Sore Feet? We’ve Got Relief!
 
Foot pain is not uncommon, but did you know that over one million people per year experience aches and pains in their feet? And, that seventy-five percent of them actually seek remedies for this from their primary care physician?
 
One of the most common ailments is PLANTAR MYOFASCITIS. Plantar Myofascitis is commonly known as pain on the sole of your foot. It is a widespread ailment that is mostly self-limiting, but can progress and remain persistent with time, age, activity, or even with rest. It can interrupt every day life and may affect almost any age and activity level.
 
The symptoms are fairly straightforward:
 
• Heel pain or tightening on the plantar surface (bottom) of the foot/feet (usually in the morning after standing up while getting out of bed or after a prolonged time sitting).
• Sharp, burning, pinching or deep aching
• Improved with “walking it out”, but worse by the end of the day.
 
These strained soft tissues can be in one or both feet. They can begin in the heel or ball of the foot, and less commonly on the sides of the feet or between the bones of the feet.
 
In either case, there are a few differential diagnoses to consider, including retrocalcaneal bursitis (swelling of the fluid-filled sac at the back of the heel bone under the Achilles tendon, tendonitis (swelling of a tendon), heels spur (bone spur in heel bone), or even fracture.
 
So what happens during planter fasciitis? It is believed that micro tears occur to the muscle fascial interface lining. There are many common everyday occurrences for this, for example:
 
• Walking barefoot on hard surfaces or frequently on the beach
• Improper shoe wear, old shoes, flat inner sole, high heels, and prolonged heel wear
• Prolonged standing
• Prior ankle conditions or fractures, sprains, arthritis
• Prior knee conditions, sprains, sports injuries
• Prior fractures or surgeries of the lower extremity
• Jogging on the beach barefoot
• Overweight or obesity
• Overpronation of foot
• Excessive running
• Excessive use of flip flop shoes
 

The treatment options are many, but persistence and continuity are the key.
 

EARLY MORNING ROUTINE
1. Before you take your first step out of bed, always put slippers or shoes on your feet.
2. Take a few moments to stand there while your feet get warmed up, gently rock forward a back a few times, and then begin your stride.
 

MID-DAY
Ideally, before you leave your house in the morning, take a few minutes to slowly stretch your spine, pelvis, and lower extremities.
 
EVENING
After a long day on your feet, try a detoxifying foot soak.
1. Add warm some water in a bath or a large holder and add Epson salt. Soak for five minutes.
2. After your soak, towel off. Then, place a small, firm tennis ball underneath both feet and roll them over the ball. Repeat this maneuver over the affected foot/feet bottom again. Be sure to press hard enough so that you’re getting every side angle of the foot.
 

These are some simple steps you can do at home. For more advanced, guided, and supported therapy, All Back and Joint Care’s Medical Fitness & Rehab offers a variety of leg and foot myofascial techniques to strengthen the joints and reposition the soft tissue. Our trainers can help you accurately reduce strain, while tightening fascia.
 
Consider dynamic computerized gait evaluation and postural analysis giving rise to a properly formed foot Orthotic (FootMaxx). This not only gives the foot excellent support it helps to correct imbalances in the walking/running positions to eliminate incorrect pressure on the foot bottom.
 
Most importantly, receiving LOW LEVEL LASER THERAPY with the Diolase-10 muscle and joint laser, in essence, will eliminate the tissue inflammation, calm down the swollen subcutaneous fibers, and begin to repair the micro tears in the muscle and fascia interface. Personalized treatments of ten minute sessions applied directly on the painful part of the foot will leave you walking out of the office with ease. Several laser treatments in combination with the above techniques will surely make your foot problems a thing of the past!
 
As prevalent as Plantar Myofasciitis is, a combination of treatments in the right form can eliminate the problem. Know how to manage this on your own, taking necessary steps at home while adding the newest and latest advanced medical devices and treatments. Dynamic gait testing and musculoskeletal laser technologies are a must for stabilizing this potentially ongoing condition.
 
For questions or further discussion on this subject, contact Dr. Maryann Sheps, Chiropractor and Physician Assistant, to address your particular health problem. She can be reached via e-mail at contact@allbackandjointcare.com or by calling 310-473-2911.