Foot Adjustments to Relieve Plantar Fasciitis

Our primary goal here at Foster Chiropractic, Sports & Wellness is to help you feel and be healthy, and have the ability to participate in all the activities you enjoy. For people suffering from plantar fasciitis, foot pain keeps them from participating in many daily activities. Plantar fasciitis is one of the most common causes of heel pain. It is a sharp, stabbing pain in the heel that’s usually worse first thing in the morning, or after standing or sitting for long periods of time.

What is Plantar Fasciitis?

Plantar fasciitis is the pain caused when a person has small tears and inflammation in the ligament that runs across the bottom of the foot. This ligament is the plantar fascia, and it connects the heel bone to the toes.

Who is at Risk?

There are many different things that can lead to the development of plantar fasciitis. Age, obesity and exercise are all factors that play a part in causing wear and tear on that plantar fascia, which can lead to inflammation and damage. Wearing shoes with inadequate support, or having a foot with abnormal mechanics, can also put stress on this part of the foot. Some occupations have a higher risk of developing plantar fasciitis. Jobs where you’re on your feet on hard surfaces for long periods of time, such as teachers and factory workers, are more prone to plantar fasciitis.

How Can Foster Chiropractic Help?

Chiropractic care cannot heal the tears in a person’s plantar fascia, that healing takes place over time. But there are ways to reduce the pain and help avoid additional issues so that you are feeling better and on the go as soon as possible.

Foot & Back Alignments. Often we see that patients suffering from plantar fasciitis will change their gait to reduce pain in the foot. Unfortunately, this can lead to misalignment of the spine which can cause back or hip pain in addition to the heel pain already in place. Regular chiropractic alignments can help reduce the chance of suffering from additional pain and help you maintain a proper gait while suffering from plantar fasciitis.

Massage. Professional massage of the heel, foot and lower leg is one way to reduce the pain and inflammation that occurs with plantar fasciitis,

Strengthening exercises. We can show you exercises for the foot and lower leg muscles that will help reduce the pain suffered from plantar fasciitis and speed the healing process.

Orthotics. Making sure your foot is supported and your gait is in line are two ways to help heal plantar fasciitis and prevent future occurrences. Dr. Foster uses Foot Levelers technology to assess your gait and help fit you with custom orthotics that will help provide the support you need.

If you’ve been suffering from heel pain, come in today for a consultation. We have what you need to ease your plantar fasciitis and get back into the active life you enjoy.

Take Care of Your Feet for Overall Health

April is National Foot Health Awareness Month, a designation set by the American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA) to help educate the public on the importance of foot health. Here at Foster Chiropractic, we are proud to join the association in celebrating this month. After all, your feet are an important tool in your overall mobility and balance. From the moment your feet hit the floor in the morning to the time you get back in bed at night, your feet are on the move, getting you from one point to another, which makes it crucial to keep your feet healthy and pain-free.

Aching Feet: The Cause of More Pain

Many people suffer from some type of foot pain. This pain can take many forms:

• Neuropathy: Numbness or tingling in the foot or extremities due to poor circulation.
• Plantar Fasciitis: Heel pain caused by inflammation of the band of tissues that runs along the bottom of your foot.
• Achilles Tendonitis: Inflammation of the tendon that runs down the back of your leg. 

It’s bad enough when your feet hurt. It makes every step painful. But aching feet also cause us to compensate in our movements, trying to avoid putting weight on the foot that might be painful, which then leads to pain in other parts of the body. For example, someone who suffers from plantar fasciitis might avoid leaning back on their heels, which causes an irregular gain and leads to hip and back pain. 

Problems Even When Your Feet Don’t Hurt

Many people suffer from knee, hip, back or neck pain due to problems with the feet, and it’s obvious why you have back pain if you’re compensating for something like the pain of plantar fasciitis. But people can also have pain-free feet, yet suffer from a condition which leads to further pain. For example, people who have weak arches that don’t support their feet well for proper alignment might find themselves suffering from back pain. Other types of misalignment among the 26 bones within the foot can lead to compensation in posture or movements in ways that cause bad posture or poor mobility, which leads to pain in various parts of the body.

Taking Care of the Problems, from Head to Toe

Whether you’re experiencing neck and back pain or specifically foot pain, a visit to the chiropractor can help you relieve your symptoms and prevent further pain. As a chiropractor certified in extremities, Dr. Scott Foster is especially in-tune with foot issues that can lead to further pain. 

One of the treatments often suggested for foot pain is ART (active release therapy), which is an advanced form of massage therapy that will help with the alignment of the many bones in the foot and ankle. This type of therapy is beneficial for those who are currently suffering from foot pain.

Another aspect of treatment is to examine the feet with a 3D Body ViewR Imaging Unit from Foot Levelers. This tool allows Dr. Foster to identify any problems that might be causing foot pain or pain in other parts of the body. Once the cause of the pain is pinpointed, we can make an orthotic to help alleviate the pain. For example, if the problem is pronation, or weak arches, an orthotic that provides extra support can improve your posture and help ease pain throughout the body.

Take advantage of National Foot Health Awareness Month to be sure your feet are getting all the support they need to support your body. Make an appointment with Foster Chiropractic today to have your feet and posture examined and make sure you’re living as pain-free as possible.

Chiropractic Tips for Staying in Top Running Condition

Now that you’re ready to run, check out some of the 5Ks scheduled around our area this fall! Registering for a race is a good way to set an exercise goal as well as support a good cause.

Pilot Mountain 5K

Oct 7

Ardmore rah!

October 21

Fury 5K

Oct. 21 at Forsyth Country Day School

Mission 5K

Nov. 4

Whether you’ve been running for years, or you have just started training for a 5K, this time of year is a great time to get outside and rack up some miles. The cooler temperatures and lower humidity make you feel like you could run for miles. But it never fails, once you get in a good routine, running on a regular basis, the aches and pains start up. Most of the common running injuries are caused by overuse, from repeated force over time. You can also suffer from aches and pains if you dramatically increase your running regimen.

Common complaints of runners often include:

Runner’s Knee. This is pain behind the knee cap that occurs when the knee is out of alignment.

Plantar Fasciitis. Inflammation in the bottom of the foot.

Shin splints. Pain in the front or inside of the lower legs.

If you’re suffering from any of these, call us at Foster Chiropractic Sports & Wellness for a consultation. With proper alignment and our suggestions on good running form, you can help ease the pain and also prevent future pain and injuries.

In addition to a visit to the chiropractor, there are a few other things you can do to help keep running injuries at bay.

Stretch. Muscles respond better to the stress exercise puts on them when they’ve been warmed up, and stretching keeps the muscles flexible so muscles and joints are operating at their full range of motion. Check out Healthline for some good stretching suggestions.

Be sure to warm up and cool down. Starting your exercise at full speed can lead to pulled muscles or strain on joints. To make sure you’re taking things at the right pace, start out with a few minutes of walking to get the body ready for more intense exercise.

Replace your shoes regularly. You’ll see recommendations to switch out your shoes after 500 or 600 miles. The important thing is to make sure your shoes are still in good condition and you’re getting support when you run.

Add in strength training. Switching up your exercise routine to do strength training sometimes, such as squats and ab workouts, can help reduce injury when running. The exercises strengthen the muscles around the knees and hips, helping provide more support and lessening the chance of injury.