Heel pain can be excruciating, especially when you are required to stand on your feet all day. Suffering from this chronic discomfort may be due to plantar fasciitis. Yet, while it may seem like a cause of concern, plantar fasciitis is treatable.
As you're about to see in the video below, Specialist Dr. DeFabio walks us through how a professional would go about treating plantar fasciitis through exercises. The chiropractic orthopedist also gives some valuable advice on how to maintain healing at home.
What causes Plantar Fasciitis? Plantar fasciitis most commonly appears in individuals who put more stress on their feet than the average person, such as athletes, women who frequently wear high heels or individuals who are overweight.
The pain associated with plantar fasciitis can be severe. Some people describe it as a stabbing pain, which usually starts first thing in the morning. This stabbing sensation is a result of the plantar fascia - the thick band of tissue that runs across the bottom of the foot, which connects the heel bone to the toe, becoming inflamed.
Healing Plantar Fasciitis Once you have been diagnosed with plantar fasciitis, Dr. DeFabio recommends taking an interdisciplinary approach. He suggests decreasing the inflammation caused by the plantar fasciitis in the foot first, then focusing on flexibility exercises in the calf muscle, as you will see in the video below. Dr DeFabio also recommends using a device known as an intracell stick - a tool which you too can safely use at home.
If however, your plantar fasciitis continues to act up, then a procedure known as Graston is necessary. In this technique, a specialist uses a stainless steel instrument to break down scar tissue adhesions, to lengthen the tissue and to create elasticity, driving blood into the area.
Take a look at what exercises you can do to help plantar fasciitis in the clip below for more details:
