What is Plantar fasciitis?

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What is Plantar Fasciitis?

plantar fasciitisThe most common cause of heel pain is plantar fasciitis. What is planter fasciitis? It is the ligament that connects your heel bone to your toes and supports the arch of your foot. Plantar fasciitis is common in middle-aged people, but can also occur in younger people who are on their feet a lot, like athletes and soldiers. If you strain your planter fasciitis, it gets weak, swollen, and irritated, causing your heel to hurt when you stand or walk.

Symptoms

Most people with plantar fasciitis have pain when they take their first steps after they get out of bed or sit for a long time. The stiffness and pain typically goes away after you take your first few steps. However, your foot may hurt more as the day goes on.

Causes

Now that you know what plantar fasciitis is and what the symptoms are, you probably are asking yourself, what causes plantar fasciitis?

  • Your feet roll inward too much when you walk
  • You have high arches or flat feet
  • You walk, stand, or run for long periods of time
  • You wear shoes that don’t fit well or are worn out
  • You are overweight
  • You have tight Achilles tendons or calf muscles

Treatment

Finally, if you have plantar fasciitis, how should you treat it?

  • Take a rest! Cut back on the number activities that make your feet hurt
  • Try not to walk or run on hard surfaces
  • Put ice on your heel to cut pain and swelling
  • Do toe stretches, calf stretches, and towel stretches several times a day
  • Get a new pair of shoes. Pick shoes with good arch support and a cushioned sole

One other form of treatment for plantar fasciitis would be a deep tissue massage. During your massage session, I would apply deep finger pressure on the fascia, Achilles heel, and calf muscles through slow strokes. I will follow the muscle fibers and apply pressure across the tendons. Being able to apply deep pressure will help to release the muscle tension, break scar tissue and help to end the pain.

The results from a deep tissue massage are definite and can be felt within just a couple of days following your treatment. The massage will help to loosen the muscle tissue and ensure proper blood and oxygen circulation to the injured area. Deep tissue massage works because it physically breaks down the adhesions that are formed by in the muscles caused by the over exertion or strain.

If you are suffering from plantar fasciitis, I would strongly recommend that you give me a few minutes to work the muscles and help to relieve this pain for you. Before you take another step, schedule your massage either online, by email or by phone at 865-964-5215.

Helpful Links

If you’ve never had a massage but experiencing aches and pains and think that a massage would benefit you, I’ve created several links to help you out. The first link will give you an idea of what to expect if you’ve never received a massage. While you’re at it, sign up for my newsletter to keep up to date with healthy information and monthly specials.