May 30, 2018

Health Advice

Plantar Fasciitis Treatment: Massage, Chiropractic and More

We often get questions about plantar fasciitis treatment options. This is not surprising at all since plantar fasciitis is a very common condition in adults. In fact, plantar fasciitis is the leading cause of foot and heel pain in the world.

Many studies estimate that plantar fasciitis accounts for about 10% of the foot pain complaints in the general population. About 83% of these complaints come from active working adults between the ages of 25 and 65 years old. Equally important, women are 6 times more likely to develop this condition according to recent studies.

Moreover, plantar fasciitis appears in frequent runners, older adults, and individuals with one of the following risk factors: obesity, routinely prolonged standing, wearing inadequate shoes, and weight-bearing jobs.

As a result, it is important to keep outselves informed and to know the different plantar fasciitis treatment options, and what each one of them do.

What is Plantar Fasciitis?

Plantar fasciitis is a degenerative disorder that results Is pain in the heel and bottom of the foot. It is the inflammation and irritation of the plantar fascia.

The plantar fascia is the connecting ligament between the heel bone and the toes, and it plays a crucial role in the biomechanics of the foot.

The fascia itself is very important. It is in charge of two major objectives: providing proper support for the arch of the foot and shock absorption. As a result, tears can easily appear in its surface when the plantar fascia is overstreched, therefore leading to pain and inflammation in the foot.

Facts about Plantar Fasciitis

The exact number of people suffering from plantar fasciitis per year are unknown. However, approximately 1 million patients visit a health care professional per year due to plantar fasciitis.
Plantar fasciits makes up to 10% of all runner-related injuries and up to 15% of all other foot pain symptoms.
Up to 89% of people living with plantar fasciitis will experience plantar fascia softening.
People with plantar fasciitis can experience trouble with dorsiflexion (a movement in which the foot is brought toward the shin).
Plantar fasciitis is most prevelant in people between 40-60 years of age.
It can take up to 12 months for your plantar fascia to heal completely by itself without any medical care.
The foot is composed of 52 bones. When those bones are out of alignment, havoc can ensue, and plantar fasciitis is likely.
One in five people have high arches and one in four has flat feet, both factors contribute to plantar fasciitis.
Plantar fasciitis treatment options range from manual therapy techniques such as massage therapy to surgery.

Plantar Fasciitis Symptoms

In order to recomment an approppriate plantar fasciitis treatment plan to a patient, doctors need to understand the patient’s pain first. Plantar fasciitis pain is quite unique. Every patient will experience pain a little bit different. However, here are some general guidelines of what to expect or to look for if experiencing plantar fasciitis:

Often described as stabbing pain.
Burning sensation on the bottom of the foot extending outward from the heel.
A lot of people experience pain after a long period of rest (yes, this include the first steps in the morning after waking up!).
Pain when bending the foot and toes up towards the shin.
Pain typically develops slowly overtime and it can occur at random times. This means patients may be experiencing symptoms for months.
One or both feet can be affected. One in three people will experience pain in their legs.
Pain can be accompanied by swelling.
Patients will often present with a history of progressive pain.
Pain at the bottom of the foot, mid foot area, the inferior and medial heel.
Pain decreases with increase of activity, but often gradually increases when activity increases.
Experience palpating sensation on the heel bone.
General stiffness in the area.
Tenderness of the bottom of the foot.
Difficulty in weight-bearing activities such as walking or climbing stairs.

Plantar Fasciitis Causes

First and foremost, plantar fasciitis is often an overuse injury. This means the primarily cause can be a repetitive strain that leads to a series of tears in the plantar fascia. Other predisposing factors may include limited range of motion in the ankle, tight calf muscles, tight achilles tendon, having flat feet or high arches, obesity, and pregnancy. Furthermore, plantar fasciitis can be caused by certain diseases including reactive arthritis, tarsal tunnel syndrome, and ankylosing spondylitis. Likewise, factors such as wearing inadequate shoes with thin soles, frequent use of high heels, or unusual walking / foot positioning increases the risk of developing plantar fasciitis as menioted before.

Plantar Fasciitis Treatment

Plantar fasciitis treatment begins with a proper assessment by a health provider. In some cases, the provider may consider obtaining x-rays if the physical exam indicate other injuries or conditions may be present. Subsequently, an MRI could be ordered to evaluate for tears, stress fractures, or osteochondral defects if the patient is not improving with physical treatment. Nonetheless, the good news is that there are several natural and non invasive ways plantar fasciitis treatment options available.

