The Hip-Foot Connection

Are you struggling with hip pain? Have you considered that your feet may be the problem? Chiropractic care is a great avenue for diagnosing your foot and/or hip pain, as chiropractors are trained to view the person as a whole. While some doctors may treat you only for the hip, your chiropractor will dive deeper, look further into what’s really causing your hip pain.

 

Plantar fasciitis is one of the most common causes of foot/heel pain. Plantar fasciitis is caused by inflammation of the plantar fascia, a thick band of tissue on the bottom of your foot, connecting your heel to your toes. The function of the plantar fascia and the medial longitudinal ridge of the foot is to provide shock absorption and a spring to your step.

 

Someone suffering from plantar fasciitis may feel a stabbing pain in the bottom of the foot in the morning, when initial weight bearing takes place. After a while the pain may subside, but can be aggravated during prolonged time spend standing (especially on hard surface) or during intense activity, such as running or anything that brings a high intensity of shock that the foot has to bear. Other common risk factors for plantar fasciitis may include: someone with flat feet or an overly high arch, obesity, or occupations where a person is standing on their feet all day.

 

Plantar fasciitis arises when there is stress and tension put on the plantar fascia of the foot. “In the mid-stance phase of gait, the arch flattens out, stretching the plantar fascia (the ‘string’ in the bottom of the foot). If this tension and stress exceeds the tissue’s threshold or becomes too great, micro-tears inflame the fascia and cause pain when initiating weightbearing. This leads to pain and can affect normal gait, which can ultimately lead to issues up the kinetic chain, such as hip pain”. This is why looking at the whole person is so important, when someone is suffering with hip pain, it is important to check that the issue isn’t arising from a problem in the patient’s foot.

 

“Following diagnosis, which may include review of the patient history and examination, a conservative treatment approach in a chiropractic setting may include manual therapies (longitudinal and cross fiber friction massage); Graston technique (using spoon-like tools to stimulate blood flow and break up adhesions); stretching exercises (calf stretches off a step of using TheraBand to bend the foot and ankle upwards and extend the toes); prescription foot orthotics with pronation correction (lateral heel wedge); modalities (laser, ultrasound, extracorporeal shock wave therapy); and dorsiflexion night splinting. Patient may also be encouraged to reduce their intake of processed food – which can increase inflammation in the body – eat a more anti-inflammatory diet, like the Mediterranean diet, to aid in the healing process”. Patient may also be advised to reduce the amount of time spent on their feet and switch to less strenuous forms of exercise during the recovery process.

 

 

Content Courtesy of Chiro-Trust.org. All Rights Reserved.

Dr. Augustine of Augustine Chiropractic in Wesley Chapel, FL, has over 31 years of experience treating patients for their neck pain and their ailments through personalized chiropractic care treatments. The locally owned and operated chiropractic clinic offers both in-office treatments and at-home therapy regiments 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 and appointment and visit their website to learn more about their services!