without an obvious cause, some factors can increase your risk of developing this condition. They include:
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Age. Plantar fasciitis is most common between the ages of 40 and 60.
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Certain types of exercise. Activities that place a lot of stress on your heel and attached tissue — such as long-distance running, ballet dancing and aerobic dance — can contribute to the onset of plantar fasciitis.
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Foot mechanics. Flat feet, a high arch or even an abnormal pattern of walking can affect the way weight is distributed when you're standing and can put added stress on the plantar fascia.
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Obesity. Excess pounds put extra stress on your plantar fascia.
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Occupations that keep you on your feet. Factory workers, teachers and others who spend most of their work hours walking or standing on hard surfaces can damage the plantar fascia.
Complications
Ignoring plantar fasciitis may result in chronic heel pain that hinders your regular activities. Changing the way you walk as a way to relieve plantar fasciitis pain might lead to foot, knee, hip or back problems.
