Foot Pain - Back to Health Chiropractors

Foot Pain and Chiropractic Care

Our feet are very important in contributing to our overall posture and obviously important to our gait and movement. In fact there are 26 different bones in the foot and many different joints, small muscles, ligaments and tendons. Each and every one of these joints, ligaments, muscles and tendons must function in harmony for the foot to function properly as a whole. The foot is also extremely rich in proprioceptive nerves that tell the brain exactly where the body is in space. This is important for our coordination and posture.

It is not surprising that with so many small parts that the foot can become a significant source of pain and discomfort.

Chiropractic care and plantar fascitis

A very important part of the back to health treatment model is to assess and treat patients holistically. Often this involves looking at a patients overall posture and foot function is integral to this. A common condition to affect the function of the foot and overall posture is plantar fascitis

What Is Plantar Fasciitis?

Along the bottom of the foot is a long continuous pice of soft tissue called the plantar aponeurosis or fascia. The plantar fascia plays a very important role in supportinng the medial longitudinal arch of the foot. If there is excessive tension on the aponeurosis it leads to chronic irritation and a heel spur which can degenerate and lead to chronic pain. Plantlar fascitis is a generic term for inflammation of this fascia or soft tissue.

What Causes Plantar Fasciitis and Heel Spurs?

Plantar fasciitis and heel spurs are conditions caused by factors such as:

Common in athletes particularly basketball players and long distance runners
Standing for long periods of time
Shoes that are incorrectly fitted and or do not provide adequate support to the feet, lack arch support, are old and worn out, are inflexible, are too hard, a sudden change or increase in activities
Poor foot function such as excessive pronation or supination
Tight plantar-flexors and weak dorsi-flexors
Age-related shrinkage of the heel fat pad commonly known as fat pad atrophy
Acute traumas such as injury to the bottom of the foot such as from a fall are an uncommon cause but are sometimes relevant

What Are the Symptoms of Plantar Fasciitis and Heel Spurs?

Pain that ranges in duration from a few days to a few months in the heel/ mid foot/medial arch which if persists can become chronic. The pain can be anywhere along the sole of the foot but is usually located in the front and bottom of the heel. It can cover the entire underside or sole area of the foot. The pain can range form being mild or it can be extremely debilitating. It can last a short period of time such as a few months or in some people untreated it can last a lifetime. Occasionally it will resolve itself but may return in a few weeks or months.

If you have heel pain in the morning or after sitting for long periods at the inside, front and bottom of your heel, then you may have plantar fasciitis (heel spur). If the pain is severe, it may be the result of bone and/or nerve irritation that is coming from too much tension, inflammation or scar tissue in the fascia. The pain often increases with more walking and standing. The pain is usually where the fascia attaches to the heel, but it can be over the entire sole of the foot. A stress fracture where the fascia attaches to the heel is sometimes seen in bone scans. Often the pain is worse at the beginning of an activity and then it lessens as the activity continues and finally gets worse at the end of the day.

Physical examination:

Your Back to Health Chiropractor will conduct a thorough history of what exactly has caused the injury. this will include questions on

The exact location of the pain,
Exacerbating and relieving factors,
Causes,
Types of pain,
Referral of pain,
Family history etc.

You will be offered an in depth physical examination which will look at all of the following factors:

General posture and flexibility
Palpation of the medial arch of the foot,
Specific orthopedic tests to the foot and ankle,
Muscle tests to determine the extent of weakness including assessment for weakness and pain on toe raises whilst weight bearing,
Neurological assessment if required,
X-rays of the foot and or ankle and spine may be conducted depending on the extent of your problems and the examination findings.
Your Chiropractor will discuss with you exactly what examinations will be appropriate and will require your consent before undertaking an examination. X-rays of the foot may reveal a bone spur and may be useful to rule out pathology.

Once a diagnosis has been confirmed then specific treatment options can be discussed

What Is the Treatment for Plantar Fasciitis and Heel Spurs?

If the fascia is acutely swollen then the first treatment goal will be to reduce the inflammation. This may involve the use of ice and relative rest

Relative rest. it is important in the initial phase of treatment to reduce exercise and movements that aggravate the problem to minimum and reduce inflammation, whilst at the same time continuing with other activities that do not affect the condition such as swimmming and other low impact aerobic activities.This is a concept often termed relative rest.
Ice. it is important in the initial phase of treatment to reduce the inflammation. this can be achieved by using ice or cryotherapy. You can use a frozen gel pack or simply a home made ice pack. It is recommended to use the ice for no longer than 10 minutes and to wrap it in a towel so as the ice is not directly in contact with the skin.
Chiropractic spinal adjustments involving manipulation and joint mobilisation in combination with exercise is effective in the treatment of Plantar fasciits. The goal of your treatment at Back to Health is to help you with the following: Increase foot range of motion,. restore normal movement of the foot, leg and spine Relax the muscles Improve joint coordination Reduce pain
Podiatry: One of the most successful way of addressing this issue is to refer these patients to our in-house podiatrist Rob Hill who provides a functional gait assessment at the back to health practices. rob creates custom built arch supports or orthotics to provide support to the medial arch and improve foot function during the gait cycle. The Patient would also be given stretching and strengthening exercises to rebalance the calf muscles. It is important to also assess the global posture of a patient and address any underlying problems that have contributed to the condition in the first place. Massage, stretching and strengthening exercises for plantar fascia pain are based on the specific muscles that are involved including the following: Gastrocnemius Soleus Tibialis anterior. Plantar fascia Peroneal muscles

If you suffer with foot pain and would like to find out how a chiropractor can help you then call 0207 000 1728 to make an appointment now.