Can Chiropractic Help Plantar Fasciitis?
Every day in our office we are asked the question, can chiropractic help plantar fasciitis. We tell them that in our 23 years of experience the answer is yes. But how you may ask. In this blog I will discuss what plantar fasciitis is and why traditional medical treatment for this common condition usually does not work and if it does, typically it will come back in a few months.
What is Plantar Fasciitis:
Plantar Fasciitis is one of the most common foot problems and the leading cause of heel pain. Plantar Fasciitis by definition inflammation of the thick band of tissue called the plantar fascia. The plantar Fascia tissue connects the heel bone to the toes and acts as a shock absorber to the foot. Sever’s Disease is the most common cause of heel pain in children. Sever’s disease is a condition of the growth plate getting inflamed by the plantar fascia tissue stress described below.
Symptoms of Plantar Fasciitis:
- Heel Pain that is sharp or achy
- Foot tightness in arch
- Pain in foot worse first thing in the morning
- Pain with running or walking
- Swollen arch
Causes of Plantar Fasciitis (Medical Profession):
- Repetitive stress from waling and running causes small tears in the tissue resulting in inflamation
- Poor shoes supports
- Walking barefoot on the tile or hard floors in home
- Sports injury (sprain of the plantar fascia)
Cause of Plantar Fasciitis (Chiropractic Profession):
- Joint dysfunction of the mid foot (Most common at the Navicular and Base of the 1st metatarsal head joint)
- Lack of motion of this joint prevents the absorption of shock while walking or running. This normal motion is called the “Windless Effect”.
- When a muscle or tissue is not allowed to get stretched and stay pliable, this lack of motion will result in shorting of the plantar fascia resulting in inflammation and chronic stress on the bones it connects.
- The chronic stress on the heel bone (calcaneus) will lead to traction spurs, AKA as a Heel Spur.
Treatment for Plantar Fasciitis (Medical Approach):
- Conservative Treatment includes – Rest, Ice, Heat, Stretching, Massage, and specific exercises.
- Physical Therapy Treatment – Night splints, Crutches, AStem, Cold Laser, Extracorporeal shock wave therapy, Strengthening around the foot and leg.
- Surgical Intervention – Injections of cortisone and other steroid medications, Ultrasonic tissue repair, Cutting of the Plantar Fascia tissue.
Treatment for Plantar Fasciitis (Chiropractic Approach)
- Specific Adjustments/Joint Manipulation to the bones that are fixated in the mid foot and ankle.
- Conservative treatment – Ice, Heat, Massage, and Stretching of the plantar tissues..
Results we see in our Clinic:
In our clinic when patients ask the question Can Chiropractic help Plantar Fasciitis, we tell them absolutely it can help. I explain to my patients that over the past 23 years in clinical practice I have seen hundreds of patients recover from plantar fasciitis that was not going away with medical treatment. It is not that conservative medical care does not help but it does not address the underlying issue as to what caused it in the first place. It is the lack of motion and joint dysfunction that caused the tissue to be inflamed, and if that is not addressed the problem will persist and become chronic. Once chiropractic care is provided, motion is restored within the joints and tissues, then the plantar fascia is able to heal. In my experience patients will typically start to feel less pain within the first week. Every patient is different in how long the problem has been there, their anatomy, and age but I my experience it will take anywhere from 6-12 visits over 8 weeks to resolve plantar fasciitis. However, the symptoms of Plantar fasciitis typically resolve in 2-3 weeks. But just like the pain of a broken arm will go away after a week or two, it still takes 6-8 weeks for the bone to fully heal. In our office it is not our goal just to get you out of pain, it is our goal to restore joint dysfunction and allow your body to heal so that you don’t have to deal with the condition again or an even bigger issue in the future.
Whether you suffer from foot or heel pain or not I would recommend that you come in for a foot evaluation. If you currently have foot dysfunction and it is not addressed, you will at some point start to develop plantar fasciitis. Both Dr. Hood and I have helped hundreds of patients over the years and would love the opportunity to help you as well. Call or schedule online at Reedchiropractic.com for your complete foot evaluation.
