Over 25% of your body’s muscles reside solely in the foot and ankle. Do you know how to properly strengthen them? Many p
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Plantar Fasciosis: The Complete Guide to Stamping Out Heel Pain
by: Dr. Therese Miller, DC edited by: Ryan Lowery MS, ATC;L, CAFS Kayla O’Neill Justin Robert Miller, PhD
TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction SECTION 1: Background and Understanding Plantar Fasciosis Chapter 1: This is a Pain! Where is this coming from? Chapter 2: The Nitty Gritty Details Chapter 3: The Global Perspective SECTION 2: Controlling the Pain Chapter 4: Homework: The “Rules” Chapter 5: Home Care for Foot/Heel Pain Notes on WellKnown Home Care* Chapter 6: Home Remedies for Mobility Chapter 7: Home Remedies for Intrinsic Foot Weakness Chapter 8: Home Remedies for Breaking the Cycle Chapter 9: When homework isn’t enough: Where to Get Help Chapter 10: Section Review Summary and Key Take Home Points SECTION 3: Foot/Ankle Mechanics & Contributing Factors Chapter 11: Advanced Home Care Techniques Chapter 12: Fit Feet! Intro and Phase I Chapter 13: Fitter Feet! Phase II Chapter 14: Fittest Feet! Phase III and Phase IV Chapter 15: Footwear: Making a Proper Purchase Chapter 16: The Great Orthotic Debate To Wear or Not to Wear? Chapter 17: Section Review Summary and Reminders Citations About the Author
Introduction
he thousands who suffer everyday from foot and heel pain are very aware of how difficult it can be to treat and break the pain cycle. Many people spend weeks, months, even years looking for answers. It is my hope that this book sheds light on some of those answers, giving you tools to take control, and when necessary, supplement hands on treatment from a qualified healthcare provider. The unfortunate reality is that no two cases are the same. Despite similar symptoms, each underlying cause is completely different, and each case must be approached based on its unique cause. Understanding that something as far away as your shoulder, or your breathing is just as important as local foot mechanics in impacting or causing your case is extremely important. As you will repeatedly hear throughout this book, identifying the true underlying cause whether global throughout the body, or local to the foot and ankle, is the only real solution. Due to the complexity of the foot and ankle itself and the often ignored factors that can contribute to the pain of Plantar Fasciitis (now called Fasciosis), this book remains focused in the foot and ankle region. It is divided into three sections: background, controlling pain, and improving mechanics to prevent recurrence. Often times correcting local foot and ankle problems gives pain relief, but don’t stop there! Identify, then fix the entire problem. The third section of this book is also very useful even if you have never suffered foot pain, but rather, have been told you need to improve foot and ankle mechanics for another reason. It is my goal to educate people until they demand to know and treat the underlying cause, not just accept a diagnosis. Our focus in healthcare must shift from treating symptoms alone to addressing the combination of factors which cascade into pain, injury or disease. YOU are a pivotal key in that transition. YOU must demand to understand WHY your symptoms began and take ownership of your role as an active participant in your care. As I tell my patients, their commitment at home is 90% of the battle.
I have had tremendous success even with the toughest of cases, but much of that is due to my patient’s hard work at home. I hope this book brings pain relief, but even more so: guidance for which questions to ask and the motivation to ask them.
SECTION ONE Background and Understanding Plantar Fasciosis Chapter 1: This is a Pain! Chapter 2: The Nitty Gritty Details Chapter 3: The Global Perspective
THIS IS A PAIN! Where is it Coming From?
ost people don't realize there are a number of conditions that cause pain in the bottom of the foot or heel; the term Plantar Fasciitis is often wrongly used due to its familiarity to many people. Getting an accurate (and thorough) diagnosis is incredibly important. Muscle, fascia or tendon tears, nerve entrapment, bone spurs or even stress fractures are just a few of the additional causes of foot or heel pain. The diagnosis is only the first step. Even more important than the diagnosis itself is to determine the underlying cause of the condition causing pain. As an example, many people have large bone spurs on their heel without pain, some people have tiny spurs and severe pain. Realize that just because you learn that you have bone spurs does not mean it is causing your pain or that you are done searching for answers. Take it one step further: “WHY did those tissues become irritated in the first place?” THE PAIN : Before we can discuss how to treat your pain, we need to take a step back to understand exactly WHAT it is and what may have caused it to begin with. Plantar Fasciitis was once believed to be caused by inflammation. In recent years, research has shown us it is actually (3, 4) related to degeneration and weakness of the tissues in the bottom of the foot. The new name
for Plantar Fasciitis is Plantar Fasciosis (and I will refer to it this way for the remainder of the book).
The change from itis (inflammation) to osis (process or condition of) highlights the change in our understanding of the cause of pain.
As part of the natural healing process, the body creates scar tissue along the areas of injury. Scar tissue is not like the healthy tissue that lies underneath it. Think of a time when you cut your hand or maybe had surgery and formed a scar. It looks and even feels different. It also takes a long time to “remodel” from scab, to raised and red, to flat and light pink. Your tissues inside your foot are going through the same process (on a different scale). New scar tissue is very weak and “rips open” easily, just like a scab. Even throughout remodeling, scar tissue is less pliable, less stretchy and is thicker than the previous tissue it changes how the foot functions. Changes in foot function leads to changes in the amount of force distributed throughout the foot during activities; increasing the irritation in the original tissues.
This cycle is known as the Pain and Injury
Cycle (depicted left). Keep in mind this cycle is present in any injury or healing process in the body not only the bottom of the foot. You can enter into the cycle at any point, from that old ankle sprain (injury) to altered force distribution (shoewear) or anything in between. Once you are in the cycle, however, you can see why chronic problems quickly appear. There are two ways to break a cycle. 1. Put all efforts towards stopping the main causative factor. Are you recovering from a recent injury? Or maybe you recently bought a new pair of shoes that are changing your foot mechanics. When you can clearly identify the specific cause of your pain, you can fix the problem before it moves further into the cycle. 2. Try to address as many factors as possible to ensure the cycle cannot continue. Once the pain and injury cycle has progressed there is rarely just one factor causing pain. Since you are reading this book, I am willing to bet you have tried the first option but are still experiencing pain. It is possible that you missed the main cause of your pain, or it could have had multiple causes to begin with. Hopefully this book supports you in method #2 of breaking the
cycle. In the following section I have outlined some of the most common factors that contribute to foot and ankle pain. UNDERLYING FACTORS AND PREDISPOSING FACTORS : Since everything in the body is about balance, we have to consider all aspects of foot, ankle and lower leg mechanics. The plantar fascia, and muscles deeper to it, have direct connections to the muscles in the calf while at the same time opposing the muscles and tissue on the top of the foot. Each muscle, tendon and joint is responsible for distributing force during standing, walking, running and jumping. Any of the following factors can alter the way forces are distributed in the foot and ankle, which can perpetuate the pain cycle described above: ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●
Shoe type, engineering and fit Gait mechanics Past injuries Foot/ankle joint restrictions Foot/ankle muscle imbalances Tight calf musculature Improper recruitment patterns of lower leg muscles Overtraining/Inappropriate training regimens Diet Hydration Sleep General health/other health concerns
Many of these factors are addressed later in this book. TREATMENT OPTIONS: Every case of Plantar Fasciosis should be treated differently because every case has a different “WHAT” and a different “WHY.” The first step in treating this condition should be obvious: stop doing what is causing the pain. Whether it was increasing mileage for running, standing for a long time, wearing flip flops or jumping during training for your sport, the longer you keep aggravating the tissue, the harder it will become to treat and the longer it will take. Depending on why your pain has
begun, varying treatments can be used to improve your outcomes. Initial treatment can be performed at home with little to no equipment. The next chapter provides a deeper look at the structure and function of the foot, ankle and lower leg to help ensure you can perform these home techniques with flawless precision and impeccable form. Remember: only perfect practice makes perfect.
THE NITTY GRITTY DETAILS Feet Are Complex!
here are 22 bones in the human foot, making up 33 joints in the foot and ankle. The ankle joint itself is actually two primary joints working together. All of the muscles directly connecting to the feet (when considered on both feet) make up about 25% of the muscles in the human body. Our feet play a major role in maintaining our balance and they absorb forces while we move. An equally important role of the foot is to survey the type of ground we are standing on. Feet are well equipped to do this, due to very densely packed nerve endings on the bottoms of our feet. Nerve endings are like sensors on the bottoms of our feet and detect EVERYTHING; from temperature and texture to pressure and terrain. This information is sent to the brain to process. The brain and central nervous system use this information for proprioception, or perception of where our body is relative to its environment. Here are just a few ways our body can use this information: ● Proprioceptors cause rapid adjustment in muscular tension. This keeps you sitting or standing upright, stabilizes your body when you are standing, prevents you from falling, and much more.
