4 Ways Chiropractic Can Help Plantar Fascitis
Our feet get the short end of the stick. We walk on them all day, always expect them to do their job, and do not take care of them until something is wrong. There are a variety of things that can be the cause of foot pain but the plantar fascia is one of the most common..
The plantar fascia is a band of tissue at the bottom of the foot that spans from the heel to the ball of the foot. This allows our foot to absorbs pressure and force when walking and function like it is supposed to.The plantar fascia can become tight and even tear causing pain and inflammation that can start in the foot and even go up to the calf and knee. As a matter of fact, the plantar fascia is the most common cause of heel pain.
It’s estimated that 2 million Americans suffer from plantar fasciitis. However, many different factors can cause the condition.
Plantar fasciitis can come about due to a foot trauma from an injury such as a fall, wearing ill-fitting or non-supporting footwear, prolonged standing, and arthritis. When plantar fasciitis strikes, the sufferer often changes the way that they wait, called gait, to avoid the painful foot. This altered gait can often bring about secondary conditions such as misalignment, muscle dysfunction, and joint stress.
Though there are multiple ways to treat this area, chiropractic offers multiple unique benefits to those who suffer from plantar fasciitis. Here are four specific ways chiropractic effectively treats plantar fasciitis.
Chiropractic adjustments can reduce stress on the joints of the foot and thus the plantar fascia
When the bones of the foot do not function correctly, the tissues in the foot become tight and it can cause tiny tears that can bring about plantar fasciitis. This often leads to ongoing pain and inflammation if left untreated.Over a series of visits, a chiropractor is able to adjust the foot and heel allowing the muscles and ligaments to start to relax, which in return, promotes healing and diminishes the instances of dealing with the condition again down the road.
Chiropractic care helps the secondary problems
As mentioned above, when an individual experiences plantar fasciitis, it often results in an altered gait to avoid the painful steps. This can cause stress and weight to fall on other parts of the joints of the feet, ankle, and knee which may eventually cause issues with strained muscles and sore joints.
Chiropractic treatment not only deals with the symptoms, but treats the root of the problem. Chiropractic patients see the plantar fascia, and the pain associated with it, decrease in severity. The chiropractor also helps retrain how to walk and stand correctly which helps decrease the and even eliminate the secondary symptoms.
Treatment beyond the office to promote healing
Part of chiropractic care for plantar fasciitis includes a regular recommendation of exercises that stretches and heals the plantar fascia as well as secondary affected areas. Patients can help their situations in addition to visiting their chiropractor by taking advantage of these regular home therapy exercises. These exercises and stretches not only help the current condition but can be beneficial in preventing future recurrences of it.
Chiropractic care work with other treatments to get you the best results
There are multiple ways to treat plantar fasciitis. Chiropractic treatment for plantar fasciitis complements other treatments. Chiropractic works great with massage, physical therapy, and more invasive treatment such as injections to offer pain management, increased mobility, and faster healing. SPeak with your chiropractor to see what treatments best complement your current care.
Though the typical recovery time for plantar fasciitis is typically several months, the great new is that committing to a combination of chiropractic and exercises, 90% of cases can be healed.
Plantar fasciitis is a common issue that millions of people face, but it doesn’t have to control your activity level or hinder your lifestyle. Consult a chiropractor and work together to lay out a plan of action that includes chiropractic adjustments, at-home rehab, and possibly other complementary forms of treatments. It does take time to heal but plantar fasciitis sufferers can eventually reach a point where they are pain free and can get back to their lives with unhindered mobility.
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