Table of Contents
Heel Pain
Do you have heel pain? Plantar Fasciitis is a painful inflammation of the bottom of the foot(Plantar aspect). Usually the pain is worse in the morning as soon as one steps out of bed. It is progressive and can become excruciating if ignored.
It can sometimes be confused with a heel spur. A heel spur is actually a bony over growth that can be painful whenever someone is weight bearing. This is a different type of heel pain.
What are the possible symptoms of Plantar Fasciitis?
- usually there is pain upon first planting the foot down on the floor when getting out of bed in the morning
- the pain is felt on the “forward”, “inside” part of the heel
- as the day progresses the pain usually starts to subside, unless the condition becomes progressively worse. The reason for why the symptoms subside is that as the individual starts to move, the tissues become warmer and are able to further stretch. When one gets up in the morning the tissues are cold and when it is stretched initially, it can cause pain.
- pain can get so severe that an individual may end up crawling to the bathroom.
- if one were to do an exercise such as walking on their tips of their toes, the pain may become exacerbated
What are some potential causes for Plantar Fasciitis?
- exercise and sporting activities such as jumping and weightlifting that are overdone such as in volleyball or heavy squats can cause heel pain
- any substantial weight gain in a relatively short amount of time, for example in pregnancy
- individuals that have either high arches or flat feet
- very tight calves
- improper footwear
How can Massage therapy treat Plantar Fasciitis?
Right off the bat, Plantar Fasciitis is a very difficult condition to treat. It is very difficult to treat because unlike other body parts, the feet are constantly in use. On a daily basis we walk, stand, run etc…Other body parts we can rest such as the wrist, elbow and back. The constant weight bearing can induce further inflammation in the area.
I have seen individuals with this condition have it as long as 1 year. They were also using other rehabilitation providers. Some can suffer for a few weeks and as long as a few months to a year+.
Although it can be difficult, Massage can do a number of things in terms of treatment. One of the goals of Massage is to stretch and lengthen the calf muscles. The calf muscles if they are tight can predispose and aggravate an individual who suffers from Plantar Fasciitis. Most individuals with this condition tend to have very tight calves. Along with the tightness are trigger points.
Trigger points, known as knots in lay persons terms, can refer to other areas of the body. The Gastrocnemius is one of the calf muscles. It can refer into a similar area as the area of pain for Plantar Fasciitis. Massage therapy can “release” these knots and decrease the heel pain and bottom of the feet.
This is a picture of the referral pattern for the Gastrocnemius muscle of the calf from: Christina’s Pain Therapy Blog
Massage can also treat the actual foot by relaxing any tight muscles of the foot. These tight muscles can cause even further pain. The tightness could cause irritation of nerves in the foot.
There is a technique called frictions. This technique can break down any potential scar tissue. It works in and around the area of the heel and bottom of the foot. This technique is very effective for decreasing pain and dysfunction. It is uncomfortable at times but can help assist in the treatment of Plantar Fasciitis. The heel pain symptoms can decrease.
When someone suffers from this condition, there can be some form of compensation by the body. For example, a patient can start suffering from hip pain. They also can experience lower back or knee pain. This happens because they have to change the way they walk due to the heel pain. This can be on the same side of the troubled foot or more likely on the opposite side of pain.
Do you have any self-care tips to assist in healing?
Yes, some things seem like common sense tips. They can assist with healing from this sometimes excruciating dysfunction. Below are some of the tips:
- ice the heel and foot as soon as you get home from work for 15 minutes and stretch out the foot and calves afterwards
- you may want to try a cold foot bath with ice and a couple of drops of peppermint essential oil. Peppermint essential oil, I have found relaxes, inflamed and tight foot muscles. You can purchase Peppermint essential oil from any nutrition store. Just like icing your foot, spend about 15 minutes bathing your feet or when you start noticing it get numb
- stretch out the calves and foot muscles
- research what would be proper footwear for yourself. You may need to get a particular type of shoe for your foot type or orthotics
- try to rest your foot from constant “pounding” type of activities such as jumping or running. You want to rest from any aggravating activities. If it causes more pain, take a break away from that activity
- first thing in the morning before you step out of bed is to move your ankle and foot around for about 5 minutes. Moving the feet and ankle will increase circulation in the area and can help decrease the heel pain as soon as you step down for the first time out of bed because the tissues are warm
Massage is very helpful in pain reduction and management of Plantar Fasciitis and heel pain. The earlier you get it treated the better the outcomes. Always double check with your health care provider to rule out any possible issues other than Plantar Fasciitis. This is important to ensure it’s not a fracture. Do you have further questions? Please email me.
More Resources:
You can have heel pain. Do you have calf tightness also? Watch this video now. Visit our Pain Relief Fitness site, we have tips on managing your pain.