● Proprioceptors also allow you to change your gait and foot position to avoid injury. This is how your body knows to shift weight quickly when you start sliding down a hill or are walking on uneven ground like sand or grass. ● Pain nerve endings are important for proper mechanics. Pain sensation tells the brain you stepped on a nail and should quickly step off. These pain reflexes are very important to our story because they cause you to compensate and develop new movement patterns to avoid pain. ● Some nerve endings carry hot vs cold, vibration, or sharp vs dull sensations. These signal change to other physiologic responses based on your environment. i.e. changing blood flow to areas that need it if it is cold outside, etc. For various reasons over time, the nerves in our feet can become dull or inhibited and do not relay information as they are designed to. Training your feet properly can help awaken the nerves in your feet that relay information to the brain! Wearing the proper shoes allows proprioceptors to receive more stimulation throughout the day and keeps them sharper. As previously mentioned, our feet also work to absorb forces. Every time you take a step, whether walking, running, hopping or skipping you generate a force. Newton's Third Law: for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. When our feet strike the ground, force is exerted equally down into the ground and back into the foot. In healthy feet, these forces are absorbed within the joints, ligaments and soft tissue of the feet, legs, hips, and even back. They are evenly distributed; allowing no single area to develop unnecessary tension or pressure. In untrained feet, when gait compensations are present, or mobility is reduced, forces are not absorbed properly and are focused to one particular area or tissue. Tissues that are not designed to carry excessive load eventually break down either in one big event (trauma) or in a series of smaller events (repetitive strain). This causes any number of injuries not only in the feet, but throughout the body!
Foot mechanics are extremely complex. Every joint in the foot can move in multiple directions (front to back, side to side, up and down) called planes of motion. Some joints move more in one plane than another, but imagine all 33 joints of the foot able to move in any combination of those directions at any one time! You can see how complex this region becomes, now let’s add the control of this movement. Joints are stabilized by ligaments (attach bone to bone) which primarily stop the joint at the end of its range of motion. Joint movement is also controlled by muscles which determine how quickly and how far within a joint's range it moves at any given time. Accordingly, every minute movement our body makes is a direct result of changing amounts of tension within a complex chain muscle, ligament and bone. There are actually three arches of the foot itself which support the foot and allow your foot to spring and conserve energy during gait. These arches include along the inside of the foot (medial), outside of the foot (lateral) and under the ball of the foot (transverse). The medial arch is the largest and the one most people think of. However, the lateral and transverse arch are also incredibly important. The interrelationship of these three is what really matters. This is why “having high arches” or “flat feet” doesn’t have to mean you are are more or less prone to injury. These arches are partially controlled by genetics, hormones and a number of other factors but much more importantly are highly impacted by foot mechanics and strength.
I have seen people with completely flat feet gain an arch (without orthotics) and those
with rigid, high arches gain mobility. This may or may not be possible for you, but it is extremely important that you realize your “type” of arch is not an excuse or reason for pain, but rather just information we can work with. As we work through mechanics later in this book, it is also important to remember that mechanics between one person and another can be drastically different and may need to be modified depending on your particular situation.
Key Terms: High arches tend to be more rigid and require mobilization, while flatter arches often lack stability. In either case, stability is most easily manipulated through proper usage and strengthening of the foot muscles which can be divided into two major “categories.” Intrinsic foot muscles are muscles that have both ends directly attach within the foot; these control the movement of joints within the foot. Extrinsic foot muscles are muscles which have one end attached within the foot, and the other end in the lower leg; these move the foot relative to the lower leg. These muscles work together to support the joints in the foot, support the arches, and to move the foot properly. Shown to the left is a diagram to help you visualize the two groups of muscles. The left photo is an example of a muscle that stays within the foot, whereas the right photo shows an example of a muscle that starts somewhere in the foot, but continues into the ankle and up the leg. These are not representative of a particular muscle, rather just the concept of intrinsic vs extrinsic. As with all areas of the body, these muscles have a complex balance which must be achieved. Most people have never actually exercised their feet, yet at 25% of the muscles in the body, that is a huge area to ignore! Before we move on to learn ways to address this balance, the next chapter briefly highlights other areas throughout the body that impact foot pain and may need to be addressed.
The Global Perspective The foot bone is connected to the knee, hip, pelvis, low back and shoulder bone...
his is an incredibly fascinating but difficult topic to address concisely and in the form of writing. My goal is to briefly expose common areas of the body which, when dysfunctional, contribute to foot pain. Each section in this chapter discusses how compensations in various body regions may impact foot mechanics, but please understand that these are simply a few examples out of the hundreds of compensatory patterns possible. Hopefully this helps you understand the importance of looking at global patterns and chain reactions, helping you identify or ask your provider about other areas which may be contributing to your condition. BREATHING Thinking about breathing throughout the day is rare; however for most people, breathing patterns have been completely altered over time. Think about a baby or toddler breathing what do you see rise and fall? You will see almost entirely abdominal expansion in 360 degrees as they inhale; there is usually minimal chest rise and fall. Now think about how you breathe is it the same? In adults, we often see patterns reversed; entirely chest movement, sometimes even shoulders moving up and down, with minimal or no abdominal involvement. We are learning more everyday about how breathing impacts mechanics throughout the body. Breathing patterns help control and alter ribcage position, increase or decrease tension in
various muscle groups, impact central nervous system output and so much more. For our purposes, I am going to discuss breathing in the context of creating core stability and allow the rest of the body to perform appropriate tasks. Let’s try an analogy: Your trunk is similar to a container. It has a roof (diaphragm), floor (pelvic floor musculature), and walls (abdominal muscles, internal organs, spine). Inside the container is a piston which compresses from the top (diaphragm) to the the bottom (pelvic floor). The diaphragm, acting as the roof, is an expansive but thin muscle that divides the chest cavity from the abdominal cavity below. The abdominal cavity is the container in our analogy. When you breath properly, your diaphragm contracts, pulling down into the abdominal cavity. This works to expand the lungs downward to fill up with air. When the piston compresses in the container, pressure inside the container increases. When pressure inside the abdominal cavity increases this is known as Intraabdominal Pressure or IAP . When a container is put under pressure it becomes much more stable and strong. Thus, when your abdominal cavity has adequate IAP, it improves your core stability and ability to distribute forces from your extremities which reduces tissue strain. The key to generating enough IAP is breathing primarily with the diaphragm with little to no chest movement, which is not the case for many adults. Without appropriate IAP, the tissues in your extremities must provide stability in addition to movement. Your brain will then sense increased load on your tissues and will adjust your ability to contract muscles based on perceived risk. Without something sturdy at the center, your brain will not allow more motion in your foot or ankle because it senses reduced stability and therefore increased risk of injury. This concept is summarized in the rehab dogma: central stability allows distal mobility. You will see this again, carried throughout the body. In other words, creating a strong anchor point near the center of the body allows your joints further from the center, including foot and ankle, to move freely. I have seen people with severely limited ankle motion, yet they work on it daily and it never improves. Although their ankle mobility may be related to their foot pain, it may not be the
underlying concern. Looking globally, once we address their lack of central stability which in this case improper IAP, suddenly their ankle mobility work provides longstanding results. See the connection? Don’t overlook the global details! HIP MECHANICS As with breathing, the hips are very important in creating central stability. Hips have an important role of being mobile enough to allow a wide range of motion while providing the power to propel you through motion all day. Hip muscles control knee position throughout movement and standing and help transfer forces through the body from the lower extremity into the trunk and back again. You can see how important the hips are in various factors surrounding movement, gait and standing. Many times the hips have developed compensations which force the smaller muscles of the lower leg to work harder. The pain in your foot may simply reflect the smaller muscles screaming for attention because they are not designed to do the same type of work as the large hip muscles. Here is one (of many) examples. You sit all day at a desk or in school. As a result, the front muscles of the hip (hip flexors) have become chronically tight. The gluteal muscles, or butt muscles, have chronically become lengthened. Your brain, making adjustments as needed, tends to inhibit muscles that are chronically long and activate muscles that are chronically shortened or partially contracted. As a result of these chronic changes, the front hip muscles become dominant and the back hip muscles become inhibited and often weak. Typically for walking, your powerhouse glutes should generate your movement while the hip flexors gradually relax to stabilize the hip. The chronic changes from sitting all day alter these normal tendencies. Your body is great at compensating and will find a way to accomplish gait even if your larger hip muscles don’t create the movement. A very common compensation is to lift the heel early off the floor to avoid stretching the front of the hip. When your heel lifts early, the bottom of the foot is put in a stretched position as your toe is bent backward. From this position, you ask your calf muscles and toe flexors to push as hard as they can; trying to match the power usually available from the massive muscles of the
