Plantar Fasciitis
Plantar Fasciitis
Plantar Fasciitis
Dear Deb,
I'm a dance trainer and train 23 hours a week. I have plantar fasciitis and can't seem to get rid of it. I've been stretching, icing, rolling my toes on tennis balls, sporting tennis footwear in all dance lessons, wear insoles recommended to me by my chiropractor, gotten my feet adjusted and put electric stim through them, and taped my feet daily. I'm still in pain. This started in Nov. I was just questioning if you had another ideas. I respect any recommendation you can provide! Thank you! Kelly
You might be definitely doing all the things properly, Kelly, following a textbook rehab process for plantar fasciitis.
For individuals who don't know what plantar fasciitis is - it is an irritation of the plantar fascia that is on the underside of your foot. Fascia is a sheet or band of connective tissue that surrounds muscle tissue and binds cells together. In some areas it is thin, just like the fascia underneath your skin, and different areas quite thick, like on the ball of your foot.
Tom Myers wrote a beautiful book known as Anatomy Trains, which looks on the myofascial meridians of the body. He proposes there is a collection of myofascial lines of that journey through the body. For instance, the superficial back line begins with the plantar fascia on the foot, goes up the back of the leg, continues up the muscles of the spine and ends over the top of your head at the eye sockets. Pressure in any area along this line will affect the whole.
I do know you're already rolling on a ball to assist release the plantar fascia. I would tell you to try this as well! Let's see if you'll find different areas which may be influencing the plantar fascia. You didn't mention if you had plantar fasciitis on one or both feet. When you've got it only on one foot, I always take a really cautious look at the pelvic/torso shifts, and for any potential leg size differences. If it is on both feet, then decide the side that appears to be a little worse.
Before you roll the ball beneath your foot, attempt sitting on the ground and placing it underneath the thigh. Press the hamstring gently into the ball to encourage release. When you find yourself in a tight area, slowly, slowly flex your foot. Very slowly - take four very slow counts to flex it. Do this a couple of more times beneath your hamstring, before doing the same thing for the back of the calf. Place the ball under the calf to massage it, but then also taking the time to do very, very gradual flexing of the foot while the ball remains to be below the calf.
Now arise and see how the foot feels. Is there any much less pull on the bottom of the foot? Hopefully so!
Now you wish to stand with your back to the wall and place the pinkie ball along the same side of the backbone of the leg you have been just working on. One spot may be right along the spine someplace between the shoulder blades. You're leaning on the ball along with your feet securely placed a few foot away from the wall, or whatever distance feels comfortable. Now with the ball staying in one spot along your spine, gently and slowly, very slowly drop your head in direction of your chest stretching the muscle tissues along the side of the spine.
You may repeat that a few instances at other spots along that very same side of the spine.
Now recheck how your feet feel. Do you feel any less pressure at the feet? This is a good exploration for dancers even without plantar fasciitis. It at all times astonishes me the detailed relationships between body areas. You simply explored releasing tension along the superficial back line of fascia - without ever touching the plantar fascia itself - and yet - the plantar fascia more than likely has been helped.
If this made a distinction to how you are feeling in standing and strolling, Kelly - it could be useful to discover a therapeutic massage therapist who focuses on myofascial massage. In addition, I'd encourage you to continue exploring and releasing any pressure you may find above the level of the foot. This may increasingly mean that you have to make some changes in your movement dynamics like the velocity of your walking.
If you happen to find you can stroll more simply and without as much strain by strolling more slowly than you usually do - then it is advisable be conscious of your velocity and attempt to walk slowly and simply, permitting the foot to roll without ache, and the load to transfer firmly but smoothly from one foot to another.
Please let me know how you do with these recommendations - and I'm also all the time wanting to read your feedback if you care to leave them.
Warmest regards, and hope everyone has a wonderful week!
Deborah
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