What To Do with Plantar Fasciitis?

Plantar fasciitis is also known as plantar heel pain syndrome (PHPS). It is a common problem that can give you a lot of pain in the sole of your foot. PHPS makes walking hard and even puts your weight on your feet. And with all that pain, you don’t know what to do with plantar fasciitis.

It is the most common cause of heel pain. It happens when your plantar fascia – the flat band of tissue connecting your heel bone to your toes gets weak or inflamed. The inflammation makes your heel or the bottom of your foot hurt to walk on. Plantar fasciitis is most common in middle-aged people. An expert can also see Plantar Fasciitis in younger people who are on their feet a lot. Some people find the pain worse when they wake up, and it eases during the day as they walk on the affected foot.

It can be difficult to treat the problem. Doctors often try steroid injections to no avail, but experts are coming around to the idea that massage therapy and stretching can be more effective. Experts agreed that massage and stretching are more effective at treating the problem than steroid injections or possible surgery.

Studies into Massage Therapy for PHPS

Research carried out at an outpatient physical therapy clinic in Israel showed that massage was a promising treatment for plantar fasciitis. The researchers studied 69 people with the condition who had been referred to them by an orthopedic surgeon. One group was given ultrasound treatment combined with stretches, and the other was treated with massage therapy and stretches.

All the patients were offered eight treatments over six weeks, although only 51 people completed the whole study. When the massage intervention was compared to ultrasound, the researchers found that deep tissue massage on the calf muscles combined with stretching exercises was more likely to improve the symptoms than a combination of ultrasound and stretching.

Ten minutes of deep pressure massage to the posterior calf was all it took to see a difference in the patients in the study. That is easy to fit into a massage session, so if you’ve been suffering from plantar fasciitis, don’t suffer in silence. You speak to your therapist and ask her to add some deep tissue massage to your routine.

Plantar Fasciitis Stretches

To soothe the condition long-term, you’ll need to stretch the plantar fascia. So, try pulling up your foot and toes, then holding the stretch for about 30 seconds. Repeat this stretch five times and do the routine three times a day if you can.

Calf muscle stretching has shown effectiveness in managing PHPS. Try a standing calf stretch with your affected foot furthest from the wall. And the other foot in front of the other. Lean forward, keeping your heels on the floor until you feel the stretch in the back of your calf and Achilles tendon. Repeat five times, three times a day.

If you suffer from plantar fasciitis, why not call us and schedule a massage session now? Or you can book a massage online and see whether a massage treatment works for you. It’s relaxing, and there are no nasty side effects.

Brilliant Massage & Skin

Burlington, Vermont