hip. Repetitively yanking these tissues from an already stretched position will eventually cause a break down, inflammation and scar tissue development. LOW BACK/PELVIS MECHANICS The low back and pelvic regions are naturally unstable yet function to transfer forces between the lower extremity and trunk. Think of this area as tying together the IAP and hip mechanics we just discussed. Although there are many alterations which may be found in this area, let’s continue the analogy we were just working with (tight/overactive front hip muscles, long/inactive back hip muscles or glutes). In this scenario, the low back is pulled into an arched (extended) position and pelvis tips forward like a bowl pouring out water. This posture/position alters IAP, hip mechanics and changes tension through the entire leg and foot. Remember when discussing IAP, I mentioned the floor and walls also need to function properly? This position negatively affects the floor, known as the pelvic diaphragm. Essentially, the floor and roof of a piston need to be parallel to generate the most efficient forces. When the pelvis is tipped forward, the angle between the diaphragm and pelvic floor is altered and IAP can not be maintained properly. Hip mechanics described previously in this chapter are also impacted. When the low back is arched and the pelvis tipped, the front of the hip remains shortened and the back of the hip lengthened. While this is a bit of a “chicken or egg” scenario, it is difficult to identify if hip mechanics or pelvic position altered first; depends on the person, and sometimes we never know. Regardless, this position further affects the lower leg, foot and general gait pattern. The hamstrings, or back of the thigh muscles, attach to the bottom of the pelvis. Can you picture how the hamstrings are tensioned when the pelvis tips forward? Aside from increasing risk
of hamstring injury, the lower leg continues the chain with increased stretch on the calf muscles. Finally, the sling that supports the arch of the foot has unequal tension; causing the medial (inside) arch to fall and increasing tension across the bottom of the foot. Essentially, the entire line of muscles down the back of the leg, known as the posterior line, is put into a position of tension and unbalance. KNEE MECHANICS Knee mechanics are somewhat of a smaller concern, only from the standpoint that the knee is largely controlled by the combination of foot/ankle and hip mechanics. Therefore by addressing the items in this book, and considering hip mechanics, the knee mechanics often correct themselves. There of course are instances where knee mechanics themselves are altered, but these are less common and too varied to describe here. SHOULDER MECHANICS This is an example of an underlying factor that I love finding. Discovering a global alteration can be the difference between relief and neverending struggle for some people, and sometimes explains why local treatments and focus have never resolved their pain. Explaining how the shoulder is connected to the foot, however, can be difficult for without a deeper understanding of anatomy and kinesiology. Let’s use another analogy of a giant rubber band. Picture yourself attaching a rubber band to the tip of the left big toe, running it along the bottom of your foot, the back of your leg and all the way up to your opposite shoulder, then along your right arm and holding the other end. When standing in a neutral position the rubber band is the perfect length, being minimally stretched. Now picture yourself walking as this rubber band is tightened then relaxed. As you swing your left leg and right arm forward, can you picture the band becoming taught? Now, you strike your left heel and begin propelling yourself forward onto that left foot. Can you picture the rubber band springing back to a relaxed position? In our example, the band began at normal length then built up energy, known as potential energy, until it reached its point of maximum tension. As the band releases its tension and
“springs” back to it’s starting length, it releases this energy into the form of energy known as kinetic energy. Changing potential energy into kinetic energy helps propel you forward during walking or running. In our bodies, there is a line of connected tissues running along this same path which functions much in the same way. Now picture that same rubber band, but picture almost no arm swing from the right arm. Reduced arm swing means reduced tension on the rubber band, effectively, less potential energy. Less potential energy means less kinetic energy, or energy during movement. When you decide to walk or run, your body must find some way to accomplish the task. If there is less kinetic energy to use for propulsion, your body will make up for it, usually utilizing muscle contraction. If muscles in the foot and lower leg are given this task, overtime they cannot keep up with the demands, eventually breaking down. CLOSING REMARKS The purpose of this chapter was just to give you a taste of the global approach needed to treat such a stubborn and diverse condition. A great resource to further understand global interactions within the musculoskeletal system is Anatomy Trains by Thomas Meyers. Meyers discusses many interrelationships of fascia and muscular connections within the body in an easy to follow, descriptive manner. Unfortunately, I cannot address all global aspects that may be contributing to your case in one book. Stay tuned for future publications as I plan to release other books by region. I hope this introduction to global perspectives raises your awareness to a functional approach to care and the remainder of this book helps you comprehensively address foot and ankle mechanics local to your area of pain.
SECTION TWO Controlling the Pain Chapter 4: Homework: The “Rules”
Chapter 5: Home Care for Foot/Heel Pain Notes on WellKnown Home Care * Chapter 6: Home Remedies for Mobility Chapter 7: Home Remedies for Intrinsic Foot Weakness Chapter 8: Home Remedies for Breaking the Cycle Chapter 9: When homework isn’t enough: Where to Get Help Chapter 10: Section Review: Take Homes and Other Tips
HOMEWORK The “Rules”
eing actively involved in your care will drastically improve how quickly your pain will respond to treatment. These recommendations are typically individualized, therefore they are not all essential to every case. If you are unsure if these are right for you, always seek professional advice and care. Each of the techniques outlined in the following section are guided by simple, but very important rules: ● Stay Comfortable: Never stretch or push to the point of pain. Mild tenderness or a deep stretch is often necessary, but pain is too far. ● Listen to your Body: If any of these techniques increase your pain stop; if they make you feel better continue. If you see no change, be patient and continue. ● Be Consistent : Be diligent with each technique for 710 days, preferably as soon as your pain begins. Many cases are slow to improve because we wait too long or we are not truly committed to using these methods. ● Match your Cause: Try to choose the methods that most closely match your underlying cause of pain, then add additional methods as needed. Taking a
comprehensive approach is often required; however, additional attention to the biggest underlying cause will produce the fastest, most stable results. ● Finish It Out: Even if your pain goes away completely, use the Section Two tools for at least three to four more weeks, then progress through the remainder of the book. You’re body needs time to make lasting changes in the tissues, develop new habits and strengthen new patterns. Getting rid of pain is only the first step. Many of these tools also work great as pre/postworkout exercises longterm. ● Seek Help: If your pain has not improved significantly after 710 days of consistent Section Two exercises, or is getting worse, seek professional care. Also get professional advice if this becomes a recurrent problem, switches feet or moves up the leg; you need to address the underlying cause, not just manage the pain. One of the most common questions I receive is what order to perform exercises/home techniques in. Your particular case may require you to add or skip steps, but let’s keep it simple and give you a basic template to follow. The examples given below are not allinclusive and most are discussed in detail in later chapters; they are provided here for reference only. If you have been advised differently by your provider, always follow their instructions, but here is the order I generally recommend: 1. Warm Up. a. Goal: Bring circulation to the area. b. Examples: warm shower, nonweighted movement. 2. Self Tissue Mobilization . a. Goal: Get the tissue more pliable. b. Examples: LaCrosse Ball Rolling, or using another tool. 3. Joint Mobilization . a. Goal: Gain symmetry in joint motion and encourage enough mobility. b. Examples: Foot wiggles, Ankle mobilizations. 4. Foot Patterns.
a. Goal: Get each muscle, ligament, joint, etc to do its own job and no single tissue to do more than it is designed. b. Examples: Learning the short foot 5. Foot/Ankle Strength . a. Goal: Gain strength and endurance so the new pattern can be maintained throughout the day. b. Examples: One foot balance, short foot progressions 6. Repeat Joint Mobilization then Self Soft Tissue a. Goal: Reintroduce pliability into the tissues and produce additional stimulation for healing and tissue remodeling. b. Examples: See Steps 2 and 3 above c. WARNING: in many cases this repeat is essential but occasionally it will be too aggressive and will exacerbate symptoms. Listen to your body and if needed, ask your provider for guidance. 7. Cooldown. a. Goal: Decrease inflammation and decrease pooling of excess circulation in the foot. b. Example: ice bottle rolling 8. AntiInflammatory. a. Goal: Keep inflammation at controllable levels. b. Example: oral, topical, etc. c. NOTE: The order of this step varies based on type of antiinflammatory used. Follow this order each time you perform your homecare, which during the pain reduction stage is twice per day. For longterm maintenance, you can use this recipe for pre and post exercise or activity.
HOME CARE FOR FOOT/HEEL PAIN Notes on WellKnown Home Care
earch “Plantar Fasciitis” or “Fasciosis” on the web and you get inundated by pages claiming to instantly fix the problem. Ever seen those ads that open with “One weird trick…?” Well, unfortunately there is no easy trick to treating plantar fasciosis, just a simple set of exercises and a commitment by you to doing them. This chapter discusses the most wellknown home techniques. Before we get into these exercises, I am going to reiterate (again) the major questions to ask yourself before beginning your home treatment: 1. WHY did your pain start to begin with? This is important to help you choose the stretch, exercise or technique that addresses the underlying problem, not just the pain. 2. WHAT is your official diagnosis? Are you and/or your provider completely certain you know what you are treating? 3. How compliant have you really been? Maybe more importantly, what has the QUALITY of your compliance been? Again….details, details, details. If you are not performing these stretches/exercises perfectly 100% of the time, you will not make progress. Period. If you know, for certain these three points have been impeccably followed and you have not received relief from the more commonly known techniques such as ice bottle rolling, night
splints and golf balling the foot, double check yourself on these common exercises and ensure you did them properly. There are additional, less commonly known techniques for you to add; again be aware of the details! Golf Ball/LaCrosse Ball Rolling Rolling a small, hard ball on the bottom of your foot with a moderate amount of pressure loosens the tissue and stimulates circulation into the area. There are many types of foot rollers on the market, some are wellworth the investment, some aren’t and it depends on your specific case. So start cheap and use what you have…
Calf Stretch Remember intrinsic muscles remain in the foot, but extrinsic muscles begin in the foot and attach into the lower leg. The calf muscles are extrinsic. They attach in the bottom of the foot and both directly and indirectly alter the tension throughout the foot. There are two primary muscles targeted in the calf: Gastrocnemius and Soleus. The Gastroc is the larger muscle at the top of the calf and is stretched best with the knee straight. The Soleus is the smaller muscle at the bottom of the calf, is often forgotten about and is stretched better with the knee bent.
