When you wake up in the morning do you experience a stabbing pain near the heel of your foot? What about after prolonged periods of standing? If this is a familiar pain for you please note you are not alone. There are more than 3 Million diagnosed cases per year and approximately one out of 10 people in the US experience this persistent pain that is located on the bottom of the foot called plantar fasciitis.
Plantar fasciitis occurs when the thick band of tissue that runs across the bottom of your foot and connects your heel bones to your toes become inflamed. Dysfunctions such as tissue restrictions and muscle imbalances can develop in parts of the hips, legs and foot and cause the soft tissue to be hindered and not move freely which compromises the entire body.
Plantar fasciitis is usually self-treatable and is usually self-diagnosed. There are several different treatment options however studies show that physical therapy is one of the best treatment plans. In 2014, the Orthopedic Section of the American Physical Therapy Association published updated clinical practice guidelines on the best treatments for patients with plantar fasciitis.
The guidelines present evidence that strongly suggests a combination of manual therapy and rehabilitative exercises to help patients with this foot condition. At Oklahoma Physical Therapy we will work with you to create a customized treatment plan in which we evaluate the leg and foot alignment to examine problems that may have caused the heel pain. We will then treat the problem with the following types of treatments:
- Calf stretches
- Foot stretches
- Muscle strengthening
- Manual therapy such as ankle mobilization
- Trigger Point Dry Needling
- Measure for heel lifts or other inserts to wear
Our physical therapists will educate you as to the proper stretching and strengthening exercises that will increase the recovery process to treat the plantar fasciitis. Our goal at Oklahoma Physical Therapy is to help you regain your mobility and return to your regular daily living activities pain free. Give us a call today at 405-749-6281 or at www.oklahomaphysicaltherapy.com/make-appointment/ to schedule your appointment.