It amazes me to
find that a common condition of foot inflammation and heel pain is called Plantar Fascitits or Plantar Fasciitis. This is because I do not know
Latin. In Latin, Plantar means foot and
Fasciitis is "inflammation".
Pronounced as "plantar
fash-ee-eye-tis", it is a simple term that defines a complex and aggravating health condition.
Plantar Fasciitis inflicts
four out of five individuals in the age group of fifty; while people working in active professions such as runners, joggers, dancers, waiters, firemen
and policemen of all ages may suffer from heel pain, arch pain, foot inflammation, splints,
tears and ruptures.
The heel pain and foot inflammation resulting from sports injuries and
other accidents may
effect all age groups but a more chronic condition of Plantar Fasciitis is experienced by people in their golden age; and those of us with
ongoing health concerns,
overweight conditions and
pregnancy.
The Causes of Plantar Fasciitis
Both the causes and the prevention of Plantar Fasciitis reside in the way
we use and abuse our feet. We must appreciate that our feet take all our weight as they provide us mobility. Each foot is made up of 38
bones that are connected to each other by joints, ligaments, bones, tendons
and tissue. When we walk or run,
the ankle manages the activity and distributes the weight via the heel. At each step, some weight goes back up the heel
but the major portion is absorbed by the Plantar Fasciitis ligament at the bottom of our feet.
Ligaments are defined
as tissues that join bones together. All movements of the foot require
manipulation of this
one flat ligament called Plantar Fascia that goes under our feet connecting our toes to the
heels.
The condition of
Plantar Fasciitis occurs
when the Plantar Fascia ligament, a broad band of fibrous tissue, is stretched or burdened beyond its limits due to any of
the following:
-
The Plantar Fascia,
along with other ligaments and muscles of the body, has become contracted and inflexible due to ageing.
-
The ligament is damaged by inflammation, splint, tear or rupture in an accidental injury.
The Plantar Fasciitis
Conditions
The most important
factor to keep in mind about Plantar Fasciitis is that it is a
serious, degenerating and
progressive illness. When
left untreated or mistreated, it can cause ongoing damage to the tissue that not only affects our current mobility but also worsens
with time while aggravating other health conditions that may be present in the body such as arthritis. At its worst, it can cause splints, tears and ruptures in the ligament disabling the foot altogether.
Mild
- Most of us may have experienced the mild form of Plantar Fasciitis, where the Plantar Fascia ligament is swollen because of sudden stress or a light injury to the foot. This condition is painful but not unbearable; and it may prohibit us from walking for 24 to 36 hours.
However, it does heal in 2-3
days with rest and tender care.
- The mild Plantar Fasiitis inflammation and
pain persists in old age and becomes
a part of our lives where we only experience short periods of relief after treatments. Even in its mild
form, Plantar Fasciitis
becomes the most aggravating and disorienting
condition for people
who bear it on ongoing basis.
Medium
This condition is worsening of the mild Plantar Fasciitis where the ligament, instead of healing in a couple of
days, continues to send sharp or dull pain in the areas of foot arch and heel. Based on our experience with our clients at Everest Therapeutics, this
condition is often caused by minimizing the off time required
to heal or by delaying a special treatment because
of occupational commitments.
It has been observed in athletes, and in people from lower income groups.
Acute
When Plantar Fascia
ligament is damaged
to the level of being torn, splinted or ruptured, the result is an
acute, sharp and continuous pain and complete disabling of the foot. This condition may require Plantar Fasciitis surgery.
People suffering from
mild, medium or acute forms of Plantar Fasciitis experience
the most pain in the "post-rest"
and "overuse" conditions.
- The Post-Rest
pain follows any period of rest such as when we wake up in
the mornings and late afternoons; or after prolonged periods of sitting. When the foot is inactive
for a couple of hours, the ligament begins to shrink making it difficult to put the foot down on the ground. The Post-Rest of Plantar Fasciitis is characterized by sharp but short-lived pain in the foot. In most cases, the pain subsides in about 10 minutes as the ligament regains elasticity by warming up.
- The pain in the Overuse situation differs from Post-Rest as it is
caused by prolonged
periods of activity
such as running, jogging or other ongoing physical conditions
where the feet experience abuse. The pain resulting from Overuse Plantar Fasciitis
produces dull but continuous throbs that emanate from the bottom and sides of the foot.
Plantar Fasciitis Treatments
Plantar Fasciitis treatments
range from exercises,
balms, gadgets, shoes,
surgery and medication.
However, the most commonly experienced mild
and medium forms of Plantar Fasciitis can best be treated
by massage therapy.
At EverestTherapeutics.com, we fully acknowledge the importance of healthy feet to our physical and emotional well-being. Accordingly, our registered
massage therapists have
evolved massage combinations
to treat all mild to medium conditions and symptoms of Plantar Fasciitis.
The Massage Therapists Link: http://www.everesttherapeutics.com/massage-therapist-vancouver/therapists-bios.html at Everest Therapeutics are dedicated
to evolve techniques
and combinations to
suit each individual
client. Sensitive to
the tissue, muscles,
ligaments, joints and
bones in the human body, our pros encourage the foot to heal by gently coaxing its components to become flexible and begin to work well together.
All massage therapy
treatments applied by
therapists at Everest
Therapeutics benefit the
whole body while treating Plantar Fasciitis.
The Trigger Point Release, Swedish Massage,
Muscle Energy, Deep
Tissue, and Soft Tissue mobilization provide
impetus to all our muscles, tissues, ligaments, bones, tendons
and joints enabling
them to move smoothly and painlessly as we live our
lives.
The RMT tip of the day
Here is a simple Yogic exercise to keep the feet
healthy and in good shape. It can be done while
standing or sitting
on a straight-backed chair.
Raise the foot 6 to 9 inches
above the floor, relax the muscles in your body, bring the toes together, move the foot clockwise from the ankle in a slow circular continuous motion; begin by making 6 circles.
Repeat on the other foot.
Observe and experience
the relief each slow circle sends to the toes, arch, heel, ankle and the leg.
Massage Therapy Vancouver, Vancouver Massage Therapy
To book an appointment with an RMT click here.
|