Ice Bottle/Ice Cup Rolling These methods cool the area and are meant to reduce inflammation. Remember: we now know Plantar Fasciosis is not only related to inflammation, but many people still find relief with these techniques. The most wellknown ice technique for the bottom of the foot is ice bottle rolling. This is not a bad technique; however, I prefer the technique of ice cup/ice massage for several reasons. Ice bottle rolling requires the tissue to mobilize (from rolling around on it) while tissues are cold. Cooling tissue makes them inherently less pliable; therefore, it is more effective to mobilize the tissue (while warm) separately with the LaCrosse ball. Additionally, ice cup (massage) has been shown to cool tissue much deeper than basic ice packs, ensuring that the cooling effect gets closer to where it is needed.
AntiInflammatories These can be topical, ingested or related to your diet. As with anything, risk vs. benefit is important here. I won’t say much on this topic because this is so highly individualized and in and of itself relies on too many factors. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before beginning anything new. I often recommend beginning with topical products because of the reduced number of side effects and risk of interactions with other medications. More aggressive medications or methods can always be added as needed. Night Splint Many people find relief using night splints. Many find them cumbersome and disruptive to sleep. Part of this decision has to be up to you, but here is how it works: As tissues heal over night, the body deposits scar tissue around an injury. If you sleep with the foot in a pointed position, that tissue is deposited in a shortened position. When you stand up in the morning, you tear all the new tissue you created, and start the inflammatory process all over again. By sleeping with the foot in a splint, you allow the body to create the new tissue in a longer position and hopefully don’t reinjure the new tissue in the morning. Before considering this option, consider several other factors: ● Quality sleep is very important to healing. Without it, your body may not be able to dedicate adequate resources toward healing processes. If the splint is disruptive to quality sleep, it is somewhat counterproductive. ● Another concern I have about this option is that it may decrease “nutrition” to the tissues overnight in the splint. It is purely my speculation at this time, but here I will present my argument. Tissues get their “nutrition” through circulation and blood flow which is encouraged by movement (even very small ones). Since the point of the splint is to stop movement altogether, I suspect that it could actually decrease healing since that tissues aren’t getting the nutrition they need. Everything is a balance of pro’s and con’s and in this case the con is reduced stimulation to send nutrients in for healing.
● Furthermore, a very common result of muscle imbalance in the lower leg causes the foot to evert/pronate (turning the ankle out and flattening the arch). Combining the position of the splint with this common imbalance pattern puts an area known as the tarsal tunnel into a more closed off position. This tunnel carries important blood and lymph vessels to and from the bottom of the foot. Can you see where closing this off for extended periods of time may negatively impact the amount of material in the area to create healing? I’m going to speculate further by saying maybe this is an underlying factor for why some people respond so well to night splints, and others not at all. In summary, this one is your choice. I typically leave this as a later addition. Hopefully you don’t need it with the other tips in this book. Reminder….
INCREASE MOVEMENT Home Remedies for Foot Mobility Problems
any factors can cause the foot to become immobile. Some people address only ankle mobility, so the focus of this section is specific to the foot. Reminder: quality foot mobility allows the body to distribute forces over time. When this is lacking, your tissues become yanked and tugged abruptly which increases risk of injury. TOP OF FOOT STRETCH This addresses the balance between the tissues on the top and the bottom of the foot. The easiest way to perform this stretch is to sit on a chair and tuck your toes and ankle underneath your leg as shown in the images below. Be very careful not to allow your ankle to bend inward shown correctly (left) and incorrectly (right); this causes additional strain on the ligaments that are often involved in ankle sprains. You will find initially that the bottom of your foot will often cramp that is a really great sign that you probably need this stretch as well as strengthening of the smaller foot musculature. Just stretch out the cramp and try again. Within a few days the cramping should happen less frequently.
Correct Ankle straight
Incorrect Ankle Curved
"FOOT WIGGLES" Not a commonly known homecare exercise (and not the technical name...but this is what I call it). I send this home with patients who have very tight feet without a lot of movement in the foot joints. The key is to isolate the movement into each individual joint, not use the entire foot. Using a firm grasp with each hand: use one hand to stabilize part of the foot closer to your heel we ' ll call this the base hand. Use the other hand to "wiggle" the part of the foot closer to the toes, but just next to your "base hand." You can do circles in each direction, push the foot up and down or side to side or do figure eights. Get creative and keep mixing it up; focus on directions that are more difficult to move. After about 5 wiggles in that area, move your hands just a half an inch closer to your toes and repeat again. The whole process should take about 23 minutes and can be a great way to help restore movement to a tight foot.
Foot mobility and stability must be delicately balanced. One aspect of stability is strength, which we will discuss next chapter. Plantar Fasciosis is very often a problem of balance between these two factors more than either factor alone.
INCREASE STRENGTH Home Remedies for Intrinsic Muscle Weakness
obility allows the foot to distribute force over time; intrinsic foot muscles are in charge of absorbing that force, stabilizing the foot, and providing recoil effects to help the arches. These muscles provide the foundation for your entire body, yet rarely get a second look. TOE SPREAD STRETCH This is another great way to help restore movement but is incredibly difficult and takes a lot of practice. Ever watched a baby completely spread out their toes? Some adults will never fully regain this skill, but it is helpful to work on it. The goal is to spread your toes apart as far as possible then hold for about 10 seconds. Keep repeating throughout the day. Short Foot This is a tricky position to learn and understand have patience! Start by learning on your hand just to get the concept, then substitute your foot. The motion is the same: 1. Place your hand flat on a table in front of you (or foot flat on the floor no shoes!)
2. “Shorten” your hand (foot) by lifting the “arch” between your thumb and index finger (inside of foot) 3. RULES: a. Fingers (toes) and the base of your hand (heel) must stay in contact with the table. b. You cannot curl your fingers (toes), they must stay straight c. Do not roll your wrist (ankle) out to the side
1 FOOT BALANCE WORK (not pictured) This is an easy way to begin strengthening the bottom of the foot. Progressions are shown later in the book… and no, you cannot just skip ahead. The trick is to strengthen without exacerbating your pain; don't add this until your symptoms begin to dissipate slightly. Also, if your symptoms do become worse, it may mean you are not ready. The end goal is to balance for 6090 seconds in a progression; start with what you can handle: 1) eyes open 2) eyes closed 3) with proper “Short Foot” position Once painfree this exercise can be easily progressed, as shown in Section Three. However, do not skip ahead into the Section Three progressions if you cannot complete these steps or your pain has not significantly improved.
GET BETTER! Home Remedies for Breaking the Cycle
emember: inflammation is no longer believed to be the primary cause of Plantar Fasciosis, however it remains an important factor in that pain cycle we discussed in Chapter 2. The goal of these steps is to help the body rebuild tissue more efficiently and help control pain throughout the healing process. EPSOM SALT BATHS A few caveats here: 1. I have seen very little peer reviewed literature on the use of magnesium salt. There is minimal information (other than anecdotal) supporting it, but also nothing to refute it. 2. The most common explanations of why magnesium salt baths work don’t appear viable based on your body’s physiology. Here is what I do know. The stuff is cheap and aside from drying your skin out if used too frequently has no side effects. Many of my patients have reported significant results after adding this to their home care. My recommendation here is based solely on my clinical experience, but I have seen enough cases to say this is worth while. So pick up a bag (no need to get the fancy stuff) and soak 1520 minutes several times per week. PRETRIGGER EVENT MOVEMENT AND HOURLY MOVEMENT
This reduces constant reinjury and therefore works to stop the pain cycle (Chapter 2). Here are the rules: 1. Identify and record the times your foot or heel pain is worst: first thing in the morning, getting up from your desk during the day, after standing at a trade show, etc. This is your trigger event which may change over time, so adjust accordingly. 2. Set a timer for every hour on the hour (during waking hours; remember sleep is important too!!) 3. When your timer goes off AND immediately before any of your trigger event(s), you must spend 1015 sec moving your foot and ankle. It does not matter what you do or how you move, but do it without weight on your feet. Pull your ankle up, down, in and out, roll it in circles, scrunch your toes, splay your toes, etc. The goal is to move the tissues in as many ways as possible within that 1015 sec. This will slightly loosen the tissues, stimulate circulation to the area and prevent quick stretches or loads on your feet to damage the new and healing tissue. Again, the goal is to stop the cycle throughout the day AND every time you hit one of those events.
