If you have ever suffered from plantar fasciitis, you understand how unpleasant it is: it’s the feeling of being stabbed in the heel with a hot needle repeatedly with every step you take.
When you walk or run, specifically on surfaces that are solid and unyielding, the pressure applied by your body weight can trigger stress on the plantar fascia (the strand of ligament that connects your heel to your toes).
Over time, this strain can turn into the chronic foot pain, nerve pain and inflammation we call plantar fasciitis. With the persistent pain of plantar fasciitis, your ability to face the discomfort — and your desire to continue with life as usual — is tested.
Unfortunately, there is no magic fix for plantar fasciitis. But there are various methods to alleviate pain from plantar fasciitis, and one of the best methods is massage therapy. Not only is massage therapy affordable and widely accessible, but it’s likewise proven to be effective in alleviating plantar fasciitis discomfort.
Calf extending, icing the affected area, and rubbing your plantar fascia can all help to ease some or all of the discomfort. But why does massage therapy succeed so well for plantar fasciitis? Let’s take a look at how massage therapy works to ease this frequent cause of heel discomfort.
So What is Massage Therapy?
Massage therapy is a manual therapy that uses different physical strokes and methods to apply force to the soft tissues of your body.
Massage therapists manipulate your connective tissues and muscles to help decrease muscle tension and discomfort, enhance blood circulation, and encourage relaxation.
It may be made use of as a type of preventative healthcare or as a treatment for specific concerns including plantar fasciitis.
How Does Massage Alleviate Pain for Plantar Fasciitis?
When you have plantar fasciitis, the ligament under your foot gets irritated, puffy, and exceptionally tender. This can also take place in your calves if you have bad posture.
Where plantar fasciitis and poor posture are concerned, massage treatment is made use of to break up the lactic acid crystals that develop in the soft tissue of the lower legs and bottoms of the feet. This helps lessen inflammation and discomfort.
Massage is also believed to be effective for treating plantar fasciitis due to the fact that it increases the flow in your blood vessels in the affected areas.
More blood flow represents more oxygen and nutrients being delivered to that unpleasant, inflamed tissue. That helps speed up the healing process, so you can return to normal faster.
Which Kind of Massage is Best for Plantar Fasciitis?
Given that plantar fasciitis is an uncomfortable disorder, the majority of health care professionals strongly recommend a deep tissue massage for relief.
Deep tissue massage is a form of massage treatment that targets the underlying layers of connective tissue and muscle. It’s typically done with tougher pressure, frequently utilizing the therapist’s elbows or knuckles.
Benefits of Massage Treatment for Plantar Fasciitis
Beyond minimizing the pain of plantar fasciitis and expediting the restorative healing process, massage therapy provides a wide range of other benefits:
- Range of Motion – Massage can restore the range of motion in your foot without pain.
- Enhances Sleep – Getting a massage is a great method to loosen up and calm your body down prior to you fall asleep. It may be a beneficial method to minimize tension, decompress after a long day, and improve your sleep quality.
- Lessens Depression and Anxiety – A massage can be a terrific method to address emotions of anxiety and depression. It is a type of self-care that will deeply soothe your mind, body, and spirit.
- Boosts Your Body’s Immune System – When you’re stressed or distressed, your body enters its fight or flight reaction. This causes your body’s immune system to minimize its efficiency to avoid overspending energy.
How Often Should You Have Massage Therapy for Plantar Fasciitis?
If you have plantar fasciitis, your treatment plan should include a massage therapy session at least once a week.
For best results, you can try combining massage with other forms of treatment, like icing, stretching, and employing supportive insoles and shoes. Make sure to speak with your massage therapist about the ideal frequency for your massage appointments.
How to Choose an Excellent Massage Therapist
When you’re searching for a massage therapist, the first thing you should do is to ask around. See if any friends or loved ones can recommend a therapist they’ve had a positive experience with. Aside from that, there are a few other ways you may find a fantastic massage therapist:
- It’s best to choose a massage therapist who concentrates on sports massage. Sports massage is a kind of massage therapy that focuses on the particular requirements of athletes, including muscles, joints, and other soft tissues like the plantar fascia. To be successful, a sports massage therapist ought to have training in biomechanics and anatomy.
- Check out online evaluations – You can discover reviews for many massage therapists online. Make sure to search for reviews from clients that have similar issues as you do.
- Check your insurance coverage – If you have health insurance, it may cover massage therapy. Before making a visit, check to see if massage therapy is covered under your policy.
- Ask your doctor – Your doctor knows you better than anyone. If you have plantar fasciitis and you are trying to find a massage therapist, ask your physician for a recommendation.
Recap
When you have plantar fasciitis, you can suffer with a great deal of discomfort and pain. One terrific way to ease this discomfort is by receiving on-going massage sessions. Massage therapy can help to break up lactic acid crystals, boost blood circulation, and accelerate the recovery process.
Call the experienced health providers at Full Function Rehab & Wellness Clinic in Woodbridge, Vaughan, ON soon and we can schedule easing your plantar fasciitis pain. Now booking new clients!
