Plantar fasciitis is an extremely common cause of heel pain that affects millions of people each year. But many other causes of heel pain may be responsible for a specific patient’s symptoms.
Depending on the underlying cause of your heel pain, you might benefit from an orthotic, a joint manipulation, specific exercises, a combination of all three treatments, or something else entirely.
Luckily, chiropractors, through careful examination, can diagnose the cause of your heel pain and design a treatment plan that will get you feeling better quickly!
What Are Some Potential Causes of Heel Pain?
As was stated in the introduction: plantar fasciitis is one of the most common causes of heel pain. Interestingly, this condition can occur in both sedentary and highly active individuals. For this reason, tons of research has been conducted on treatments and diagnostic techniques dealing with plantar fasciitis over the years.
Some risk factors for the development of plantar fasciitis include:
- Obesity,
- Abnormal foot shape,
- Tight calf muscles,
- Significant recent increases in physical activity.
Outside of plantar fasciitis, other causes of heel pain may include heel fractures, referred pain from a calf injury, nerve irritation, and others.
What are The Best Treatments for Heel Pain?
Over the years, numerous disciplines have attempted to determine which treatments are best for addressing heel pain. Again, it’s important to note that different conditions require different treatment plans. However, when it comes to the most common cause of heel pain, plantar fasciitis, the medical community has found that the following treatments work very well for the condition:
- Night Splints,
- Exercise,
- Taping,
- Orthotics,
- Manual therapy (such as joint manipulations, massage, etc).
Your chiropractor can provide any and all of the treatments listed above. The best part is, with a well-designed plan of care, you may never have to deal with your heel pain symptoms again!
What About Ankle and Foot Pain?
Thus far, we’ve talked specifically about heel pain. But what about the other parts of the lower body such as the foot and ankle? Are there chiropractic treatments that can help with foot and ankle pain as well?
The answer is yes!
Depending on the cause of your ankle or foot pain, your chiropractor has many quality treatment options. For example, someone who suffers from recurrent ankle sprains may benefit from some support taping and stability exercise.
On the other hand, someone with foot pain may need to have an orthotic prescribed to address their unique needs.
All of this information can be gleaned from a specific evaluation, which your chiropractor will always perform, regardless of what issue you are being seen for.
Can Spinal Adjustments Help with Heel, Foot, and Ankle Pain?
In some cases, a spinal adjustment may be the best option to treat your lower body symptoms. If you’ve had an injury to your back such as a slipped disc or pulled muscle, your spine may have fallen out of alignment, and the nerves that innervate your foot may be pinched or irritated. Therefore, a specific manipulation of your spine will allow your nervous system to function optimally, leading to reduced pain in your foot.
But beyond spinal manipulations and the other interventions outlined in the previous section, other treatments may be appropriate, depending on the lower body condition in question.
For example, if you are suffering from pain in your heel due to a diet-related issue, the best treatment might be a simple change in your food choices. Your chiropractor can help you review your diet and outline a plan that will best address your pain and other symptoms.
If you’re suffering from heel pain, foot pain, ankle pain, or any other issue, stop in to see the professionals at At Last Chiropractic, your local chiropractor in Lithia, FL. Book your appointment today.
