Plantar Fasciitis - No Longer Something You Have to Live With

Tricia Hayton, Registered Physiotherapist
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​It is that time of year again.   Time to take your closed shoes and boots and stick them in a closet.   Ladies, it is time to take your socks and push them to the back of the drawer.   Time to pamper yourselves with pedicures.  As the weather gets warmer, the structure and form of our footwear will often change from supportive closed shoes and running shoes to sandals and slip-ons.  With this change, healthcare professionals often see an increase in plantar fasciitis.

First, what is plantar fasciitis?  The plantar fascia is a long, triangular layer of connective tissue that runs from the mid point in your heel to the base of your toes.   Its job is to support your arch and help create power when you push off in walking or running.   This tissue will often start to fray at the insertion point creating micro tears.   This damage to the tissue is called plantar fasciitis.    Symptoms often include arch pain with walking and tired, aching feet.  There is also a sharp pain with the first step in the morning and for some, the first few steps after sitting for a long time.

Treatment for this disorder can be frustrating and long.   Orthotics or taping can be helpful for some.  Most find that stretching their calf muscle before standing in the morning can relieve the sharpest pain, but not all of the pain.  Traditional physiotherapy treatment of Ultrasound, massage, mobilization, and strengthening of the intrinsic (small muscle) of the foot can also reduce symptoms.

However, Shockwave therapy is often the solution for many.   Research shows that 94% of people that did not respond to previous treatment have a significant reduction in pain and an increase in function with 2-3 treatments of Shockwave.   Shockwave is a pulsed sound wave that creates blood flow and regeneration of the plantar fascia tissue.   Shockwave is applied through the skin via a hand-held device.  And although it can be tender during treatment, most clients state that this is temporary and worth it. 

If you would like to know more about Shockwave, please contact any one of the associates at the clinic and we will tell you if it is right for you. 
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