Plantar fasciitis

Plantar fasciosis At The Movement Centre

Plantar fasciosis is a foot injury that can cause pain in the heel, arch or ball of the foot. Pain experiences can be diverse, ranging from a mild ache to a sharp and debilitating pain. Typically, this pain will be present whilst taking the first few steps in the morning or upon walking after sitting for some time. It is the single most common cause of heel pain and one of the most common conditions that we treat at The Movement Centre.

What is plantar fasciitis?

The plantar fascia is a thick, fibrous band in the sole of the foot that starts under the heel and extends into each toe. It helps to shock absorb and transfer energy, allowing for a smooth ride during our heel to toe walking cycle. Plantar fasciitis (more accurately ‘plantar fasciosis’) is where this wonderfully important structure gets injured and often stays in a vicious cycle of non-healing.

What causes plantar fasciosis?

In plantar fasciosis, consistent micro-tears to this fibrous band cause degeneration and break down within the tissue layers. Over time, the band thickens, causing it’s once excellent shock absorption properties to become less profound, pre-disposing it to future injury. Although the cause of plantar fascia pain is not technically known, it is mostly believed there are several factors at play.

These include:

– Poor foot, knee or pelvis function

– Changes in activity eg. New job or sport

– Prolonged standing or walking

– Rapid weight gain

– Tight calves or restricted ankle movement

– High foot arches

– Flat feet or feet that pronate excessively

How do we assess for plantar fasciitis?

To assess for plantar fasciitis, we first listen to your story. How long has the pain been present? Did it onset with a new activity or occupation? What does it actually feel like and what is the intensity of the pain? What makes it better or worse? Once you have told us some of these details, we can begin to manually assess the area and find the exact site of pain. Then we will know what specifically is injured and ensure that it is just the plantar fascia and not some nearby anatomy. If we can’t be certain, we will refer you for an ultrasound and/or x-ray.

What is The Movement Centre difference when it comes to treating plantar fasciosis?

Here at The Movement Centre, we believe that practitioner experience, the correct diagnosis and having a multitude of treatment modalities available, is key. As every human body is not the same, our approach needs to be personally tailored to each of our clients. We consider your lifestyle, occupation, your individual mechanics, strength, flexibility, and footwear. We make recommendations that are realistic and achievable. Importantly, we have many treatment options at our disposal, such as shockwave therapy, strapping, strength and conditioning, dry needling, foot mobilisation therapies, foot orthotics and gait retraining. Your podiatrist or physiotherapist will walk you through each of the treatment options and find the approach that will work best for you. If you are suffering with plantar fasciosis, feel free to call us or online with to see one of our excellent practitioners.