Can you help my Plantar Fasciitis?

First, let's start out with what planter fasciitis is...

Plantar fasciitis is inflammation of the thick tissue on the bottom of the foot. This tissue is called the plantar fascia. It connects the heel bone to the toes and creates the arch of the foot.

 

 Causes, incidence, and risk factors:
Plantar...

fasciitis occurs when the thick band of tissue on the bottom of the foot is overstretched or overused. This can be painful and make walking more difficult.

You are more likely to get plantar fasciitis if you have:
• Foot arch problems (both flat feet and high arches)
• Long-distance running, especially running downhill or on uneven surfaces
• Sudden weight gain or obesity
• Tight Achilles tendon (the tendon connecting the calf muscles to the heel)
• Shoes with poor arch support or soft soles

Plantar fasciitis is seen in both men and women. However, it most often affects active men ages 40 - 70. It is one of the most common orthopedic complaints relating to the foot.

Plantar fasciitis is commonly thought of as being caused by a heel spur, but research has found that this is not the case. On x-ray, heel spurs are seen in people with and without plantar fasciitis.
Symptoms

The most common complaint is pain and stiffness in the bottom of the heel. The heel pain may be dull or sharp. The bottom of the foot may also ache or burn.

The pain is usually worse:
• In the morning when you take your first steps
• After standing or sitting for a while
• When climbing stairs
• After intense activity
The pain may develop slowly over time, or suddenly after intense activity.
(original article found here)
1. Wapner KL, Parekh SG. Heel pain. In: DeLee JC, Drez D Jr, Miller MD, eds. DeLee and Drez’s Orthopaedic Sports Medicine. 3rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2009:section F.
2. Abu-Laban RV, Ho K. Ankle and foot. In: Marx JA, Hockberger RS, Walls RM, et al, eds. Rosen’s Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 7th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Mosby Elsevier; 2009:chap 55.
3. Silverstein JA, Moeller JL, Hutchinson MR.Common issues in orthopedics. In: Rakel RE, ed. Textbook of Family Medicine. 8th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier;2011:chap 30.

I think everyone has experienced this at some point whether they realized it or not.  I went through it once and didn't realize that my foot pain was actually planter fasciitis. 

So now that we have an idea about what it is and what it feels like, what can a chiropractor do to help?

Obviously the first thing I'm going to do is examine your spine and your foot.  Even though you feel the pain in the foot, the true culprit could be found in your spine.  If I only looked at your foot, we may miss a bigger problem somewhere else.  Many times, the ankle joint is misplaced contributing to the foot pain.

There are also exercises that can help with a fallen arch and reduce foot pain.  Also, look at my post on heel spurs.  Call and make you appointment today!!

Can Chiropractic help with Heel Spurs/Bone Spurs?

 

 Basic Bone Spur Facts 

 

• A bone spur is a tiny pointed outgrowth of bone.

• Bone spurs are usually caused by local inflammation, such as from degenerative arthritis or tendonitis.
• Bone spurs develop in areas of inflammation or injury of nearby cartilage or tendons.
• Bone spurs may or may not cause symptoms. When they do cause symptoms, the symptoms depend on their location.
• Bone spurs can be associated with pain, numbness, tenderness, and weakness if they are irritating adjacent tissues.
• Bone spurs are detected by radiologic testing, such as with plain X-rays, ultrasound imaging, MRI scan, CT scan, and myelograms.
• Bone spurs are treated only if they are causing symptoms. Initial treatment is directed toward decreasing inflammation and avoiding reinjury when possible.

What causes bone spurs?
Bone spurs are usually caused by local inflammation, such as from degenerative arthritis (osteoarthritis) or tendinitis. This inflammation stimulates the cells that form bone to deposit bone in this area, eventually leading to a bony prominence or spur. For example, inflammation of the ligament that surrounds a degenerating disc between the vertebrae (the bony building blocks of the spine) is a very common cause of bone spurs of the spine. Inflammation of the Achilles tendon can lead to the formation of a bone spur at the back of the heel bone (calcaneus bone). Inflammation of the tissue on the bottom of the foot, plantar fasciitis, can lead to a bone spur at the underside of the heel bone. These bone spurs are sometimes referred to as heel spurs. A bone spur is medically referred to as an osteophyte.
 

Where do bone spurs occur? Bone spurs develop in areas of inflammation or injury in nearby cartilage or tendons. Common locations for bone spurs are in the back, or sole, of the heel bone of the foot, around joints that have degenerated cartilage, and in the spine adjacent to degenerated discs.

What are symptoms of bone spurs? Bone spurs may or may not cause symptoms. When they do cause symptoms, the symptoms depend on their location. Bone spurs can be associated with pain, numbness, and tenderness if they are irritating adjacent tissues, such as skin, fat pads, nerves, or tendons.

Heel spurs cause local foot pain, tenderness, and sometimes swelling. This can lead to difficulty walking due to pain at the bottom of the foot with weight-bearing. Sometimes there is accompanying inflammation of the entire bottom of the foot (plantar fasciitis) when the heel spur occurs in the bottom of the heel bone. Occasionally, bone spurs in this location are a result of inflammatory arthritis, such as from reactive arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, or diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH or Forrestier's disease).

Spurs in the spine can pinch adjacent nerves to cause numbness, tingling, and pain as well as weakness in the area of the body supplied by the affected nerve.
Some bone spurs do not cause symptoms and are incidentally detected by X-ray tests that are performed for other reasons. These spurs may have formed because of past injury to nearby tissues, such as tendons, that caused local inflammation of the bone, leading to the development of the bone spur.

