“Walking is the best possible exercise. Habituate yourself to walk very far.”
– Thomas Jefferson
We know today that walking is indeed one of the best forms of exercise. This is because it is one of the least impactful activities on your muscles and joints, and it is an inherently natural activity, as well. In fact, there are significant and measurable benefits that can be had by walking at least 30 minutes a day five or six days a week.
Known as weight-bearing exercise, brisk walking can
accomplish the following:
- Increased muscle strength and endurance
- Reduced body fat
- Increased cardiovascular and pulmonary fitness
- Stronger bones and improved balance
- Reduced risk of heart disease and stroke
Improved management of conditions such as high blood
pressure, high cholesterol, joint and muscular pain or stiffness, and type 2
diabetes
And, as if this were not enough,
according
to the Harvard Medical School, regular walking also counteracts the
effects of weight-promoting genes, reduces the risk of developing breast cancer,
and boosts immune function.
This all sounds good, you may be thinking, but walking is painful for me because of plantar fasciitis.
Dealing With Plantar Fasciitis
If you suddenly find that you’re experiencing a stabbing pain
in your heel with your first steps in the morning, it is quite likely you’re
suffering from plantar fasciitis, one of the most common causes of heel pain.
The Mayo Clinic
describes
it as involving
“inflammation
of a thick band of tissue that runs across the bottom of your foot and connects
your heel bone to your toes (plantar fascia).”
For most sufferers, as they walk around more, the pain typically
decreases, but it tends to come back after long periods of standing or getting
up from sitting. While more common in runners, people who are overweight or
obese, and those whose shoes have inadequate support are also likely to develop
plantar fasciitis.
Common Treatment for Plantar Fasciitis
Many people try to ignore the pain or adjust their lifestyle to accommodate it. Many people also try to treat it themselves with shoe inserts and pain relievers. However, without some degree of professional help,
plantar fasciitis is not likely to diminish or go away on its own. In fact, along with the common treatments offered, there may be changes in diet and lifestyle needed to bring about real relief.
Common, non-invasive treatments, include resting, icing the painful
area and stretching, and over-the-counter anti-inflammatory pain relievers such
as ibuprofen and naproxen sodium. Typically, patients tend to recover after
several months.
Unfortunately, relief can be temporary or even elusive.
That’s when therapies such as orthotics and night splints might be prescribed.
Severe cases can also be treated steroid injections,
extracorporeal shock wave therapy,
Tenex procedure or traditional surgery. Recovery time for some of these
approaches can be years and involve restricted activity and movement.
The Active Release Technique Approach to Treating Plantar Fasciitis
While there are common causes associated with plantar
fasciitis, as we noted previously, another factor can be described as abnormal
biomechanics in the joints of the foot, knee and or hip. Unusual, or
dysfunctional joint motion in one of these areas can alter your walking gait,
which can then lead to increased stress on the soft tissues of the plantar
surface.
Consequently, properly treating plantar fasciitis requires a
comprehensive analysis of the positions of the bones of the foot so we can
develop a plan for restoring their position. In addition, there is the need for
strengthening misfiring and atrophied muscles is.
Using a combination of manual therapy and a corrective exercise plan normal foot mechanics can be restored, preventing the plantar fascia from being subjected to excess force and stress. We know that
Active Release Technique (ART) therapy can be an effective tool for recovering from plantar fasciitis.
ART therapy is used to locate and treat scar tissue
adhesions that accumulate in the muscles and soft tissues. We can use Active
Release Technique to treating plantar fasciitis through to provide disruption
breakdown of the adhesions around the plantar surface. In addition, this will
help increase normal tissue flexibility, movement and comfort, and restore your
full balance and stability.
Active Release Technique can help with plantar facsiitis to
treat plantar fasciitis with long lasting and immediate results. In addition, ART
will also break the cycle that leads to continual stress injuries, while restoring
strength, speed and endurance.
If you are an athlete, or are athletically active, ART can
also help return your range of motion and get you back to optimal athletic
performance. Like other injuries, plantar fasciitis won’t be treated without some
pain. We want you to know that, when it comes to treatment through Active
Release Technique therapy, there will be a certain level of pain involved.
You can be confident, however, that we closely monitor your
degree of tolerance never exceed that. Our mission is to provide you with a
satisfying recovery and relief from pain.
Take the Steps to Find Relief From Plantar Fasciitis
We will conduct a full examination to help us determine
which form of treatment is best suited to put you on your road to recovery. Because
our bodies will compensate for pain to allow us to function during our day, the
pain can shift around and lead to other forms of pain. Our goal is to work
through the sequence of pain and dysfunction in order to get your body healthy
and working properly, and to achieve total recovery. Don’t hesitate to reach
out. We are here to help and will answer any questions that you may have.
You can reach us at
(707) 636-4404 or
by filling out our
online contact form
