What is Plantar Fasciitis?
Plantar fasciitis is one of the most common causes of foot pain. The symptoms are caused by inflammation in or around the plantar fascia. The most common point of irritation is at the insertion, where the plantar fascia attaches to the bottom of the heel bone (calcaneus). However, irritation can be felt anywhere along the plantar fascia.
What causes Plantar Fasciitis?
Plantar fasciitis is commonly classified as an “overuse” type of injury. Meaning that if you have an uptick in physical activity, such as walking or running, this can cause overuse of the tissues on the bottom of the foot. This can lead to inflammation and subsequent pain felt in the heel/foot.
How do I know if I have Plantar Fasciitis?
There are many tissues and structures in the foot. So how do you determine if plantar fasciitis is the cause of your pain?
Common physical symptoms of Plantar Fasciitis:
- Pain on the bottom of the foot (near the heel bone)
- Pinpoint tenderness around the insertion of the plantar fascia (near heel)
- Pain when walking (or running) for a certain time or distance. (i.e. My heel hurts after I walk 10+ minutes)
- A noticeable difference in ankle and foot range of motion compared to the unaffected side.
Plantar Fascia
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What can I do about my Plantar Fasciitis?
With all mechanical (movement) pain, there’s a ‘what’ and a ‘why’ — what the problem is and why it’s occurring in the first place. To achieve resolution, it’s crucial to not only identify and correct the problem at hand but address the behaviors which lead to the issue’s occurrence.
Here are some self-help tips:
- Identify what activities worsen your symptoms.
- Take mental notes of what you are doing when your pain feels better or worse to identify any behavioral patterns.
- Scale back your activities (only for a few weeks).
- Modify any activities that cause your symptoms. For instance, if your pain starts after walking for 30 minutes, only walk 20-25 minutes. Scale this activity back for a week, then see if you’re ready to go back up (i.e. 30 minutes) the following week.
- Loosen tight tissues
- Overuse of the plantar fascia commonly causes tightness around the heel and mid-foot. Grab a ball (lacrosse balls work great!) and try to loosen up the plantar fascia before doing activities that cause you pain.
- Below is a video on how to properly roll out your plantar fascia.
- Start a stretch routine
- If you’re experiencing pain on a daily basis, then use that pain as motivation to start a daily stretching routine!
- Here is an easy Beginner Stretch Routine.
Find Foot Pain Relief At REACH Rehab + Chiropractic
Are you searching for a qualified sports chiropractor in Plymouth, MI, for your plantar fasciitis pain? REACH Rehab + Chiropractic is one of the leading names for heel pain treatment in the area. We provide personalized assessments and treatment to help you regain your full range of motion quickly.
Next time you are searching for “plantar fasciitis treatment near me” in Canton, Ann Arbor, or another local community, think REACH Rehab + Chiropractic. We treat acute and chronic foot/ankle pain. Book an appointment or contact us today at (734) 530-9134 for effective foot pain relief.
