Plantar fasciitis—a painful inflammation on the sole of the foot, also known as “policeman’s heelâ€â€”can make it difficult to get around. For most, getting relief from heel pain usually means staying off the affected foot for days on end. However, chiropractic treatments may be able to speed your recovery and keep you on your feet.
Plantar fasciitis is triggered when the thick band of fibrous tissue that runs across the bottom of the foot—called the plantar fascia—becomes inflamed. The plantar fascia connects the heel bone to the toes and is the most likely source of heel pain.
If you feel a sharp, stabbing pain when you try to walk first thing in the morning, it’s probably plantar fasciitis. Once you’ve been moving about, the pain starts to recede. However, the longer you stand, the more likely the pain will return.
U.S. researchers recruited a 10-year-old football player with plantar fasciitis to help determine the effectiveness of chiropractic methods for treatment. This young athlete had been suffering from heel pain for three weeks. He was treated with chiropractic care, including manipulative therapy, soft tissue therapy, and home rehabilitation exercises, on six visits over a six-week period. After the six treatments, the patient reported that his foot pain was gone, and he resumed his daily activities. Three months later, when the researchers checked in on him, he reported no further complications and no pain symptoms.
If you’re experiencing heel pain, get your doctor’s advice about the source of the pain. If it is indeed plantar fasciitis, consider chiropractic therapy.
Sources for Today’s Articles:
Try a Chiropractic Solution for Heel Pain
Daniels, C.J., et al., “Chiropractic management of pediatric plantar fasciitis: a case report,†J Chiropr Med March 2012; 11(1): 58–63.