What the Foot?
Our feet are very important. They move us throughout our day and take us to new places, but they can also cause poor movement patterns and pain. I’m not just talking about foot or ankle pain either - our feet can result in pain anywhere along the movement chains in your body - knees, hips, low back, and even neck and shoulder pain.
With 26 bones, 33 joints, and over 100 soft tissue structures in each foot, there are a lot of things that must work together properly to move us throughout our day pain free. When any one of these bones, joints, or soft tissues don’t function properly, it can lead to a chain reaction of events resulting in foot pain and pain throughout the body. One of the most common causes of foot pain is plantar fasciitis. Typically plantar fasciitis causes pain in the heal and along the bottom of the foot (medial arch). Pain is usually severe in the morning and gets a little better as we move around.
Plantar fasciitis can be caused by a variety of factors including sudden increase in activity, obesity, rapid weight gain, improper footwear, work-related stress, and of course, faulty foot and ankle biomechanics. Limited ankle dorsiflexion (movement at the ankle) is one of the most common risk factors for plantar fasciitis. Ankle mobility can be improved easily with foot and ankle adjustments and routine stretching of the calf (gastrocnemius and soleus) muscles. Not all plantar fasciitis cases are as simple as limited ankle dorsiflexion. For the more complicated cases, there are a variety of other treatment options available.
1. Orthotic support: Custom foot orthotics are designed specifically and only for your feet. Orthotics help support and alleviate excessive stress placed on areas of your feet and the pain that comes with it.
2. Manual therapy: Active Release Technique (ART), Graston, and instrument assisted soft tissue manipulation (IASTM) all break up “knots”, adhesions, and scar tissue formation within the soft tissues. This decreases pain and inflammation, improves range of motion, and speeds up healing.
3. Dry needling: DN breaks up adhesions and trigger points in soft tissue structures to reduce pain. It also improves blood flow, reducing inflammation and speeding up healing time.
4. Manipulation (Adjustments): Improves movement in the foot and ankle joints, leading to improved function and less pain.
6. Stretching and exercises: Stretching helps relax tight muscles and soft tissue structures, while specific short foot exercises, help strengthen the tiny muscles in the feet, allowing them to support more weight and force and lessening the load of the plantar fascia.
7. Weight modification: Excessive weight adds more stress and force to every joint in the body. Anyone with a BMI >30 should begin a weight management program. We offer a weight management program, as well as nutritional counseling. Learn more here.
8. Footwear: Proper footwear is essential for reducing pain associated with plantar fasciitis. Proper shoe size, width, toe box, arch, flex, and support are all factors to be considered.
9. Inflammation control: Inflammation is a factor in most plantar fasciitis cases. Natural anti-inflammatory supplements and ice use should begin immediately. NSAIDs may also be an option. In severe cases a steroid injection may be considered. Yes, I know I’m a chiropractor, but some cases simply do not resolve with conservative measures. Try conservative care first, and if that doesn’t work, we’ll discuss other options.
If you or someone you know suffers from foot pain, call us today for a complimentary consultation, 913-268-8300. You might just find that your back pain and headaches start to improve as your foot pain resolves!
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