WHEN HOMEWORK ISN’T ENOUGH Where to Get Help...
f you have been diligent for 710 days, have increasing pain, or have not received an accurate diagnosis, then it is time to seek professional medical care. If you have sought care and have not had relief, perhaps consider a second opinion. Many people are hesitant to spend the money or keep thinking "it will get better eventually." The reality is the longer you wait, the longer treatment will take when you do finally go in. It is actually cheaper and less hassle in the longrun to pursue answers early! The variety of causes and the number of conditions inaccurately coined “Plantar Fasciosis” makes it difficult to know who to see. The most important step is to get a correct diagnosis and understand the bigger question of WHY your case began. Treatments will be determined by this information. When you seek professional care, treatment options will be dictated by the type of provider, their area of expertise, their specific techniques and the needs of your case. The following is a list of provider types which most frequently have tools for your case: ● Licensed Athletic Trainer (LAT) ● Chiropractor (DC) ● Physical Therapist (PT)
● Primary Care Provider (PCP) ● Podiatrist (DPod) ● Pedorthist (Ped) ● Pain Management Specialist (PM) ● Orthopedic (OR) ● Acupuncturist (LAc) ● Licensed Massage Therapist (LMT) ***under the direction of a medical provider that has fully diagnosed your condition. Keep in mind that every provider will have their own unique tool bag. For example, not every physical therapist uses the exact same techniques as every other physical therapist; not every chiropractor works on foot mechanics. Finding the right provider requires looking at their techniques more than looking for the specific degree type. A good provider will never claim they can fix EVERYONE and isn’t afraid to refer you when they aren’t the best fit! Here is an overview of common treatment techniques, although there are many more out there. I have included which disciplines most commonly use these techniques in parenthesis. Please note that not all providers within a given discipline choose to use all of these items; in addition, some of these techniques are restricted differently under state to state licensing allowances. TECHNIQUES TO LOOK FOR: "Softtissue" or “Myofascial” Techniques This is a category of techniques used to return soft tissues (muscles, fascia, tendons) to a normal pliability. These may include a variety of options including deep tissue massage, myofascial release, Active Release Technique, Graston or other Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue techniques and many more. These are highly effective although are not all created equal. Every case may respond better to one form or another. It may take several different techniques or combinations before finding what you will respond best to. (DC, PT, LAT, LMT) Taping
Various taping types may be used to support the arch, alter muscle tension or in some cases help reduce inflammation. Kinesio tape is used to stimulate the muscles of the foot and provide some light arch support while reducing any inflammation in the area. More rigid taping techniques such as McConnell Taping or even athletic tape can be used to provide more support and help to distribute forces away from the arch and heel therefore providing pain relief. Various combinations may work best for you. (DC, PT, LAT) Ultrasound, Light or Laser Therapy Ultrasound, light or laser therapy may be used as a deep heater to encourage increased circulation to the area and speed up the healing process. Ultrasound is a very commonly used technique. Light and Laser Therapy are a bit more tricky for the consumer than Ultrasound. Light or laser can be highly effective with the proper machine specifications. I have seen several cases of machines marketed as effective that do not have the specifications supported by research. Could these still be effective? Maybe...but I wouldn’t want to spend my money unless there was more backing it. Be sure to use a reputable provider, educate yourself and ask questions when looking for these. Also consider these as a small portion of initial care, not an ongoing treatment technique, then more active care should be pursued. (DC, LAT, PT) Iontophoresis A technique that uses ultrasound and a topical gel with a variety of medications to deliver the medication directly into the painful tissue. This has been shown to be very beneficial for shortterm pain relief (23 weeks) allowing time to address the underlying cause so the pain does not return. (LAT or PT under prescription from your PCP, OR, DPod, or PM) Orthotics Orthotics have been shown to be very effective at pain relief but have a number of different factors to consider. These are also highly debated for a number of reasons, and can be costly. See more detail later in this book. (DC, PT, DPod, Ped) Rehabilitation
HUGELY important and should be a piece of your treatment puzzle in some way. We have discussed some homecare versions but a much more detailed (and individualized) plan will help reduce the risk of this injury returning or other injuries from compensations you develop. I may be a bit biased, but I also feel strongly this piece should at least heavily evaluate, and typically address, outside the foot and lower leg. (DC, PT, LAT) Manipulation This involves increasing mobility in joints which are not moving properly and has been shown to benefit Plantar Fasciosis. By allowing the foot to move properly in all of the joints, the forces in the foot are distributed more evenly and not focused directly on the fascia alone. (DC, PT) Other Treatment Options May include Acupuncture, Trigger Point Dry Needling, and Antiinflammatory diets which anecdotally and through many case studies show promise. However, peerreviewed published research is lacking regarding the complete effectiveness of these treatments. Oral antiinflammatories or other prescriptions may also be beneficial. (LAc, PT/LAc, nutritionists/DC, and PCP respectively) More aggressive measures: As a last resort there are a number of more invasive options including various injections, shockwave treatments, and even surgeries. These options should be considered in stubborn and chronic cases only. These should be discussed thoroughly with your provider when they will provide an opportunity to address other conservative options and only after you have explored other options. (PM, PM, OR respectively) WHERE TO START There are three provider specialities I believe provide the best starting point for Plantar Fasciosis or heel pain:
● Chiropractors (DC) who have pursued additional training in rehabilitation, orthopedics or extremity work are highly qualified. Since you rarely need a referral, they can diagnose and prescribe imaging if necessary, they are often the easiest to access. Scope of practice in each state is widely varied, therefore some states will not allow Chiropractors to treat foot/ankle or use specific techniques. This may limit your access. ● Licensed Athletic Trainers (LAT) are healthcare providers who collaborate with physicians to provide a variety of medical services. They are most commonly part of high school, college or professional sports medicine teams but may also be found in private clinics or Physical Therapy offices. Depending on your athletic background or geographical area you may or may not have direct access to one. ● Physical Therapists (PT) specializing in outpatient orthopedics or private clinic settings are a great resource. PTs can take full histories and examinations, provide a diagnosis and manage your case, however in most states they cannot prescribe imaging. The majority of insurance carriers, and some states require a referral to see a Physical Therapist, therefore direct access may or may not be limited. As with all provider types, please ask questions regarding techniques used and areas of expertise based on the information in this chapter. These three specialties offer the widest variety of conservative care techniques available as a “first line” of defense, treatment can begin immediately and these providers specialize in musculoskeletal conditions. Which provider type you choose depends on the factors listed above and providers in your area. Any of these specialties may also refer you to a different provider with access to various techniques when necessary. From my experience, using a variety of tools consecutively or at the same time yields the best results. Ideally, look for a treatment option that can provide coordinated access to several or many techniques. Sometimes one provider or office has many techniques. Otherwise find someone who routinely coordinates with other providers to streamline communication between techniques.
WHAT IF I DON’T RESPOND QUICKLY? Each patient is different, from our genetics to our environment, predicting which techniques will work and how quickly is difficult. Using screening tools and with clinical experience, we are often able to narrow the list for a patient. Regardless, you’re provider usually has a Plan A then B then C, if needed. Talk openly with your provider about options, your plan of care, risk vs. benefit and expectations. If you are not meeting the goals of your treatment plan, your provider should reevaluate or pursue the next technique in their plan. Afterall, the definition of insanity is continuing to do the same thing and expecting a different result! If the next step in your plan of care requires a change in techniques, the expertise of a different provider type, or referral for further diagnostic testing, be sure you once again understand the why to your case and ask questions. Working through the steps together will help your provider make the best choice for you and help ensure you are doing everything in your power to get better! For those of you that are visual, a basic chart of where to start is below:
REVIEW Take Homes and Other Tips
hether you are getting ready for marathon or triathlon season, transitioning into tennis, or just looking to live pain free you now have some tools to help manage and even prevent one of the most nagging injuries that plagues people from all walks of life. Some final reminders/tips from all you’ve read in this section: 1. Early treatment = best outcomes. The longer the issue is there, the longer treatment often takes. It will save time, money and headache addressing problems early. 2. Breaking the cycle takes a multifaceted approach. Utilizing several different approaches at the same time helps break the pain cycle described in Section 1. Try to utilize all categories of home care simultaneously instead of focusing on any single one. The ones you hate may be the ones you need most. 3. Consistency is important. Use 710 days as your marker unless your case is getting worse with these activities then stop and seek help sooner. 4. Every provider has their own toolbag, regardless of medical specialty. Find a provider whose tools match your problem instead of trying to get the problem to match the tool.
