If you are looking for plantar fasciitis treatment in Southern Maine, the information below will help you make a better decision, as well as help you avoid unnecessary and expensive healthcare treatment.
WHAT IS PLANTAR FASCIITIS AND WHAT CAUSES IT
Plantar fasciitis is an inflammation of the plantar fascia which is a think, wide, ligament-like soft tissue on the bottom of your foot. The plantar fascia runs from your heel bone (calcaneus) down to your toes.
Plantar fasciitis symptoms include sharp pain at the base of your heel that can radiate into the arch of your foot. Sometimes there’s noticeable swelling as well.
Causes of plantar fasciitis include:
- A rapid increase in physical activity
- Repetitive motions like distance running
- Limited flexibility of the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles (your calf muscles),
- Poor arch support and/or excessive foot pronation
- Overweight patients are also more likely to develop plantar fasciitis.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW – DON’T INSIST ON AN X-RAY RIGHT AWAY
Over 2 million people experience heel pain each year. It’s a common condition. In many cases, x-rays offer no additional information as to the cause of your pain and as such, are not needed. The first line of action should be conservative care.
PHYSICAL THERAPY FIRST IS CLINICALLY PROVEN TO HELP
There are a variety of options for the treatment of plantar fasciitis. We are strong advocates for natural, conservative, hands-on treatment and clinical research support our view:
The guidelines present evidence that strongly suggests a combination of manual therapy and rehabilitative exercises to help patients with this foot condition. In a more recent study published in the February 2017 issue of JOSPT, researchers reviewed the records of people with plantar fasciitis who were sent to physical therapy. The results of this study support prior studies that show faster recovery time for those who receive evidence-based physical therapy for their foot pain.
Reference: https://www.jospt.org/doi/full/10.2519/jospt.2017.0501
WHAT TO DO FIRST – SEE ONE OF OUR PLANTAR FASCIITIS EXPERTS AT RIVERVIEW PHYSICAL THERAPY
If you are experiencing plantar fasciitis, you shouldn’t wait more than a week to see if it gets better on its own. Conservative, natural care, which is what we provide here at our practice, is what you should try first.
The advantages of seeing one of our physical therapy experts are as follows:
- No side effects – In most cases, the treatment we provide has little to no side effects and can make you feel much better
- It’s more affordable – an average course of treatment
- Seeing one of our physical therapists within 14 days means you’re not likely to need additional care, special tests, injections or surgery
- Seeing one of our physical therapists first means you are less likely to need addictive opioid drugs
HOW OUR PLANTAR FASCIITIS SPECIALISTS WILL CARE FOR YOU
The key to rapid and successful recover is to see one of our plantar fasciitis specialists right away.
We will perform a thorough initial evaluation, discuss your treatment goals, provide you with a custom treatment program, and schedule follow-up visits based on the agreed-upon plan of care.
HOW WILL YOUR PLANTAR FASCIITIS SPECIALIST AT RIVERVIEW PHYSICAL THERAPY TREAT THIS CONDITION?
Your treatment plan depends on what we learn during your initial evaluation but often includes the following:
- Modifications to your daily activities,
- Stretching,
- Avoiding aggravating activities,
- Over-the-counter orthoses,
- Hands-on soft tissue and mobilization techniques, and
- A home program
PRACTICAL ADVICE
If you are experiencing plantar fasciitis, we can help. We’ve successfully treated many without the use of addictive drugs, risky injections, expensive tests, or surgery.