Chiropractic Treatment

Chiropractors have extensive training in conditions and injuries in all parts of the body. When it comes to plantar fasciitis, chiropractors have many tools and techniques they use to treat it. For example, they may use a high speed vibrating machine to perform what is often refered as percussion therapy. What this therapy does is relax the muscle attached to the heel bone while it breaks down scar tissue. If there is any joint dysfunction, a chiropractor would do any adjustment necessary to regain proper alignment. Moreover, they may also use manual therapy techniques to create elasticity, lengthen the tissue, and drive blood into the area. In some cases, chiropractors can prescribe orthotics with an extra pad to support the arch of the foot if the patient requires it.

Physiotherapy Treatment

A physiotherapist can help plantar fasciitis too. Physiotherapist can mobilize the foot and ankle to achieve more flexibility and range or motion. They can perform assisted stretches and exercises, as well as, recommend you an exercise plan to do at home. In addition, another common treatment involves the use of an electrical muscle stimulation system (EMS). The pads on the EMS will generate palpitations in the affected area, and work on the affected muscles. Another option is the use kinesiology tape around the heal, Achilles tendon, and foot to take pressure off the plantar fascia, protect the area and create a stronger support.

Massage Therapy Treatment

Massage therapists can help relieve pain from plantar fasciitis. A RMT will focus on relieving inflammation, promoting healing from muscle tears, and strengthening or improving flexibility in the area. Plantar fasciitis treatment will employ deep tissue massage. Deep tissue massage is a technique that focuses on massaging deeper muscle tissues by applying pressure. In this case, The pressure would be applied on the fascia, achilles heel, and calf muscles. Deep tissue massage can help to release the muscle tension, break scar tissue, and lead to its elimination. It is one of the most sought after techniques for foot pain. Other deep tissue massage benefits include breaking down adhesions that are formed in the muscles caused by over exertion or strain, improve blood pressure, and lead to stress relief.

Frequently asked questions:

What is a plantar fasciitis night splint?

One common plantar fasciitis treatment option are night splints. Night splints are heel braces specifically designed to provide support and relieve pain associated with plantar fasciitis and other foot conditions. The way you would utilize the brace is simply by wearing it over night while sleeping. The brace will stretch ligaments, plantar fascia and calf muscles during this time. This leads to a decrease of stress placed on the affected area, as well as, a decrease on inflammation. It is important to note that the brace is not sufficient plantar fasciitis treatment. It must be used as a complementary treatment along with chiropractic, physiotherapy and massage therapy.

Can plantar fasciitis be cured?

This is a complicated question. But to simplify it, for most people, the pain, effects or symptoms associated with plantar fasciitis can be “cured” or healed with proper treatment. Some patients may experience plantar fasciitis due to structural problems. They would require more detailed attention and treatments, especially in other parts of their body (for example knees). What is most recommended is to have an integrated treatment approach. This would include different disciplines of therapeutic medicine working together to achieve your goals and get you back to optimal health. In addition to this, surgery may be recommended in most severe cases, but must be the last option you consider. Always seek help with your family doctor or our chiropractors first to find an adequate treatment plan to adjust to your needs.

How long plantar fasciitis to heal?

Studies have shown that it may take 12 months on average for plantar fasciitis to heal in its own without any specific plantar fasciitis treatment plan. The healing process speeds up when a patient uses treatments such as chiropractic care, physiotherapy or massage. A patient can feel instant pain relief in some cases, and experience decrease in inflammation within days, however the time for plantar fasciitis to heal completely may take 2-3 months in average. It is recommended to use a multidisciplinary approach that includes home treatments and medical treatments. How Can PhysioChiroWellness Help?

At PhysioChiroWellness Integrated Health Centre our highly-skilled practitioners work together to create fully integrated health solutions that may include physiotherapy, chiropractic, massage therapy, acupuncture, naturopathy, medical aesthetics amongst others. Our professionals will work together towards achieving an optimal health for all our patients through a holistically approach when treating any condition or pain they may present. This service is provided in our Ajax, Mississauga, Newmarket, & Vaughan clinics and can be booked at any time.

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Plantar Fasciitis Treatment: Massage, Chiropractic and More