SECTION THREE Foot/Ankle Mechanics & Contributing Factors Chapter 11: Advanced Home Care Techniques Chapter 12: Fit Feet! Intro and Phase I Chapter 13: Fit Feet! Phase II Chapter 14: Fit Feet! Phase III and Phase IV Chapter 15: Footwear: Making a Proper Purchase Chapter 16: The Great Orthotic Debate To Wear or Not to Wear? Chapter 17: Section Review Summary and Reminders
HOME CARE FOR FOOT/HEEL PAIN Advanced Home Care Techniques
have high expectations for you if you are reading this chapter! By now, you have mastered the information and techniques in Section Two. Maybe you are 90% better but are having a tough time with that last little bit of aggravation, or pain is triggered easily. Now is an ideal time to progress into more advanced exercises. However, if you are still in chronic pain, did not respond to the information presented to this point or still have not seen or followed up with your provider stop here. It is time (and probably past time) you sought professional help. The information in this chapter may help finally break a stubborn pain cycle and is helpful in preventing problems from returning. The important point here is again consistency, but also to work at a slow and gradual pace. These are much more aggressive on the tissues and therefore are only appropriate if you have “earned” your way here. It is also important you have received a complete and correct diagnosis before going on. Everything with the feet is slow: slow changes and slow progress. Trying to make fast changes will only result in exacerbation, irritation or relapse.
Short Foot Progressions If you have mastered the Short Foot position described in Chapter 7 and are ready to progress, there is more you can do to build strength. Here are some progressions: 1. Standing on two feet 2. Standing on one foot while holding onto something 3. Standing on 1 foot, without holding on Rolling with Toe Stretch If you can tolerate this small addition to rolling the bottom of your foot, begin incorporating it. By stretching your toes backward, you put the tissue on the bottom of your foot into a stretched position. You are able to access different fibers of the tissue and several additional muscles that are pulled toward the surface. The plus: this can help especially with stubborn cases. The downside: might make the tissue more tender and if tissues are not ready for the added strain this can do more irritation than good.
Correct Toes (or similar products) As an added bonus,they also provide relief from bunions (yes, seen here) and several other foot conditions. When you look down at your foot, you should see light or space between each of your toes. Using the toe spread “stretch” described in the last section helps to restore the shape of the foot and strengthen these muscles. For many reasons, most people have lost this space and our toes are "stuck" on top of each other or squished together. Loss of this normal foot structure can be a big underlying cause of Plantar Fasciosis which is commonly overlooked or accepted as “unchangeable.” There are many products on the market that can help position the toes. My favorite is called Correct Toes (find more info: https://nwfootankle.com/correcttoes ), available online or through our office.
1Foot Balance Progression Standing on flat, solid ground requires different foot and leg muscles than walking on uneven surfaces (sand or grass), up or down a hill, on the side of a tapered street, etc. Once you have mastered balancing on one foot, it's time to make it more functional and mimic daily life. We do this by reacting to an outside stimulus. Get creative! Examples include standing on one foot while tossing a ball back and forth with a friend, pulling a resistance band while facing different directions (pictured below) or tapping your opposite toe “around the clock.” The goal is to train your foot to react to changes in its environment.
Ankle Mobilizations As mentioned in Chapter 3, stretching the calf musculature is important for alleviating fascial tension into the foot. Your foot and lower leg naturally work in other directions than just straight forward. The following 3 variations are important to perform every time you work ankle mobility. Here are the 3 movements, shown below: ● Forward and Back Stretch into the Calf stretch position discussed in Chapter 3. The idea is to move forward and back toward the wall. ● Side to Side Begin in the stretch position (forward toward the wall with your heel on the ground). Then “wag your tail” side to side, keeping your pelvis pointed straight at the wall ahead. Most people notice more difficulty leaning one direction or the other focus on gaining symmetry! ● Rotations Again, start in the stretch position (forward toward the wall with your heel on the ground). Now rotate from the ankle like you are pointing your pelvis from sidetoside. Again, look for gaining symmetry.
FITTER FEET! Introduction and Phase I
his chapter and the remaining aspects of this book are designed to help you improve general foot mechanics and address other very important aspects of daily life that are likely contributing to your pain. There are four very important considerations when working into foot strength: 1. Your feet are comprised of very similar muscles to your hands. Believe it or not, your feet are designed for dexterity. 2. Your feet will start out very weak. Some of this is lack of training, some because we have used shoes with support our entire lives (most of us), so our feet have never really had to work. Strength must be built gradually over time. 3. You must build strength then build endurance. Just because your feet have become stronger doesn’t mean they are ready to withstand 8, 10, even 12 hours of work each day. Once strength is built, next you have to build endurance. 4. Old patterns are hard to break, and as strength or endurance is challenged the old patterns will return. Care must be taken to progress properly to ensure old patterns are truly broken. The best way to start a foot fitness program is to start with an evaluation. The following is the very basic design of a program with a few simple exercises.
**Please note that since everyone develops different patterns, there is no substitute for an individualized program.
PHASE I: RECRUITMENT Start by learning how to recruit each individual muscle in your foot. You must learn how to isolate these muscles, just as you must learn to isolate the bicep when performing a curl. Expect these to be incredibly difficult, and some people may never be able to perform each and every one, but that should not stop you from trying! Start seated, and while keeping your foot flat for each of these, learn each motion: ● Lifting each toe individually (without the others moving). ● Pressing each toe into the ground (without curling) individually. ● Spreading the toes apart. ● Squeezing the toes together. ● Lifting the arch by curling the toes (often overused). ● Lifting the arch by keeping the toes straight (this is what we call a "Short Foot" Exercise, see Section 1) Once you can isolate most of these positions with minimal difficulty, you are ready to move to Phase II.
FITTER FEET! Phase II: Strength
nce you have achieved isolation and you have learned to recruit the muscles of your feet, the next step is building strength. The general progression for each of these is to begin seated, then work toward standing with equal weight on each foot. As you progress, gradually shift your weight more onto the foot you are working until you have 100% of your weight on one foot. ● Wash cloth drag: The muscles used in this exercise are often overused and dominant; focus instead on the Short Foot below. This is useful to those who are indeed weak in these muscles. Lay a washcloth on the floor. Without lifting your heel, spread your toes in the air, grab the cloth and drag it toward you. When you first begin this, expect to have a difficult time! Many people cannot grab the towel when they first begin. Eventually, you should be able to pull the towel while standing entirely on one leg several times without feeling tired.
● Standing Short Foot: Just like in phase I (Section 1 of this book), perform the short foot, but this time standing with your feet shoulder width apart. Gradually increase both repetitions and static holds, but not at the same time. Eventually you should be able to perform at least 20 repetitions and/or hold your balance on one foot with a short foot position for at least 60 seconds. ● "Vele's" Lean: Start standing with your feet shoulder width, facing a wall with your toes approximately 6 inches away. Stand tall, without lifting your heels, lean forward from the ankles to touch your nose. Return to standing. Gradually work further away until you are 810 inches from the wall. Once you can perform 1520 repetitions without fatigue, progress toward one foot. Eventually you should be able to add different directions and angles to your lean without difficulty. If you can achieve the numbers and exercises listed here, you are ready for integrating your new mechanics into your daily routines.
FITTEST FEET! Endurance and Integration: Phases III and IV
s new habits are formed and neurologic patterns supporting those habits are strengthened, endurance must be challenged. Endurance is best increased specific to your daily activities. The next two phases, which are both addressed in this chapter, are especially difficult to address generically. Daily activities, sporting demands, and mechanics are so vastly different that typically these phases are the most individualized. Instead, I will focus on guidelines and give some examples that you can apply to your individual situation. You can use some creativity to apply these to your case, as long as you follow the guidelines presented. PHASE III: ENDURANCE Many of the "strength" exercises just discussed can be performed isometrically, or by holding a certain position, for long periods of time (60 sec3 min) to build endurance. When you train isometrics, or hold one position, you only build strength at that specific position. Make sure you change angles and positions each time you perform the exercise. Get creative, but follow the same rules, to encourage improvement from all the muscle fibers. Several examples:
● A Vele's Lean can be held for 1 minute at 10 degrees lean, then another 1 min at 15 degrees lean after a short rest. ● Vele’s Lean can be held leaning straight forward, but also leaning more toward the right or left. Hold for 1 minute leaning at one angle forward and left, then 1 minute at another angle forward and right. ● One foot balance can be performed with the eyes open, eyes closed, moving the arms or head, looking in different directions, while tossing and catching a ball, or many more variations. Any additional challenge will help build endurance. Try holding 30 seconds with each variation in close succession.