How are bone spurs diagnosed? Bone spurs are detected by radiologic testing, such as with plain X-rays, ultrasound imaging, MRI scan, CT scan, and myelograms.

REFERENCE:Fauci, Anthony S., et al. Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine. 17th ed. United States: McGraw-Hill Professional, 2008

 

 

How can a Chiropractor help with Heel Spurs and Bone Spurs?

 

A chiropractor will assess your spine and other joints to see if there is misalignment and interference with nerve function (subluxation).  If a subluxation is present, the doctor will then remove the interference by adjusting the joint.  Once normal function and nerve flow are restored, the pain from the heel spur will reduce or go away completely.  This will most likely take more than one visit. 

At home, it is your job to take steps to reduce inflammation in your body to prevent future bone spur development.  This would include drinking plenty of water (at least 64 oz per day) and also eliminating any dietary causes of inflammation such as excess sugar intake.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Do you believe in germs?

Well, we know germs (bacteria and viruses) exist, but do they cause all disease?  The real question is: Why do some people get sick while other don't?

For example, let's say we have a group exposed to the same salmonella contaminated batch of spinach.  We have some people that die, some that get diarrhea, some that vomit, and some that experience no problems at all.

Why do they each experience different things?  What is the difference between the people that die and those that have no problems?

Typically the people who die from some bacteria or virus have compromised immune systems.  Basically, their bodies aren't working like they are supposed.  While those with no symptoms typically have strong, healthy immune systems.


So I do believe in the existence of germs but not that I will always get sick when exposed to them.  You need fertile soil (your body) for the seed (germ) to be able to flourish.

This week both Dr. Gomez and I have had colds.  We are commonly asked what we do when we get sick.  First, check in and make sure we have been taking care of our bodies with rest, good food, plenty of water and getting adjusted.  I choose not to take any over the counter medications because they suppress symptoms and keep you feeling crappy longer.  What I will take are some extra vitamins to give my immune system a boost and as much extra rest as I can get! 

What do you do to boost your immune system?

What is a Chiropractic Lifestyle?

For me, a Chiropractic Lifestyle is made up of the following components:

1.  Getting my spine checked for subluxations 1 time a week.  Not everyone will need to see their chiropractor once a week.  Many, if not most, of my patients come back once a month or once every 2 months.





2.  Eating a balanced diet.
 I try to follow the nutritional advice in books such as Nourishing Traditions and Deep Nutrition.









3.  Drinking plenty of water.  Take your body weight and divide it by 2.  That will give you how many ounces of water you need to drink each day.  Remember, water has no color or flavor!

4.  Getting good sleep each night.  For me 7-9 hours of sleep are best.  I'm still trying to find the perfect pillow that doesn't leave my neck sore and tight in the morning.

5.  Exercise.  I like to do interval training 2-3 times a week.  I try to fit yoga in at least once a week to soothe my body and mind.

6.  De-stress!!  This is a tough one.  Exercise is one way to de-stress but I need to do more to address my spiritual health.   I do that by going to church, singing my praise to God, praying.  I'm trying to fit in some meditation and deep breathing everyday to keep my mind from running a mile a minute.




7.  Be as free of chemicals as possible.  This includes avoiding unnecessary pharmaceutical intervention whether it be over the counter prescription.  Most medications simply mask the symptom instead of addressing the cause of the problem.  Look deeper to find the cause.  It usually takes more work to fix the cause than to cover the symptom.  Also avoid exposure to harmful chemicals found in many of the products we use every day.  For example, I use coconut oil as my moisturizer, a mixture of Baking soda and water as shampoo, I make my own laundry detergent, dishwasher detergent, bug spray and deodorant.  There are so many DIY sites that give you instructions to make just about any household product. One of my favorites is diynatural.com.  This was the first site to show me how simple it is to make your own products.


It will be different for every person.  To avoid every harmful thing is unrealistic.  Start by picking something you can do.  For some people the most they can handle is going to the Chiropractor and that is okay!  Once you've gotten a handle on one thing, begin to work on another.  It would be very difficult if not impossible to try to make every change at once.  Don't compare your beginning to someone else's middle.  You will always be discouraged.  Simply do the best you can with what you've got.

Getting my spine checked is a no brainer for me.  The rest of the stuff on the list takes some extra work on my part.  I am on this journey of health right along with you and I am not perfect! 


What are the steps you've taken to regain or maintain your health?

Is it normal to feel lightheaded after an atlas adjustment?

Yes, it is within the range of normal "side effects" of getting an atlas adjustment.  It is a rare occurrence in low force adjusting techniques such as Atlas Orthogonal.

Take a look at the anatomy of the upper cervical spine.  Three muscles attach to the skull, atlas (C1) and axis (C2).  Through this triangle of muscles, known as the suboccipital triangle, passes the C1 nerve, vertebral artery, and venous plexus.

 

The muscles of the suboccipital triangle are responsible for fine movement of your head.  The big muscles like the trapezius, sternocleidomastoid and other large muscles move the head but there motion is refined by the smaller muscles of the suboccipital triangle.

You can see that 2 of the 3 muscles attach to the transverse process of the atlas.  If the atlas is out of alignment, the movement of these muscles will be affected along with the nerve and blood supply to the head.

When the misalignment is corrected through an adjustment, the rapid influx of blood and nerve impulses can cause the feeling of lightheadedness or dizziness.