Wellness cont’d from page 15 • Increased stress: Working/training on hard surfaces, being overweight/carrying a pack or heavy equipment ... all these push down on the arch, creating the microtears described above. • High heels: High heels are very pretty—I love them! But they are definitely not the best footwear available! Besides affecting your posture and shortening your calves, they put enormous stress on the plantar fascia. High heels keep your toes bent and because the fascia attaches at the base of the toes, it puts it under more tension. It also shifts your weight forward, right onto the ball of your foot where the fascia attaches, stretching and potentially straining it. • Worn-out shoes: The tiny bubbles in the cushy material of a shoe eventually flatten so the sole cannot absorb impacts anymore. Your foot becomes your main shock absorber, transforming the plantar fascia into a bungee cord. This type of repeated impact stresses the tissue. • Pregnancy: The sudden extra pounds combined with the hormone relaxin (released in your system to help loosen ligaments for the delivery) flatten your arch and can also lead to microtears of the fascia. • Tight calves: The Achilles tendon also attaches on the heel, so when tight it pulls the heel away from the plantar fascia attachment, increasing the tension on the fascia. • Old surgeries/injuries: The plantar fascia is linked to the entire body fascia, which is an extremely strong tissue that contains a multitude of nerves. Body fascia lies
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just beneath the skin, and wraps around most muscles, joints, and organs. It is only one big piece in your entire body (like skin), so damage in one spot can refer pain anywhere else. If you have had a surgery, a deep cut, a strain or sprain, your body fascia may be creating tension as far as your plantar fascia. What to do The most important part of the treatment is to eliminate the cause (hopefully you can find something in the above list; if not, consult a specialist). • For pronated feet or high arches, get some arch support. You may need custom orthotics if your arch is really high, or if your feet are seriously pronated. • Make sure you don’t run or work in worn-out shoes and try to soften the surface you’re on (for example, get off the road and head to the trails, or try a shock-absorbing mat at work). • Avoid running or walking hills for a while; the plantar fascia and calves are tightly linked and hills increase the demand on the calves. • Stretch your calves daily. • Lower your heels (if you “need” the extra height, opt for a platform shoe where the height difference between the heel and ball of foot is much less significant). • If you are not pregnant and are carrying extra pounds, try to lose some weight. • If you are pregnant, wear good supportive shoes (arch support will help reduce the amount of splaying of the foot, protecting the fascia but also maintaining the foot’s original length and shape). Avoid standing and walking around barefoot. • If you suspect your problem comes from the body fascia, consult a specialist (Registered Massage Therapist, Physiotherapist, Chiropractor, Rolfer, etc.). It could take up to about six to eight weeks of foot rest to let the fascia completely heal and regenerate. That means you should be taking the weight off your foot as much as you realistically can. Eliminating the cause, rest, and support should take care of most of the problem; however, a specialist as mentioned above may speed up the healing process regardless of the original cause. It is urban legend that plantar fasciitis has to haunt you for months – if yours does, look closer … there must be a reason. n
16 Fall ‘14 - Okanagan Health & Wellness Magazine
www.ohwmagazine.com