My Heel Pain – Plantar Fasciitis – and Chiropractic to the Rescue

by Debbie Friez, patient and blogger

My husband came walking out of the bedroom hoping on one foot. He couldn’t put pressure on his heel.

“You have plantar fasciitis.” I said.  I know, because I have it, too. The good news, there are ways to treat it.

Over 2 million people in the U.S. experience the pain of plantar fasciitis, which is caused by inflammation of a thick ligament (plantar fascia) on the bottom of the foot. Improper footwear can cause ronation or under-pronation. This compensation for other conditions stresses the foot’s soft tissue.

I’ve learned it is important to wear shoes that support your arch or wear orthotics. The shoes should not be hard, and give support to the whole foot, so forget those flip flops with arch supports. The first thing I told my husband was to stop going barefoot and put on his athletic shoes.

When you are experiencing the pain, icing it is just what the doctor ordered. It helps to reduce the inflammation and calm the throbbing.

Living with Heel Pain

I lived with my heel pain for many years, thinking the flare-ups were just a part of my life. When I told Dr. Karrlyn Benson about it, she assured me chiropractic care can help. The first time she adjusted my foot and surrounding joints, I felt a huge relief.

After my evaluation, Dr. Benson also started me on a series of stretches and strengthening exercises to preform several times a day. I especially liked the toe curls and writing the ABCs with my foot as they help relieve my foot tension.

I had been immobilizing my foot at a 90 degree angle at night, which did help me to walk in the morning. But, my physical therapy and the chiropractic foot manipulations by Dr. Benson have allowed me to stop the immobilization while I sleep.

Flare-ups can still happen, but I feel I can now deal with them with Dr. Benson’s help. And, the best part is I haven’t had to hop on one foot to the bathroom in a very long time.