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Finding Hope: How Shockwave Therapy Rescues Chronic Plantar Fasciitis Sufferers

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Plantar fasciitis can be a debilitating condition, characterized by excruciating heel pain that can disrupt daily activities and diminish quality of life. For individuals who have tried various treatment methods with little success, the search for effective relief can feel like an endless journey. However, amidst the frustration and despair, there’s a glimmer of hope: shockwave therapy. Let’s explore how this innovative treatment modality is offering newfound hope and healing for chronic plantar fasciitis sufferers who have exhausted all other options.

Understanding Chronic Plantar Fasciitis:

This common foot ailment that occurs when the thick band of tissue (the plantar fascia) that runs across the bottom of the foot becomes inflamed or irritated. This inflammation can result from various factors, including overuse, improper footwear, biomechanical issues, or underlying conditions such as flat feet or high arches. While many individuals experience temporary relief with conservative treatments such as rest, ice, stretching, orthotics, and physical therapy, chronic plantar fasciitis persists despite these interventions, posing significant challenges for those affected.

The Role of Shockwave Therapy:

Shockwave therapy, also known as extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT), has emerged as a beacon of hope for individuals grappling with chronic plantar fasciitis resistant to conventional treatments. This non-invasive treatment modality utilizes high-energy acoustic waves to target the affected area, stimulating the body’s natural healing response and promoting tissue regeneration. Unlike other interventions that merely mask symptoms or provide temporary relief, shockwave therapy addresses the underlying pathology of plantar fasciitis, offering a long-lasting solution for those in need.

Benefits of Shockwave Therapy for Chronic Plantar Fasciitis:

Pain Reduction: 

The hallmark symptom of plantar fasciitis is heel pain, which can range from mild discomfort to debilitating agony. Shockwave therapy offers significant pain relief by targeting the underlying sources of inflammation and irritation. By modulating pain pathways and promoting tissue healing, shockwave therapy alleviates pain, enabling individuals to walk, stand, and move with greater comfort and ease.

Tissue Regeneration: 

Chronic plantar fasciitis often involves degeneration or microtears within the plantar fascia, impairing its ability to function properly. Shockwave therapy stimulates tissue regeneration by enhancing blood flow, promoting cell proliferation, and triggering the production of collagen, a key protein involved in tissue repair. As a result, damaged tissues are replaced with healthier, more resilient tissue, restoring the structural integrity of the plantar fascia and reducing the risk of recurrence.

Improved Functionality: 

The persistent pain and discomfort of chronic plantar fasciitis can significantly impact one’s ability to perform daily activities and participate in recreational pursuits. Shockwave therapy improves functionality by addressing the root cause of the condition and promoting healing from within. As pain diminishes and tissue integrity is restored, individuals experience improved mobility, flexibility, and overall function, allowing them to resume their normal routines with renewed vigor and enthusiasm.

Non-Invasive and Safe: 

Unlike surgical interventions or invasive procedures, shockwave therapy is non-invasive and carries minimal risk of complications. The treatment is performed on an outpatient basis, typically without the need for anesthesia or sedation. With its excellent safety profile and minimal side effects, shockwave therapy offers a gentle yet effective alternative for individuals seeking relief from chronic plantar fasciitis without the risks and downtime associated with surgical interventions.

Long-Term Relief: 

For many chronic plantar fasciitis sufferers, the prospect of long-term relief seems like a distant dream. However, shockwave therapy offers the promise of lasting results. By addressing the underlying pathology of the condition and promoting tissue healing, shockwave therapy provides a sustainable solution for individuals who have tried all other treatment methods without success. With proper care and follow-up, the benefits of shockwave therapy can endure, allowing individuals to reclaim their lives free from the shackles of chronic plantar fasciitis.

Chronic plantar fasciitis can be a formidable adversary, but with the advent of shockwave therapy, relief is within reach. By targeting pain, promoting tissue regeneration, and restoring functionality, shockwave therapy offers a transformative solution for individuals who have exhausted all other treatment options. Whether you’re struggling with persistent heel pain or grappling with the limitations of chronic plantar fasciitis, shockwave therapy holds the potential to reshape your experience and offer newfound hope and healing. 

Consult with one of our qualified healthcare providers to explore whether shockwave therapy is right for you and take the first step towards reclaiming your life from the grips of chronic plantar fasciitis. Give us a call @ 780-455-2112 to get started. Check out our clinic @ ocwc.ca. 

chiropractic, benefits, plantar fasciitis

How Chiropractic Helps People Who Suffer from Plantar Fasciitis

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Feet are important. When you consider what your feet go through, taking 8,000 steps over the course of a day, it’s easy to see how the majority of Canadians will have some type of foot pain at some point in their lives. Plantar fasciitis is a common and very painful foot condition that can become chronic if not treated. It is also a condition that responds very well to chiropractic care.

Plantar Fasciitis Explained

Plantar fasciitis is caused when the ligament that connects your toes to your heel (the plantar fascia) becomes inflamed, swollen, and weak. This causes the bottom of your foot or heel to hurt when you walk or stand, especially when you first wake or after sitting for a long time.

The pain tends to be sharp and stabbing. It is the most common cause of heel pain and is more prevalent among middle aged people. However, anyone can get it at any age, especially people who spend a lot of time on their feet.

