A Chiropractor May Be The Solution For Your Painful Plantar Fasciitis

When you think about getting a chiropractic treatment, you probably envision having your spine adjusted. You may not realize a chiropractor can help you with foot pain by making adjustments to your foot instead. If you have chronic pain from plantar fasciitis, you may want to visit a chiropractor to help speed your healing. Here are a few things to know.

What Causes Pain From Plantar Fasciitis

The fascia is a web of tissue that runs along the bottom of your foot. It can be injured by prolonged running, walking, or standing, especially if you don't wear shoes with the proper support for your feet. The injury causes small tears in the fascia that form scars. Since it is nearly impossible to stay off your feet for a prolonged time, once the fascia is inflamed and injured, it takes a long time to heal and you are at risk for further injury. The tears, scars, and inflammation are what lead to chronic pain that makes it feel like you're walking on rocks.

How Chiropractic Treatments Help

A chiropractor knows where to apply pressure along the bottom of your foot to find painful areas. These are known as trigger points and they are located in areas of scar adhesions. Treatments are applied to these trigger points to help break apart the adhesions. This is done by deep tissue massage or applying pressure directly on the sore spot. The chiropractor might even use a percussion device that taps on the area repeatedly. The treatment can be uncomfortable since your foot is already in pain, but once the scar tissue is broken up, the pain usually goes away and your foot feels much better.

The chiropractor may also give your foot an adjustment to help massage the fascia and break up scar tissue. This involves manipulating your foot in a precise way to give the fascia a deep treatment and realignment. The treatment may extend to your entire foot and ankle to help readjust your foot if the pain has caused you to walk in a protective manner that throws your foot and ankle out of alignment with the rest of your body.

You should feel some relief from pain after a single session, but it usually takes a while for the tissues to heal completely. Therefore, your chiropractor may suggest you have a series of treatments to speed your healing. If you are active in sports or if your foot pain interferes with your ability to work, then rapid healing could be very important to you. In addition to the actual manipulation of your foot, a chiropractor can also help you choose the proper shoes and orthotic inserts to make your feet more comfortable and to prevent further injury. In addition, you may need to have adjustments to your spine as well if the chronic foot pain has led to pain in your back and hips from an altered gait. For more information, contact companies like Gerleman Chiropractic Office.