Good skeletal alignment begins with your feet. When there’s something wrong at the base of your body, you may try to compensate by throwing everything else out of alignment. This would be particularly unfortunate since one of the most common causes of foot pain, plantar fasciitis, is something we treat at Chiro Care LA in Glendale. Our office not only views the body holistically, but also helps patients recover from musculoskeletal injuries without medication or surgery. This week, we’re discussing the symptoms of plantar fasciitis and how minimally-invasive therapies can relieve patients’ pain.
The plantar fascia is a band of connective tissue that runs from the heel to the ball of the foot. It functions as a shock absorber and may become tight if it is overused or if it is being stretched by a heel spur. When the plantar fascia is inflamed, a patient will usually feel a sharp, stabbing pain near their heel after they’ve been standing or at rest for a long period. Although people commonly develop plantar fasciitis if they have been overdoing exercise such as running, people whose jobs require them to stand for most of the day are also at risk for developing it, particularly if they are overweight or over between the ages of forty and sixty.
Although plantar fasciitis can be extremely bothersome, our office provides multiple complementary therapies for it, many of which require little preparation from the patient. Acoustic Compression Therapy vibrates the foot’s soft tissues during fifteen-minute sessions, reducing the inflammatory response. We also provide frequency specific microcurrent therapy, which stimulates cells’ production of ATP, a molecule they need to heal themselves. Cryotherapy can also be targeted at certain body parts to reduce inflammation. Ultimately, preventing plantar fasciitis relapses will require patients to diversify their exercise routines to avoid overuse and they may need to change to more supportive shoes or customized orthotics, but we can help them find ways in which they can reduce strain on their bodies and build their strength more sustainably.
Dr. Jack Alajajian and his staff operate ChiroCareLA.com at 815 E Colorado Suite 250, Glendale CA, 91205. Call 818-246-3600.