Foot Pain can come from a number of different points and origins, some quite a distance away from the foot, while others that you can pinpoint exactly there position on the foot can give a good indication as to what is wrong. However getting an Osteopathic assessment will help in finding the cause of the foot pain.
The following cover some of the more common ones that we see and treat at the clinic.
PLANTER-FASCIITIS
The symptoms that you can feel are on the sole of your foot. It can feel quite tender to touch. It usually comes on slowly over time, and can progressively increase in sensitivity.
The condition involves inflammation to the fascia on the sole of your foot. This fascia acts as a tension between the fore foot and the large bone of the heel. In the morning it will be at its best but as you go about your day it progressively gets more painfully. If you press on a certain point close to the heel at the bottom of the foot this may increase the pain
The causes of Planter fasciitis can be from a change in footwear, altered biomechanics, increase in weight, increased tension in posterior or the back muscles of the legs such as calf muscles or thigh muscles.
Treatment
Treatment from an Osteopathic perspective is firstly finding the cause; it is usually not difficult, as it has been successfully treated through Osteopathic practitioners for many years.
Working directly on the area as well as surrounding tissues helps to elevate the discomfort. Using the information on the tissue conditions allows the Osteopath to direct if needed stretching and self-treatment to stop inflammation and maintain a healthy state. In some cases Orthotics have been seen to help with planter fasciitis by supporting the Biomechanics of the foot.
The clinic also can talk to you about different foods that can lessen the inflammatory response, as well as highlight foods that increase the inflammatory response.
ACHILLES HEEL OR ACHILLES TENDINOPATHY
Usually this will give symptoms of pain at the back of the heel, and will make it difficult to step off your fore foot. It can feel like a lump as small as a pigeon egg at the back of your heel just where the calf muscle joins the foot.
It is usually more painful walking down hill; it can be quite sever if there has been a significant tear within the Achilles tendon itself. Most of the bother again is due to inflammation within the fascia, this can lead to disorder with in the fibers and create what we call a lesion or adhesions within the structures, so having Osteopathic treatment will help to lessen the pain.
Treatment
One treatment approach is to work to reorganize the tissue fiber of the injury, as well as release the pressure on the area with Osteopathic treatment techniques. Our goal is two fold, to get pain relief reduced followed by rebalancing of the tissue structures. It is a measurable condition and as such treatment is speedy. For any further information please just call and I would be glad to answer any questions.
ANKLE SPRAINS
The treatment is to assess weather or not there is a fracture as the symptoms can be similar. It is recommended to see your Osteopath or Doctor to have it assessed.
What has been found is a decrease in proprioception (neurological amnesia) post injury, this along with in some cases; ligament damage can also take place with such injuries. This can leave the ankle in a susceptible state and can lead to further injuries of the same nature. To combat this it is advised to rehabilitate the ankle it should be noted that even with minor injuries involving lateral ankle strain it is worth rehabilitating the injury. For further information please call the clinic.