Keep repetitions higher (2030) in a given set, and length of time holding over 60 seconds when possible. NEVER sacrifice form to get more repetitions or time! PHASE IV: INTEGRATION The key with integration is that this is completely individualized. You should be on a set, individualized fitness program at all times. Get some help on this stage especially (if you haven't already)....but the bottom line is that you are taking all of the above exercises and incorporating them into your current workout routine. A few examples: ● Short foot hold while you squat or lunge. ● Feel each individual muscle fire and function in your gait, including moving your foot in and out of short foot positions ● Add a Vele's Lean into your calf strengthening ● Allow each of your toes to strike the ground individually while walking, etc ● Use aqua jogging or walking, prowler pushing or sled dragging, to increase resistance but focus on what foot and ankle positions you are using
● Practice jumping in place without letting the inner arch of your foot uncontrollably collapse and without making noise If you are an athlete, incorporate these into your athletic positions. Several more examples: ● As a speed skater, practice holding the short foot in your skating position both on and off the ice. Allow your foot to move in and out of the short foot position while you push off, but ensure the foot movement is always controlled. ● As a gymnast, mimic landings by jumping off a block. Practice landing quietly (ensures you are absorbing forces). Symmetry of joints, control of your foot and ankle and full ankle movement are essential. ● As a soccer or basketball player, practice making quicks cuts, turns and jumps from side to side and in rotations. Start slow then gradually build speed. Can you apply the control you have learned to the arch of your foot? Is each landing silent? If not, slow down until you can achieve these! Every 46 weeks, cycle through new training programs with different exercises, always incorporating foot strengthening techniques. You should be cycling training programs with this frequency anyway to avoid adapting and reduce risk of overtraining and injury. This also ensures your new patterns truly become subconscious muscle memory!
FOOTWEAR Making a Proper Purchase
here is always going to be a debate about what type of footwear is best for foot mechanics. The reality is that every person is different; their foot mechanics are different, and their needs are different. So keep in mind that no single solution will fit every case. However, anatomically we are all similar and there are some very important commonalities you should look for in shoes. Whenever possible, and for most (not all) people, the following recommendations are the best choices. However, you will need to work into these types of shoes. How much work you need to put in depends on where you are starting. With the "minimalist" shoe movement over the past several years, there are more shoe options on the market with some of these qualities. However, you still need to evaluate what you are getting and you absolutely must progress into these slowly to ensure your foot and ankle mechanics have adapted. Just because a shoe is labeled "minimal" does not mean it is good! One great resource to check out is www.correcttoes.com . This site offers shoe reviews and “Correct Toe” approved shoes which can give you a head start on researching options.
No Heel Our bodies are designed to balance our weight straight up and down. With proper posture, our bodies have to expend little to no energy to maintain this position; tension on
ligaments and pressure from bones and joints mainly hold us there. The terminology can vary, but several common terms you will hear are “heel drop” or “positive heel.” Both refer to a heel higher than the ball of the foot, and you can often find this information listed in millimeters. With ANY amount of heel drop, every joint angle changes from the ankles to the neck, along with the pressures on these joints. The greater the drop, the greater the change in joint alignment up the chain. Even athletic shoes can have up to a 2 inch heel without you realizing it!
Toe Scoop or Toe Spring
The “spring in your step” is quite literally known as a phenomenon known as Windlass
Mechanism . As you walk, the big toe is pulled into extension (up). This causes the tissue under the bottom of your foot to stretch and changes the position of all three arches. The tension and new positions created build up potential energy. When you “toe off” the ground, the stretched tissue recoils and all that conserved energy propels you forward, minimizing muscle contraction. Cool, huh? Toe scoop in shoes completely negates this mechanism. Toe scoop is what we refer to when the shoe starts the foot in an already extended position; therefore always keeping the tissue on the bottom of the foot in a stretched position. It stops the foot from “recoiling” which creates two problems:
1. Windlass Effect saves TONS of energy which is now lost. The muscles in the foot and lower leg have to work twice as hard to accomplish the same task. 2. The tissues start in a stretched position. Muscles do not like to contract when they are already stretched it increases risk of injury. Wait…that’s exactly what we are talking about. If the tissue starts prestretched and then is asked to contract, the tissue becomes vulnerable either causing injury or delaying healing.
Wide toe box T here should be ample room not just in front of your toes, but to the sides of your toes.
Your feet and toes help grip the ground AND distribute forces as you move. If your toes and the longer bones of your foot cannot spread out, the muscles cannot do their jobs and forces are not absorbed properly. One great test I use ( www.nwfootankle.com and www.correcttoes.com , including shoe reviews) is known as the “shoe liner test.” Follow these steps: ● Take the liner out of your shoe and place it on the floor. If your shoe has no liner, flip one shoe over and place it sole up on the floor. ● Stand on the liner or on the flipped shoe (for this example, stand on the left shoe with your right foot).
● You should see liner or shoe surrounding your toes, including on the sides. If you do not, the shoe is too restrictive. Pay close attention to this factor. Many shoes are marketed as “wide toe box” referring to the shoe at the ball of the foot. However, on close examination, you will find the shoe quickly tapers so it is much more narrow where the toes actually sit. Keep in mind that as you strengthen your foot and work on mechanics the shape of your foot will noticeably change. Reevaluate your shoes regularly (every 34 months) to make sure they still fit properly!
Flexible sole There are some exceptions to this (i.e. recent stress fracture, traumatic fracture, foot injury, collagen disorder, etc). However, almost exclusively, the sole of your shoe should mimic
how your foot naturally moves. There are 33 joints in your foot and ankle; each has movement which combines to make (or should make) a very flexible foot. Many people have rigid feet and toes from being shoved in rigid shoes since an early age. If some joints "stick," others have to pick up the slack leading to increased wear and tear, tissue degeneration or other injuries. In chronic cases, the extra forces can also get transferred to the soft tissues including: muscles, tendons, fascia and ligaments!
Minimal Arch Support Yes, this is contrary to what many shoe advertisements and sales people will tell you. Your feet have muscles for a reason. The intrinsic and extrinsic foot muscles are designed to stabilize the foot and arch on their own. Using an arch support weakens these muscles over time use it or lose it! Then when you attempt to walk or move without that added support (or as the shoe breaks down) the body cannot do its job. It would be similar to suddenly taking crutches away from someone who has used them for years! Because of this you may need to gradually work into this rule. BEFORE you start changing shoes, perform the necessary exercises to
strengthen your feet, unless you know the your current shoes are triggering your pain or delaying your healing. As a rule, when you place your foot inside the shoes, there should be no pressure or bulge on the inside, middle portion of your arch (medial arch) when you stand. If there is, you are likely “pronating” your feet. Pronation is defined as the rolling motion of your foot inward toward your medial arch; this occurs during gait (or also if you just sit and move your ankle). Let’s debunk a common myth: pronation is bad and causes my pain. Pronation, in controlled amounts, is actually a good thing. Pronation is how your body absorbs the force of impact and all of your weight when you move. It is over pronation that is the problem; and furthermore why and when you overpronate. Overpronation may be the result of lacking foot or ankle mobility, or it may be the result of weak foot muscles that cannot control the motion. Many of the exercises described to this point are designed to help improve the underlying causes of overpronation. If you continue to overpronate after working through these exercises, seek professional advice including a detailed gait analysis. Be sure the gait analysis includes both barefoot and shod (in shoe) analysis to pick up changes. The timing of the pronation, the position you strike your foot in, other aspects of the gait cycle could all be factors. Here are a few common misconceptions about assessing your gait: 1. I can fix my overpronation with the right shoes . Why are you overpronating? At what phase of the gait cycle? Is it slow or fast overpronation? Is it controlled? Does it involve eversion, the term for a similar movement that occurs at the heel instead of the foot? These, and many other factors explain why overpronation is too complex of a problem to be fixed with just a different pair of shoes. Sometimes shoes can help reduce the risks associated with unchecked overpronation, however blocking pronation from occurring carries its own risks. It creates a brick wall that all your forces hit. Those vibrations are transferred up every joint and tissue until they are either absorbed or released. Distributing force over time is the most efficient way to absorb forces. Putting a block under your arch negates this process and creates a fast/hard end point for forces. This discussion is further detailed in the Orthotic Chapter.
2. I can get a Gait analysis at any shoe store. Maybe. Gait analysis is extremely difficult and complicated, and although slowing gait down on a video is very helpful, it still requires significant knowledge. Differentiating “pronation” from “overpronation” from “eversion” from “excessive eversion” can be tricky and are often confused with other gait alterations. These are all very different and have different repercussions. Finding someone with a sufficient knowledge of gait mechanics is imperative and when in doubt get a second opinion (or third, or fourth) In summary, make sure to buy shoes based on need and an appropriate fitting, not on price or marketing. Your foot should absorb forces naturally. So once you have improved your foot and ankle mechanics you shouldn't NEED to buy new shoes constantly. However, when shoes do begin wearing out or when you notice changes in how your body feels after activity, it's probably time to retire your old friends. As a final note, it’s important to understand that high priced "technology" in shoes doesn't always mean superior mechanics, but cheap shoes don't always have the quality materials to last.
