What is plantar fasciitis?

The foot is made up of 26 bones, 16 joints and 107 ligaments that contain mobility. The heel is made up of the calcaneus bone and the ball of the foot is made up of the metatarsal bones. Between the calcaneus and the metatarsals, there is a plantar fascia (fibrous membrane that surrounds a muscle). This fascia can be palpated at the level of the sole of the foot. Plantar fasciitis is an inflammation of this fascia, with more or less painful symptoms and it most commonly occurs in women who wear heels, athletes, people who are overweight, and people with flat feet.

Symptoms of plantar fasciitis

People who suffer from plantar fasciitis notice pain at the level of the sole of the foot, more quickly near the heel (at the level of the insertion of the plantar fascia and the calcaneus). Patients feel stronger pain in the morning upon waking up and when putting down the foot with the fasciitis. This pain can be aggravated by doing a sport like running; walk, dance…

Osteopathic treatment of plantar fasciitis

As we have seen previously, the foot is made up of 26 bones, this large number of bones allows the foot to carry out a complex movement of Flexion-Extension/Pronation-Supination. In order for these movements to be performed properly and to their full range, it is important that there is no mechanical restriction at foot level. If one or several bones are blocked, movements will be affected, causing muscle tension at the level of the foot.

A restriction of foot mobility can affect the mechanics of the foot and cause constraints, causing plantar fasciitis.

With a global vision of the body, the manual osteopath will try to remove the restrictions of the foot, to reduce muscle tension. For this reason, the osteopathic techniques are performed for the entire leg, testing all the joints and using various types of techniques. So that the foot regains optimal mobility. If the foot has no mechanical restrictions and the support is performed normally, the inflammation of the plantar fascia will gradually decrease before disappearing.

More than one visit may be needed to treat the problem. Book an appointment!