Plantar fasciitis is a physical condition caused by tissue on the bottom of your foot that becomes inflamed causing heel pain.

This condition is often felt by sharp, stabbing pain in the bottom of the foot near the heel. It’s particularly noticeable during the first steps after waking up, and it can also be triggered by long periods of standing or when standing up after sitting.

 

What is the Plantar Fascia?

The plantar fascia is a long, thin ligament that lies directly beneath the skin on the bottom of your foot. It connects the heel to the front of your foot and supports the arch of your foot. It acts as a shock-absorber, supporting the arch of the foot.

Tension and stress on this ligament can cause small tears. Over time, repeated stretching and tearing can irritate or inflame the fascia, leading to plantar fasciitis. It is often associated with runners and older adults, but other risk factors can include obesity, occupations that are requiring prolonged standing or alternatively an injury causing trauma which was likely to have occurred directly under the arch of the foot. Generally, that means the arch of the foot has become elongated because of either poor foot biomechanics or weakened arch muscles in the foot.

Treatments

Increasing range of motion in the tight muscles affecting biomechanics and soft tissue techniques can help. Also improving function of the intrinsic muscles of the foot as well as muscles up the kinetic chain supporting the arch and overall ankle stability. Treating pelvic and core instability and strength can also have a positive impact on foot and ankle stabilisation/function.

The foot is designed to have movement in and out of the rigid arch (pronation and supination) so the goal is to not only stabilize this but also have increased control of these movements during everyday life activities as required for correct movement.

 

Consequences of Untreated Plantar Fasciitis

Inflammation and tension on the plantar fascia can cause tiny tears in the fascia over time. Your pain will gradually worsen as a result, and if left untreated, these tears could multiply and enlarge, making the plantar fascia more prone to rupture and disablement.

 

Emotional stress caused by chronic pain and Plantar Fasciitis?

While heel pain may not be a direct result of emotional distress, it can certainly be a contributing factor as a byproduct of chronic pain. The connection between chronic pain and emotional distress is real, the good news is there are things you can do to care for your emotional wellbeing while you treat your physical pain. The mind-body connection is strong, one step at a time you can find support and relief for the physical distress you are experiencing. Dealing with chronic pain and experiencing discouragement in your efforts to find a solution can be exhausting, frustrating, and infuriating.

That is why it is important to address this pain as soon as you can after symptoms arise because the shorter symptom timeframes are the quicker your response to treatment and the longer these symptoms are left the harder it is to address them effectively but not impossible!

The Personal Training team at Form Fitness are experts in treating chronic pain and injury rehabilitation. Contact us here.

 

Client Review:

Recovering from Plantar Fasciitis – An injury without creating other imbalances or injuries has been a challenge – I have been impressed with the depth of knowledge staff at Form Fitness have to train in ways that have allowed me to begin to regain my strength and fitness with physical integrity and without aggravating physical niggles – big shout out to Vicky who has given me so much good advice and resources in addition to my training plans – thanks!!

BB