The Plantar Fascia is a strong band of tissue that supports the arch of your foot. When it becomes thickened or inflamed pain can be localised over the arch itself or refer into the heel. Usually pain will be worse in the morning, at the start of a run or if you get up after sitting down for a certain amount of time.
A common cause of plantar fasciitis is going 0-100 in terms of the load placed on the foot. This could include taking up running or returning to running after a long break, climbing up and down ladders and wearing new shoes or orthotics for example. It can also come about for no know reason, this is where we usually find a musculoskeletal postural imbalance that needs to be addressed.
Here are some treatment options that you might consider if you have plantar fasciitis. We recommend combining all of these treatments for quickest results and best long term outcomes:
SHOCKWAVE – Acoustic waves are transmitted into the affected tissues to promote collagen production, increased blood supply and reduce pain. Essentially this kick starts the healing process of the plantar fasciitis and allows you to begin loading the foot with a strength program. Used to be primarily reserved for persistent conditions however new research is showing great results in early intervention.
STRENGTH PROGRAM – A must for making your foot, surrounding muscle and nerves support you for the long run. We start with isometric (holds steady the affected tissue) contractions and as you get stronger we move more into concentric (shortens the affected tissue) and then finally eccentric (lengthens the affected tissue) load.
MYOFASCIAL RELEASE – Fascia holds the muscles throughout our body in place. If the calf muscles, fascia or further up the posterior myofascial chain have tension they can pull more at the arch, a leading cause of plantar fasciitis. We have found that if the fascia and muscle component of pain is not addressed plantar fasciitis can take longer to resolve. We recommend a combination of active cupping, massage and dry needling to support your plantar fascia during the healing and strengthening phases.
POSTURAL CONSIDERATION – The plantar fascia and foot is only capable of full, happy load if the rest of the body is providing it with a good position. If you have a forward pitch of your whole body, a pelvic tilt or a decreased lordosis for example these problems should be addressed as part of your healing journey. We recommend muscle strength and length testing to identify where the postural problem is stemming from and addressing during the treatment and strengthening phases of your plantar fasciitis recovery.
If you would like more information and live close to our clinic in Mount Waverley, VIC, Australia, why not book a free assessment to get things started!