Yes. Please yes. I always get the deer in head lights look when patients walk into my office in Roswell and I explain the breadth of maladies that I can deal with within the walls of my office. Not only can I deal with plantar fasciitis, but I can treat and have success with many sports/overuse injuries. Can my Chiropractor do this too? I don’t know, possibly. It depends on their training. I am a Certified Chiropractic Sports Practitioner which gives me specific training on top of the basic training we get within school. The statement goes………”It never hurts to ask.”
So how do I treat my patients with plantar fasciitis? I take a multipronged approach.
1-Adjust the lower kinetic chain-I am a chiropractor so this one seems pretty straight forward to me. The LKC runs from the foot to the hip and all these joints need to be working in concert with one another for the best efficiency. The foot has 26 bones in it which can certainly contribute to its fair share of issues.
2-Soft tissue work-I am Graston Technique Certified. If you would like some more info on GT please head to the “services” tab at vitalitysportschiropractic.com and you can read up on it. But what I can say it that I have found that releasing the fascia and soft tissue under the arch of the foot, into the heel, and up into the Achilles is essential to the healing process. A sometimes painful process, but essential nonetheless.
So how do I treat my patients with plantar fasciitis? I take a multipronged approach.
1-Adjust the lower kinetic chain-I am a chiropractor so this one seems pretty straight forward to me. The LKC runs from the foot to the hip and all these joints need to be working in concert with one another for the best efficiency. The foot has 26 bones in it which can certainly contribute to its fair share of issues.
2-Soft tissue work-I am Graston Technique Certified. If you would like some more info on GT please head to the “services” tab at vitalitysportschiropractic.com and you can read up on it. But what I can say it that I have found that releasing the fascia and soft tissue under the arch of the foot, into the heel, and up into the Achilles is essential to the healing process. A sometimes painful process, but essential nonetheless.
3-Just tape it. I am also Kinesio Taping Certified-(again for more information on KT please go to the services page of vitalitysportschiropractic.com). I love Kinesio Tape. I have taped most every overuse injury on the body at some point. I have found that Kinesio Tape is absolutely invaluable in my process to heal PF. To have a flexible, breathable, and functional tape to release strain on the fascia, support the arch, and reduce Achilles tightening (to me) is essential to a speedy and efficient recovery.
4…….And the rest-Gait analysis, orthotics/inserts, exercises, icing, rest, ultrasound, and muscle stimulation are just some of the other adjunct therapies I will use within my office. I may also refer out for PT or dry needling.
Needless to say, it can take a multitude of different therapies to heal a client of that awful pain in the bottom of their foot when they wake in the morning and take that first step for the day or sit too long. And of course each client is different, needing the puzzle pieces to be put down in a way specific to them. What I can tell you is that there are chiropractors out there ready to deal with this and other soft tissue overuse injuries. (Tennis elbow anyone?)
Until next time----Dr. Wiskind
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