Plantar Fasciitis & osteopathy
This week in Clinic, I’ve had a run of patients experiencing plantar fasciitis! So many of us spend our days on our feet at work or chasing after children and heel or foot pain can make this wildly uncomfortable.
So, what is plantar fasciitis?
Plantar fasciitis is the leading cause of heel pain & can have significant impacts on the quality of life for those experiencing symptoms.
The plantar fascia is a thick band of connective tissue that runs from our big toe and attaches down into our heel and is the structure that forms the ‘arch’ of our foot. It plays an important role in foot mobility & generating power for things like walking, running & jumping.
When we have inflammation of this tissue it results in plantar fasciitis which presents as heel pain – often worse in the morning.
What causes plantar fasciitis?
Often, there is no single cause for plantar fasciitis, rather it is an accumulation of factors that make someone more predisposed to developing symptoms. These factors include:
Being overweight or pregnant
Having flat feet or high arches
Poor footwear – thin soles without arch support or high heels
Reduced foot or ankle mobility
Having tight calf muscles
Repetitive, high impact activities – running, jumping or some dance
Standing for long hours on hard surfaces
How do we treat plantar fasciitis?
Management of plantar fasciitis requires all contributing factors (for that individual) to be addressed & can often take some time.
Primarily, it is important to invest in good, supportive footwear and break up prolonged periods of standing or reduce high impact activities.
Osteopathy can help improve the mechanics of the lower limb and pelvis to help reduce the load placed on the plantar fascia. This may include soft tissue massage, joint articulation/manipulation, stretching & advice on how to modify activities or exercises to be doing at home.
If heel pain is persistent and does not respond to conservative treatment, your osteopath may discuss further interventions that may include orthotics, cortisone injections or platelet-rich plasma injections.
Plantar fasciitis can have a big impact on someone’s quality of life so if you, or someone you know, is experiencing heel pain then reach out & get some support!
Zo xo