What is Plantar Fasciitis?
Plantar fasciitis is the medical name for inflammation of the plantar fascia – the tendons and ligaments on the bottom of your foot. Plantar fasciitis is very painful. Those experiencing plantar fasciitis often have sharp pain just in front of the heel which is usually worse first thing in the morning.
What Causes Plantar Fasciitis?
Plantar fasciitis is caused by excessive tension in the tendons and ligaments along the bottom of the foot which results in micro-tears in the tissue. People who put a lot of strain on their feet – such as runners, pregnant women and overweight individuals – are primarily at risk for developing plantar fasciitis, but anyone who has improper body mechanics can develop the foot pain.
How Does Rolfing Treat Plantar Fasciitis?
Rolfing is a highly effective treatment for plantar fasciitis. Often, the way the foot strikes the ground can cause the natural shock absorbing tendons and ligaments on the bottom of your foot to become tight and restricted. Tight hip flexors – quadriceps, psoas, tensor fascia lata, etc. – cause a person to throw their foot out in front of their body and strike very hard on the heel. Most people in western society have tight hip flexors from an excessive number of hours spent sitting in front of computers and television and driving cars.
Rolfing directly addresses the tension on the bottom of the foot and also makes lasting changes to your posture and movement so that you are not putting so much strain on the plantar fascia. This prevents plantar fasciitis from returning in the future.
Athletes who are experiencing plantar fasciitis will find that Rolfing not only relieves the foot pain but also gives them greater economy of movement, resulting in better athletic performance overall and fewer injuries from training. Rolfing can help runners who suffer from plantar fasciitis to train more consistently without developing foot pain.
Get Relief for Your Plantar Fasciitis Today
Tired of plantar fasciitis keeping you from doing the things you love? Contact Sukie Baxter today to schedule a consultation so we can get you out of pain!
“I saw Sukie for foot pain and plantar fasciitis that kept me from working out. I left virtually pain free after just one Rolfing session and her recommended exercises gave my feet a speedy recovery.”
- Jenny Peters, Seattle, WA
