When your feet hurt not much else matters. Walking, running and most daily activities can result in wrenching discomfort. Foot Pain can be the result of injury, repetitive trauma, or various medical conditions. One of the most common causes of foot pain that we treat in our office is plantar fasciitis.

You may have heard the name Plantar Fasciitis, lets break down what it means.

Plantar: relating to the sole of the foot

Fasciitis: Inflammation of the fascia (fascia is the connective tissue layer that separates the skin and muscles. Warning gross reference: You might notice it when peeling the skin off of raw chicken, look for the white fibers, kind of stringy.)

So plantar fasciitis is the inflammation of the sole and tendon on the bottom of the foot. Repeated stress and strain can cause tiny tears in the ligament, which can lead to pain and swelling. Plantar Fasciitis can cause pain from the base of the toes to the heel of the foot. The pain usually starts off in a specific spot and tends to progress and encompass the entire foot. The pain can feel stabbing or aching and potentially shoot throughout the foot. Many patients complain of increased pain in the morning when their feet first hit the floor or when initially standing after sitting for an extended period. The first few steps are usually the worst.

The causes of plantar fasciitis are varied. They usually result from trauma to the bottom of the foot from increased running, high heels, walking more than usual, poor fitting or worn out shoes, long hours on your feet, walking barefoot, obesity, or a loss of the arch of the foot. Tight calves and Achilles tendons often accompany this condition.

At Blakely Chiropractic in Mission Valley we provide a multifaceted approach to treating foot pain caused by plantar fasciitis. We start with an exam to determine the cause of the foot pain; sometimes x-rays are called for to rule out a stress fracture or osteoarthritis. Once a diagnosis of plantar fasciitis is reached we offer various types of therapy to reduce the inflammation, pain and swelling. Next we decide if a shoe orthotic is an appropriate device to help support the foot.

Our office offers Foot levelers custom orthotics. A digital scan of your feet will help determine where you foot needs to be supported and then a custom orthotic is designed to fit your foot. These orthotics can be custom fit for dress, walking or running shoes, we even offer custom sandals. (Check out our previous discussion on over the counter versus custom orthotics). Blakely Chiropractic is one of only a few offices that offers Foot levelers custom orthotics in San Diego.

Finally we assess your daily actives and determine aggravating factors to your plantar fasciitis. How you can accommodate and teach you home exercises to help stretch your feet and keep this problem from progressing. This will also include activities to help increase the strength of your feet for the future, so plantar fasciitis doesn’t become a ongoing problem.

A consultation with our occupational therapist may be made to discuss changes on you daily actives or how to decrease the impact from your work, profession, or social life. Our San Diego chiropractor is also available as an option to help alleviate the pain. Our team of massage therapist can also provide relief for your foot pain.

The longer you deal with foot pain the more difficult it can be to treat, without proper care plantar fasciitis can lead to a heel spur. So make an appointment today to have your feet examined. Would you rather walk with a spring in your step or pain?