Step by Step - the pain of Plantar Fasciitis
I’ve been seeing a lot of plantar fasciitis in clinic lately. It sucks. It can be debilitating. Those first steps you take when you get out of bed feels like a knife slicing your sole - and your soul! The good thing is that Osteopathy can help resolve the issue, the bad news is that sometimes it can take a while - especially if you’ve been having symptoms for months.
How do you know if you have plantar fasciitis? These are the cardinal signs that your foot is f’ing with you…
Sharp, stabbing heel pain first thing in the morning or after periods of inactivity
Aching or throbbing in the arch of the foot
Pain increasing with activities that involve prolonged standing, walking or running
Stiffness in the foot
Tenderness in the heel or sole of the foot
Plantar fasciitis can be caused by a multitude of things, and it’s often a combination of issues rather than 1 specific cause. Improper footwear, overuse or overexertion, poor running technique and biomechanical issues are often contributors. Unfortunately for women, hormone levels (such as perimenopause) can also be a factor. But as an Osteopath, I can help treat the symptoms but also look at the body’s compensations and provide some education to help resolve the issue and prevent it from coming back.
Osteopaths will look at your foot biomechanics, correcting restrictions in the foot bones to ensure load is being distributed evenly through the plantar fascia. We’ll look at the soft tissue in the foot and achilles as well as the biomechanics of your knee and hip, as issues occurring higher up in the chain can be the cause of plantar fasciitis. We’ll also suggest some changes to your shoes, as well as making sure you wear them first thing in the morning when you get out of bed because all these changes will help!
If you’re suffering from plantar fasciitis and you need some help, book in at The Dancing Osteo in Prahran for an assessment and treatment. We’ll help get you back to the activities you love doing, especially if dancing is one of them. Open Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays
A runner suffering plantar fasciitis
