Did you know that we treat plantar fasciitis at Kooistra Chiropractic Clinic? A common misconception of chiropractors is that we only treat the spine. Traditionally this is true, but we treat many other musculoskeletal conditions, such as plantar fasciitis.
What exactly is plantar fasciitis?
Plantar fasciitis is a debilitating pain that stops you in your tracks, literally. The pain is most severe in the morning and will taper off throughout the day, only to return after you remove your shoes after a long day of work. Usually, the pain is located in a very localized spot on the bottom inside of your heel.
Fascia is a band-like fibrous substance that surrounds or encompasses a muscle, tendon, joint, etc. The plantar fascia is a thick fibrous tissue that connects the forefoot to the achilles area. Due to poor biomechanics of the foot, inflammation and micro-tears can increase near the heel where the plantar fascia attaches to the calcaneus (heel bone). The inflammation is what is actually causing the pain.
Many people suffer from this condition every day, so what can be done about it?
Standard Treatment
Standard treatment for this condition may include the use of anti-inflammatories, injections, shoe inserts, or even surgery. These treatments help many people suffering from plantar fasciitis, but what if they don’t help you? Are you supposed to just suffer? Not if we can help it. We see plenty of patients that have experienced plantar fasciitis that have had little relief from any of the above mentioned treatments. The following is a list of services we offer that help decrease the pain without the use of medications or surgery.
Treatment at Kooistra Chiropractic
1. We want to find out why you are having this problem. Our chiropractors conduct a functional analysis of the biomechanics of the body (SFMA). We take the whole body into consideration when trying to find out what has gone wrong and locating the weak links. Then we address these weak links.
2. We need to address the plantar fascia and the foot. We locate which muscles, tendons, and ligaments are not moving freely. ‘Adhesions’ are located within the foot and surrounding areas. Then our chiropractors will use muscle release or Active Release Technique (ART) to decrease the adhesions in the area, restoring the proper movement of the plantar fascia, foot and ankle.
3. We will recommend and demonstrate stretches and exercises to help solidify the new changes to the area. It takes time to change old habits, poor movement patterns and tight muscles, so that is why you will likely go home with homework to combat these issues.
Treatment length will depend on the individual patient, as everyone is unique. There have been many patients that have experienced significant improvement within 2-6 visits. If you have any questions regarding plantar fasciitis, please give our office a call at 616-532-2518 or e-mail us at KooistraChiropractic@gmail.com. We have two convenient locations in the Greater Grand Rapids area.
By Dr. Joshua Thorp
Certified in Active Release Technique (ART), Functional Range Release (FRR), Selective Functional Movement Assessment (SFMA), Functional Movement Systems (FMS), and CrossFit L-1
