You will know when you have the symptoms of ‘Plantar Fasciitis’, as the bottom of your foot will be affected. You tend to feel the pain in the centre and inner side of the heel. It will be rather uncomfortable to use your foot properly. At times you may find that being ‘active’ improves your foot pain, but it will soon return when you stop and rest.
What causes Plantar Fasciitis?
Many things can contribute to it, such as suddenly being active when you are usually sedentary. Being on your feet for far too long, in any given time period. If you are overweight, it may affect the sole of your foot to become overstretched. A weakened or injured ankle can be the root cause, as well as having high or low arches.
However, in my extensive years of helping many to become plantar fasciitis ‘pain-free’, the most common cause to date that I find it to be are tight calf muscles. Moving up from this what are causing the tight calf muscles? Well, they are a direct result of gluteal maximus dysfunction. In two, maximum of three sessions, this can be resolved using sports massage techniques and giving my clients 2-4 weeks of physiotherapy rehabilitation.
How would I fix the gluteal maximus dysfunction and the symptoms of Plantar Fasciitis?
I would use various techniques in session one to release the deep-seated buttock muscles called the piriformis, found deep within each buttock. Alongside this, I would release the QL’s, Quadratus Lumborum muscles, that connect from the pelvis into the lower and mid-back.
At the end, of session one I would show and give my client simple daily exercises to ‘switch’ the gluteal maximus muscles of the buttocks back on. This therapy is simple and yet highly effective as it works on neuromuscular work. The nerves are stimulated and retrained to switch one’s buttocks back on to working at 100%, as opposed to the piriformis overworking due to gluteal laziness.
In session two I would check and re-test the gluteal functioning to ascertain if my client has done their ‘homework’ or not. If I am happy with their gluteal progress, I will release their hip flexors and stretch out their adductors (if need be). Next would be to work on their tight hamstrings and calves.
Lastly, I would massage from the calves into the plantar fascia which runs from the heel, beneath the arch of the foot to the base of the toes. A third session is only ever required when a client fails to complete or carry out the rehabilitation exercises prescribed to them in session one or there is a ‘skeletal’ complication.
Please get in touch if you would like to book an appointment.