If you are having any kind pain in your foot, it is highly recommended to see an orthopedist so they can make a diagnosis and recommend treatment. If you have strained the ligament that supports the arch in your foot, chances are you have plantar fasciitis. This disorder of the foot is the most common cause of heel pain. Here are four things you can try to alleviate pain caused by plantar fasciitis.
Physiotherapy
This type of treatment can be defined as using movement of the body to help alleviate pain and reduce symptoms of certain disorders. Physiotherapy involves doing recommended stretches or exercises using machines and devices to help reduce the pain of plantar fasciitis. Another kind of physiotherapy called manual therapy is a more hands-on approach in which practitioners use their hands in lieu of devices such as hot or cold packs. Studies have shown that this manual type of physiotherapy has proven to be more effective for those with plantar fasciitis than traditional means.
Acupuncture
This type of medicine, often thought of as an alternative form of treatment, has become more commonplace in Western medicine. By strategically placing needles in the skin, acupuncture helps correct imbalances in the flow of energy throughout the body. Some studies suggest that acupuncture is an effective method for helping to decrease pain associated with plantar fasciitis. One particular study involving the needling of the specific acupoint, PC 7, given five times a week for two weeks, proved that acupuncture helped to reduce the pain.
Wearing Appropriate Footwear
When you're not receiving acupuncture or physiotherapy and are simply going about your day, you should always wear appropriate footwear. Along with specialized orthotics you can insert inside your shoes, there are also many kinds of shoes and boots specially designed by footwear companies for those with foot disorders. When shopping for appropriate footwear look for these characteristics:
Your orthopedist might be able to recommend some brands of footwear that contain the above characteristics.
Surgery
Surgery would normally only be an option in the following scenarios:
Whether you try one option, or a combination of them to treat your plantar fasciitis, you should be well on your way to living with less pain in your feet. Talk to a physiotherapy professional for more information.
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