THE GREAT DEBATE Orthotics: To Wear, or Not to Wear?
re orthotics good or are they bad? Rigid, semirigid or cushion orthotics? Custom, semicustom or store bought? Hard Casted, foam casted, static vs. dynamic? So many debates about such a seemingly simple concept. There are hundreds of theories out there, so what is the true answer? As always, there is not a standard, clear cut answer. First, the answer is different for everyone and should be evaluated by someone who truly has done their research. Caution here: many providers that sell orthotics choose their type solely because of their school’s training or what worked for them in the past. Unfortunately, in the busy life of a medical practice, many providers do not have time to fully research WHY certain types of orthotics are best. Research in recent years has drastically changed its recommendations. While this article represents my "opinion" based on the current research and theories, these are the best guidelines and backgrounds I can currently give to help muddle through the quagmire of information. DO I NEED ORTHOTICS? The answer for most healthy individuals is usually no. As discussed previously, most people have never trained their feet. Since the age of 2, we have been put in a rigid shoe that provides constant stability and support. Of course our feet are weak, our arches falling, and our movement patterns disrupted. The vast majority of conditions for which orthotics are recommended can be corrected solely by doing a little work.
In cases of medical conditions such as collagen disorders which create ligament laxity, or surgical fusions which alter foot movement, orthotics are an important aspect of care and are very valuable. However, in noncomplicated cases, orthotics do little more than bandaid poor foot mechanics without correcting the problem. It is only a matter of time before another ache/pain comes creeping in because you have not corrected your mechanics, causing another tissue somewhere in the body to compensate. A common reason why some providers will recommend orthotics is because you have a “leg length discrepancy;” however, it is important to find out if it is "anatomical" (meaning actually a difference in length of bone) or "functional" (meaning one leg functions longer than the other, but the bones are equal length). Typically, if you did not have a difference at birth, a fracture during childhood through a growth plate, a medical condition affecting bone growth or a major joint replacement (and the surgeon told you there would be a difference) you’re pretty safe to guess it’s functional. Functional discrepancies will get worse with an orthotic or heel lift, and can be corrected through corrective exercise. Anatomical differences should only be corrected with orthotics if significant symptoms accompany the discrepancy. Using shortterm orthotics to encourage patterning of the foot or reduce pain in some cases may be a viable and appropriate option. When considering this in my patients, we have a very candid discussion. Cost of the orthotic, ability/dedication to do their homecare, current shoewear needs, risk of injury in other tissues, compounding medical conditions or past medical conditions; these are all crucial factors in determining if shortterm orthotic use is the best course of action. If you have performed extensive foot training and/or corrective exercise with the help of a knowledgeable professional, and still find yourself stuck then and ONLY then should a longterm orthotic even come onto your radar. As always: consider the risk (cost, dedication, etc) vs. benefit. CUSTOM VS GENERIC ORTHOTICS? Custom orthotics are almost always the way to go for a longterm solution (ONLY IF you need them). These orthotics are designed just for you and will address the asymmetries between right and left as well. My only caution here is that there are many different types, and there is always new research being published.
Generic orthotics can be great for several purposes, especially shortterm use because of cost. First, using an orthotic during your foot training can encourage new patterns while also building strength. Second, generic orthotics can provide additional support during recovery from injury. Think of generic orthotics as shortterm bandaids but not as permanent solutions because they are not customized to your individual needs. Semicustom orthotics close the gap between generic and custom. These are the ones where you climb on a “machine” or scanning device, it gives you an image that tells you which option to choose. Caution here: not all scanning devices are created equal and more importantly, the interpretation of the information varies greatly. Again, these work great as shortterm or “midterm” solutions. However certainly not everyone can find a perfect solution in a premade option, and most people longterm shouldn’t need them! HARD vs. SOFT ORTHOTICS? There was a reason for the old saying: everything in moderation! Rigid, or hard orthotics have been shown to be very effective in supporting the arch and bracing the foot into proper positions and patterns. They do not break down easily, and can be "resoled" to add life to an expensive venture. However, there is a downside. They force the foot into “rigid” positions. If you are diabetic or have reduced sensation in your feet for various reasons, hard orthotics are not recommended; they can cause pressure points and sores. For the rest of us, they stop the distribution of forces in the feet. Remember our discussion last chapter about pronation actually being a good thing? Soft orthotics have been shown very effective in absorbing forces and cushioning because they allow the foot to move through its motions. They typically do not cause sores or pressure points, unless the foot slides on the surface of the material. Very soft or cushioning orthotics create a relatively unstable surface, causing the intrinsic muscles of the feet to work much harder than necessary. Think about walking barefoot on sand: have your feet every become “tired” or “sore”? In this case, orthotics can actually make some symptoms worse. They also tend to break down more quickly, losing their ability to encourage proper foot motion as they once did. Semirigid orthotics again bridge the gap. Some companies have a semirigid plastic that flexes under load (and will be ordered according to your weight, type of activity, etc); they do
not typically deform over time. Cork orthotics are also available and although relatively durable, these may deform more over time and will need to be replaced. Personally, I prefer semirigid for patients. I believe they can provide the best of both worlds with far fewer sideeffects. TYPES OF ORTHOTIC FITTING? There are many types of fittings for orthotics; from making a cast or foam mold of the foot, to standing or moving across a board with sensors or ink. The best way to cover all of these concisely is to group them into two main categories: static vs. dynamic fittings. Static fittings include gathering information about the foot while in a “static” or single position. This can include casting the foot in plaster or foam or using a sensor board/plate while sitting or standing. This is an older method, and current research suggests these are less accurate. In a sitting position, your foot is not bearing weight and therefore may appear different than when you stand up. Testing standing, without movement does not evaluate the actual motion of the foot. Orthotics technology has improved and you will now more commonly see dynamic fittings, at least for most custom orthotics. Static fittings are still used when medical conditions complicate the case, for semicustom recommendations, and by some providers who were originally trained in static methods. Dynamic fittings include using a sensor board, or ink mapping to evaluate the motion of the foot during an activity. They are typically done walking because it is easier to standardize how the information is evaluated. Occasionally you can find them done running or jumping. These do take longer to perform and require advanced knowledge on how to interpret the results; however, they do provide much more detailed information. Just think what your foot does at any point during an activity can be vastly different than the snapshot of any single moment! BOTTOM LINE Orthotics should be viewed as either a temporary training aid, or last resort unless there is a true anatomic reason the body cannot perform its proper functions. While it takes a little elbow grease (or toe jam in this case), the work you put into your foot fitness will determine what you
get out. If an orthotic is deemed necessary (by a thorough evaluation with a qualified provider), request a custom orthotic that is dynamically fitted and semirigid.
SECTION REVIEW Summary and Reminders
lthough the purpose of this guide is to help alleviate heel/arch pain, the more important point is to avoid its return. So often we look for a quick fix and never address the underlying issue. Keep in mind every case is unique and this guide remains focused on the foot, ankle and lower leg. The knee, hip, low back and even shoulder mechanics factor greatly into gait as well. This guide should have provided a solid foundation of homecare, techniques, strengthening and prevention to improve your chances of staying pain free. Some final reminders from all you read: 1. Keep asking WHY. The diagnosis itself isn’t enough. You need to address WHY your case started or you are at risk for a new injury or relapse. 2. Every case is different. Therefore every treatment plan is different and every outcome is different. This information is for guidance only. 3. Early treatment = best outcomes. The longer the issue is there, the longer treatment often takes. It will save time, money and headache by addressing problems early. 4. Consistency is important. Use 710 days as your marker unless your case is getting worse with these activities then stop and seek help sooner.
5. Every provider has their own toolbag, regardless of medical specialty. Find a provider whose tools match your problem instead of trying to get the problem to match the tool. 6. Foot fitness is important too. Your feet still need neurological patterning, strength and endurance just like the rest of the body. 7. Make footwear choices wisely. No amount of homecare will negate the hours of walking around in improper shoes all day. 8. Orthotics Yes Or No? There are pro’s and con’s but also a number of factors to be considered.
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CITATIONS:
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About the Author My vision is to change the expectations patients have from their provider. I strive to solve the puzzle of each individual case. By working together as a team, you should not rely on your provider for ongoing care. I am very passionate about educating my patients and providing the highest quality care and evidence based techniques. I founded Miller Sports & Wellness in 2010 to pursue this dream and spread my passion. I have been incredibly lucky to train under some of the most recognized names in manual therapy. I combine my BA in Exercise Science/Kinesiology with my Chiropractic degree. Graduating magna cum laude from National University of Health Sciences, I was awarded the prestigious Joseph Janse Award. The award is given to an outstanding graduate who has made significant contributions to the school, the community and has a bright outlook for the profession ahead. I grew up enjoying all types of sports, but found my true love in gymnastics. I competed in several gymnastics organizations including YMCA, USAG through level 10, Illinois High School Association, and finally as a NCAA collegiate gymnast. Throughout my competitive career, I suffered 16 major injuries including 2 surgeries. As difficult as this was, it taught me perseverance, developed many lasting relationships with mentors and colleagues, and drove me onto the path I am on today. I am constantly pursuing continuing education seminars, working to master current techniques and continue learning from others in my field. I am close to completing a Diplomate in Chiropractic Rehab as well as most coursework required for a Certified Chiropractic Sports Physician. I currently live in Waterford, WI with my husband and young daughter. My hobbies include family time and trips to the zoo. I also dabble in competitive power lifting, power‐kiting, swing dancing and binge watching movies whenever I get the chance.