Ankle mobility is essential for both daily walking tasks as well as higher level athletics and sports participation. In our Physical Therapy practice in Boulder we see a loss of dorsiflexion, bending, among athletes with lower extremity injuries and conditions. A lack of ankle bend, dorsiflexion, has been associated with many conditions including heel pain, plantar...
Plantar fasciitis is the most common cause of plantar heel pain estimated to affect 10% of the general population through their lifetime. Proper nomenclature of the pathology is dependent on the tissue involved and how long the symptoms have been in existence. “Fasciitis” suggests an acute inflammatory response, where “fasciosis” illustrates a chronic degenerative response...
In our prior posts on heel pain and plantar fasciitis we described the growing evidence supporting the utilization of treatments by Physical Therapists including manual therapy and exercise. This treatment approach is supported by established clinical practice guidelines and is more effective than modalities including ultrasound and other passive interventions. Interestingly, despite the evidence only...
Manual therapy or the passive movements of joints and tissues has been shown to be effective at reducing short term pain for a number of conditions including heel pain. Interventions including joint mobilization and manipulation are commonly provided to patients suffering from heel pain or plantar fasciitis (fasciosis) in order to restore normal mobility to...
Plantar fasciitis (fasciosis) is a painful diagnosis limiting a patient’s ability to stand, walk, or run. The -itis of the name is a misnomer because very few cases of plantar heel pain involve an inflammatory process. Instead, a breakdown of soft tissue fibers and cells is noted in the plantar fascia reflecting the sequential stages...
Heel Pain (Plantar Fasciitis) Background Plantar fasciitis/fasciosis is the most common cause of heel pain. Patient often complain of pain upon their first steps in the morning, sharp pain under the heel which may spread into the arch of the foot. These symp- toms are often worse on a return to standing or walking after...
Plantar heel pain, including plantar fasciitis and plantar fasciosis, is associated with pain along the heel and arch of the foot worsened with prolonged standing, walking, or running. This diagnosis is also associated with intense pain first thing in the morning or upon standing after prolonged sitting. Researchers report athletes, active, as well as, sedentary...
Are you wondering when it will happen to you? Not what , but when will you feel pain or develop an injury? Can you determine your injury risk? The answer is YES! There are screening tools that allow athletes to assess their injury risk. The Functional Movement Screen (FMS) is a valid indicator of injury...
In previous posts we have discussed the association between our intrinsic (core) foot strength and foot function during walking and running. The research has identified a link between weakness and atrophy of these muscles and the development of chronic conditions such as heel pain and plantar fasciitis (fasciosis). This atrophy is most pronounced in those...
Plantar heel pain or plantar fasciitis is the most common diagnosis explaining pain originating from the bottom of the foot. Previously, orthotics have been thought to improve alignment of the foot and ankle but more recent research has shown the limitations of these interventions. In our previous blog posts, we have described the inability of...
