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Open Mon-Sat · (03) 9859 5059 · BOOK online OR call Reception

Is Plantar Fasciitis actually the problem?

Or is your heel pain a result of a joint or muscular restriction elsewhere in the body?

This is the biggest question we ask ourselves when you present to our clinic complaining of heel pain or plantar fasciitis. This is especially true if you haven’t increased your physical activities that we normally associate with overuse injury.

We question whether your foot has good mobility between the 26 bones.  Anything that evolved with so many bones & joints was designed to move in lots of directions.  The foot needs all these bones to take up uneven surface and different types of terrain we walk on.

There a few big muscle groups to help this movement that are located in the lower leg and foot.  If any of these are tight then trigger points may restrict your foot’s movement and ability to adapt to different shoes and surfaces.

Or maybe these muscles are over stretched because the foot is more of a flat shape causing other trigger point pain? We know that when the foot is stuck in the flat position other bones have to try and move to compensate. What if these compensating bones are rotating so far that the heel bone doesn’t get a chance to move freely causing tension through some of these muscles? They are consequently stuck in an over stretched position.  This would certainly make for a super uncomfortable pressure point on your heel!

Flat Feet | High Arches | Osteopathy Kew

We find when the foot is flat, the lower leg, hip and pelvis go through a series of rotations that leaves your heel bone rolling in & therefore unable to move freely. We know that this scenario creates strain in the heel, so if we encourage fluency between lower leg, hip and pelvis, the flow on effect means your foot can move more comfortably and without that pin point pain on the heel.

What can you look for in plantar fasciitis?

Have a look at your feet! Compare the sore foot with the one that’s not painful and see if you find a difference in the way it looks & feels.

  • does the arch hold a different shape to your other foot
  • maybe it pigeon-toes or turns out when compared to the other foot
  • maybe it just feels stiff and you could even have a frequent urge to massage the sole of your foot

These are all signs that you have a foot not moving well and could probably do with an assessment from people who really deal with feet and the movement of all the 33 joints of the foot.

But how can you help yourself right now?

Spiky ball in the bottom of your foot right back near the heal bone.  Just stand with your foot on and manage your weight through to the ball to relieve some tension in the tissues. 

Don’t go bananas and try and fix it in one go…take your time and be kind to your foot.

What about orthotics?

An interesting question that we have a whole other blog about Are Flat Feet the Worst?

 

spiky ball

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