The Foot Is Comprised Of A Total Of 26 Individual Bones

Health.

Plantar fasciitis - prior to describing just exactly what plantar fasciitis is, we first need to know which part of the foot it affects. The foot is comprised of a total of 26 individual bones.

And before we do that we need to have a clear understanding of the anatomy of the foot. - of these, the toes contain 14 with three per toe, with the exception of the biggest of the toes, which only has two. We call these arches the transverse, medial and longitudinal arches. All these bones are comprised into three separate arches which help us to negotiate differing levels of terrain. The arch that we are concerned with is the medial longitudinal arch which runs along the inside of the foot. This is the plantar fascia and when it is subjected to above average amount of strain it begins to over - stretch and tear.

Along this arch is a wide, thick ligament which runs from the heel to the balls of the feet before ending at the toes. - now unfortunately when we rest for long periods of time such as sleeping, our body attempts to heal itself and lays down scar tissue. Hence the notion that with Plantar Fasciitis, the first step is the worst. This doesn' t pose much of a problem until rising and we find ourselves in pain as this newly formed scar tissue tears. Of the two main causes of Plantar Fasciitis, an increase in weight is the most common. With this increase in weight, more pressure is exerted on the bottom of the foot which in turn stretches the medial longitudinal arch and ultimately the plantar fascia itself. This can be caused by any number of factors including pregnancy, inactivity or just plain eating too much.

A bit less common but still as painful is the effect of over - stretching and tearing of the plantar fascia ligament due to walking improperly. - however when our foot biomechanics are off - kilter, this weight is transferred to the inside of the foot which causes the same injury as carrying too much weight. When we walk, most of our weight should land on the outside of the heel and transfer to the outside of the foot where we push off with our big toe and begin again. The main problem that has been found with foot biomechanics is what is called an overpronation syndrome. Doing so puts excessive strain on the above mentioned medial longitudinal arch and the tearing of the plantar fascia begins. Overpronation is when walking, we roll over too much on the inside of the foot. The treatment of Plantar Fasciitis can be accomplished in a few ways.

If this is not the case then paying a visit to your chiropractic professional to have your foot adjusted could well be in order. - the first of course of to lose the extra pounds which are adding to the problem. Don' t be surprised if you are advised to roll a golf ball or similar object under your foot to help strip away the scar tissue. Our heels can move in two directions - diagonally forward and diagonally backward. But be careful not to roll too hard and bruise your foot in the process. As we walk the heel moves backwards from the weight - bearing pressure and tension from the Achilles tendon.

If this is not effective, a pair of custom - fit insoles may be required to help straighten your walking gait. - a visit to your chiropractic professional could result in an adjustment which moves your heel forward to relieve plantar fascia tension and help alleviate your symptoms.