Plantar Fasciitis

Our feet are very important. Their health affects the quality of life in a big way. Having foot issues makes us  learn quickly how much their health and function matter. Plantar fasciitis is one common foot issue that can wreak havoc on your mobility and quality of life.

 

Fascia is a thin wrapping of connective tissue found in blood vessels, bones, nerve fibers and muscles. Plantar refers to what you call the bottom of your foot. The plantar fascia wraps the bottom of your foot from your heel to toes.  Plantar fasciitis is the inflammation of the connective tissue on the bottom of the foot. This is diagnosed through examination and a patient symptomatology report. The most common symptom is a stabbing pain in the foot near the heel, particularly when first placing the foot on the ground after sleeping.

 

The pain will often decrease and then return if standing for long periods of time or on particularly hard surfaces.  The fascia withstands a great deal of shock and pressure because of walking and foot movement, so continued use with no care causes the issue to get worse.

 

The best conservative treatment protocol includes stretching and chiropractic.  While the issue is inflammation within the connective tissue, there is often underlying tightness or shortening of muscles of the calf pulling on this tissue. Therefore, it is imperative that the patient stretch the calf muscle.

 

Chiropractic manipulation of the ankle and foot joints is helpful for restoration of proper joint mechanics. When the foot and ankle are properly functioning in terms of how the joints are operating and moving the muscles, then the tendons, ligaments and connective tissue are not under any undue pressure and are thus able to function at their highest possible level. This will contribute to the decrease of any inflammatory processes caused by improper function.  Plantar fasciitis can be debilitating depending on the severity and your lifestyle. There are conservative treatments that can be of great help in healing from this.

 

Dr. Brian Augustine of Augustine Chiropractic in Wesley Chapel, FL, has over 31 years of experience treating patients for their neck pain and other ailments through personalized chiropractic care treatments. The locally owned and operated chiropractic clinic offers both in-office treatments and at-home therapy regimens to help people recover and heal from auto injuries and other conditions. The staff is dedicated to providing alternative and therapeutic solutions for better overall health. Give them a call today at (813) 994-6008 to schedule an appointment or visit their website to learn more about their services!