How Chiropractic helps Plantar Fasciitis

Chiropractic care is a very effective treatment for plantar fasciitis as well as the pain that is caused by the condition. Chiropractic for plantar fasciitis involves a very precise technique that involves adjustments to the feet and ankles as well as spinal alignment. This provides several benefits.

Reduces Stress in the Plantar Fascia – When a ligament is inflamed or stressed the tissue can develop very small tears that cause the pain of plantar fasciitis. Chiropractic adjustments made to the heel and foot take the pressure off of the plantar fascia, allowing it to relax.

Promotes Healing – When the stress on the plantar fascia is reduced through these chiropractic adjustments, the foot can begin to heal. The chiropractor may also recommend specific exercises that stretch the ligament and help it heal. They may also advise the patient of lifestyle changes as well as nutritional adjustments that can help with the pain and condition.

Provides Effective Pain Management – Chiropractic is a very effective way to manage pain throughout the body. Spinal adjustments allow better communication between the brain and nerves, allowing the central nervous system to function more effectively. Condition specific adjustments speak to the root of the problem, not just the symptoms. This means a more effective form of pain management that is longer lasting.

Reduces the Risk of Further Injury – When a person has a condition like plantar fasciitis, they will often adjust their gait in an effort to avoid the pain. This puts stress on other parts of the body and can lead to back pain, sore joints, strained muscles, and other problems. Chiropractic’s whole body approach helps the person realign their body properly so that they stand and walk properly. This helps them avoid further injury and discomfort.

Chiropractic is a Good Complement to Other Treatments

While chiropractic can be an effective treatment for plantar fasciitis on its own, it is also a very good complement to other treatments for the condition. Patients may use chiropractic in conjunction with physical therapy, massage, and even injections to manage the pain and treat the condition. It can also help with speeding healing and helping to provide better mobility.

Plantar fasciitis can take several months to heal, but by adding chiropractic treatments to your recovery plan, you can feel better faster while more effectively managing your pain. Regular chiropractic treatments can also keep the condition from becoming chronic. By working with your chiropractor and following their recommendations you can reduce your pain and shorten your healing time.

If you’re having foot pain and are interested in the chiropractic option, check out our website @ www.ocwc.ca. You can also give us a call at 780-455-2112 to book an assessment today.

4 Benefits Plantar Fasciitis Sufferers Gain By Using Chiropractic

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One of the most difficult medical conditions to spell is also one of the most common. Plantar fasciitis is the most common cause of heel pain. A person is afflicted with this medical condition when the tissue tears in the long ligament that runs along the bottom of the foot, called the plantar fascia ligament. The resulting symptoms include pain and inflammation that can be acute and often ongoing.

It’s estimated that 2 million Americans suffer from plantar fasciitis. However, many different factors cause the condition.

A foot trauma from an injury such as a fall can bring about the condition. Other causes are wearing ill-fitting or non-supporting footwear, prolonged standing, and arthritis. Once afflicted with plantar fasciitis, the sufferer often changes their gait to avoid foot pain, bringing on secondary issues such as misalignment and joint stress.

While there are several modes of treatment options, chiropractic care offers multiple unique benefits to those who suffer from plantar fasciitis. Here are four specific ways chiropractic care effectively treats plantar fasciitis.

Chiropractic adjustments can reduce stress in the plantar fascia

When the ligament is stressed, it can cause tiny tears that brings on plantar fasciitis. Sufferers who don’t take measures to repair this damage often experience ongoing pain and inflammation. A chiropractor, over a series of visits, is able to adjust the foot and heel so the ligament starts to relax, which in return, promotes healing and diminishes the instances of dealing with the condition again down the road.

Chiropractic care helps minimize secondary bodily injury due to compensation

As mentioned above, individuals dealing with the pain of plantar fasciitis frequently adapt their gait to avoid painful steps, causing stress and weight to fall on other parts of the feet, ankles, and joints. This may eventually cause issues with strained muscles and sore joints.

Chiropractic treatment not only deals with the symptoms, but treats the root of the problem. Patients who commit to chiropractic care see the plantar fasciitis decrease in severity. In addition, the chiropractor helps re-train them to walk and stand correctly, taking care of the secondary issues.

Additional at home exercises promote healing

Patients can help their situations in addition to visiting their chiropractor by taking advantage of regular home therapy exercises. Part of chiropractic care for plantar fasciitis includes a regular recommendation of exercises that stretches and heals the plantar fascia as well as secondary affected areas. For maximum results, patients need to make sure they perform the exercises correctly and diligently stick to the rehabilitation plan.

Chiropractic works well in conjunction with other treatments

Chiropractic treatment for plantar fasciitis complements other treatments. Chiropractic visits paired with massage, physical therapy, and more invasive treatment such as injections to offer pain management, increased mobility, and faster healing. Talk with your chiropractor to see what other treatments may complement your current care.

The not so great news is plantar fasciitis’s typical recovery time is several months. The great news is that committing to a combination of chiropractic visits and therapy exercises heals 9 out of 10 cases.

Plantar fasciitis is a common issue that millions of people face, but it doesn’t have to control your activity level or hinder your lifestyle. Consult a chiropractor and work together to lay out a plan of chiropractic adjustments, at-home rehab, and possibly other complementary forms of treatments. It may take time, but plantar fasciitis sufferers can eventually reach a point where they are pain free and their mobility is unhindered!

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