Plantar Fasciitis = No Longer Fleet of Foot

What is Plantar Fasciitis?
Plantar Fasciitis is a condition that affects about 10% of the population.  It starts in the heel and runs through the bottom of the foot to the toes. It is notably most painful with the first few steps of the day, and after vigorous exercising, and usually starts as a stabbing heel pain. Namely runners, people who are overweight, and those with poor arch support are the likely ones to have this diagnosis.

What causes Plantar Fasciitis?
When the thick ribbon of tissue along the bottom of the foot, the plantar fascia, shows irritation and inflammation, Plantar Fasciitis rears its ugly head.  Fascia works as springboard or bow of sorts. While walking, the fascia gives, allowing the foot to either depress the spring-board or pull the bow taught.  Once a step is complete and the foot comes back to a resting position, the bow or springboard snaps back to a state of rest. When the fascia is over-stressed or over-used, tiny tears due to micro-trauma, occur. These tiny tears cause irritation, inflammation, and pain.

Bio-mechanics can also make getting Plantar Fasciitis possible.  Being flat footed or having a high arch, exercises that require a lot of stretching and flexing of the plantar fascia (running or aerobic activity), obesity, too much time standing, tight calves, and people between the ages of 40 and 60, are all factors that can contribute to the condition.

How do you treat Plantar Fasciitis?
Ignoring or waiting this condition out, is not a good option for those diagnosed with it.  As with any musculoskeletal disorder, when one part of the body shows injury, the body will do it’s best to protect the injury and compensate.  With plantar fasciitis the ankles, knees, hips, and back all too often, are involved. The risk of chronic pain develops when one wants to “wait it out”.  The best option, research has suggested, is to visit a physical therapist. Research has also shown that an evidence-based PT is the desired approach for helping heal plantar fasciitis. Do you know who Charlottesville’s evidence based –PT clinic is?  Yes, you are correct, Move Better Physical Therapy.

Why a Move Better PT?
A Move Better physical therapist is a board certified, doctoral level, movement expert.  They use an evidence-based approach in treating plantar fasciitis among other musculoskeletal disorders. A Move Better PT looks at each individual’s history and then examines all the risk factors that can lead to, or exacerbate the condition. The formation of a treatment plan includes special exercises, hands-on manual therapy, and a home exercise program.

If you have Plantar Fasciitis and the stabbing heel pain is keeping you from being fleet of foot, then why not come see a Move Better PT? Move Better Physical Therapy is the clinic where a highly trained, board certified physical therapist, works one-on-one with their patients to get them back on their feet quickly and back to doing what they love. https://movebettertherapy.com/contact-us/