A chiropractor can help plantar fasciitis by using techniques like soft tissue manipulation, massage, and adjustments to help reduce inflammation in the plantar fascia.
Chiropractors can also assess and adjust spinal and foot alignment which can also help to reduce strain on the plantar fascia and they may even recommend exercises and stretches to strengthen the muscles in the foot and calf.
You can test for plantar fasciitis at home by doing the Jack's test for plantar fasciitis like a doctor would do by having someone perform the Jack's test for plantar fasciitis on your foot.
The Jack's test for plantar fasciitis which is also known as the Hubscher maneuver test which is a clinical test that is done to assess your foot flexibility and the windlass mechanism by having the patient stand and a clinician passively dorsiflexes the big toe.
If the Jack's test reproduces pain in the bottom of the foot, it can indicate that the person has plantar fasciitis.
The Jack's test also helps to differentiate between a flexible and rigid flat foot, as a flexible foot will show an increased arch height and a rigid foot's arch will remain unaffected.
To perform the Jack's test for plantar fasciitis the patient stands on a stool or on the ground in a weight bearing relaxed position.
Then the clinician or doctor passively dorsiflexes, "pulls up" the patients big toe and the clinician or doctor will observe the effect of the motion on the foot's medial longitudinal arch.
If pain is reproduced in the plantar fascia region then the test is positive and if no significant pain occurs during the test then the test is negative.
In a flexible foot including flexible flatfoot when your big toe is dorsiflexed, the arch of your foot rises and the foot's overall arch becomes more prominent.
And in a rigid foot including rigid flat foot the arch of the foot remains largely unchanged with little to no increase in it's height during the toe dorsiflexion.
For plantar fasciitis podiatrists often recommend wearing supportive and well cushioned footwear with good arch support, orthotics, doing stretching exercises and even rest as well as icing the area and taking some over the counter or even prescription anti inflammatory medications.
If the plantar fasciitis is persistent, the podiatrist may even recommend physical therapy as well as night splints, corticosteroid injections and even shockwave therapy in some cases.
In severe enough cases of plantar fasciitis then surgery may be considered but only as a last resort.
A podiatrist is one of the best doctors for plantar fasciitis as they have the most expertise in foot conditions and are also trained to provide both conservative treatments and if needed, surgical treatments.
An orthopedic doctor that specializes in foot and ankle issues is also another great doctor for plantar fasciitis, especially if the condition is severe or requires any surgery.
A general practitioner or even a family doctor can also help with plantar fasciitis by providing you with some initial treatment, before they refer you to the appropriate specialist.
To confirm you have plantar fasciitis you should see a doctor such as a podiatrist or your normal doctor who can perform some imaging tests like X-rays, ultrasounds or MRIs as well as physical exams to rule out other issues and confirm the diagnoses of plantar fasciitis.
Although you can often determine if you may have plantar fasciitis at home by knowing and watching out for the symptoms of plantar fasciitis which include stabbing heel pain that gets worse in the morning and after rest.
The kind of feet that are prone to plantar fasciitis are flat feet and feet which very high arches.
Even lack of proper arch support from footwear and tight calf muscles can also make you more prone to plantar fasciitis.
People that have high arches experience high stress on their heels and balls of their feet and flat feet can cause the foot to roll inward or overpronate, which places abnormal strain on the plantar fascia.
Conditions that can be mistaken for plantar fasciitis are arthritis, Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome, stress fractures, heel spurs, Achilles tendonitis and even Baxter's nerve entrapment.
These conditions also share symptoms that are similar like heel pain, although they also have different underlying causes, which require a professional diagnosis for effective treatment.
Arthritis, especially osteoarthritis can cause heel pain and stiffness and can mimic plantar fasciitis symptoms and can often also affect multiple joints.
Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome is a nerve compression that can cause tingling or burning and in addition to pain on the sole of the foot.
Stress Fractures such as small cracks in the bones of your foot or heel can also cause localized pain and swelling which can be mistaken for plantar fasciitis.
Heel spurs are a bony growth on the heel bone, which can also cause pain, but the pain often also decreases with more walking, unlike plantar fasciitis in which the pain may get worse when walking.
Achilles Tendonitis involves inflammation of the Achilles tendon at the back of your heel.
And while plantar fasciitis pain is under the foot near the heel, Achilles tendonitis pain is often at the back of the heel.
Baxter's Nerve Entrapment is a pinching of the inferior calcaneal nerve, which can cause symptoms that are nearly identical to those of plantar fasciitis, like pain on the bottom of your heel.
If you have plantar fasciitis you will feel the pain in your heel or arch and it's often a sharp, stabbing or even burning sensation and is often worse with your first steps in the morning or after any periods of rest.
The plantar fasciitis pain is located in the thick band of tissue that is called the plantar fascia, which connects your heel to your toes on the bottom of your foot.
A hallmark symptom of plantar fasciitis is sharp, stabbing heel pain, especially when taking your first steps in the morning or after a period of rest.
The sharp, stabbing heel pain with plantar fasciitis often lessens with activity, but can also come back or return after long periods of standing or with prolonged exercise and the sharp stabbing pain may also be felt in the arch of your foot.
The root cause of plantar fasciitis is not really known.
However it's believed that the root cause of plantar fasciitis is a result of a combination of factors which result in inflammation of the plantar fascia.
The plantar fascia is a thick band of tissue that runs along the bottom of the foot.
Factors that can play a role in developing of plantar fasciitis are overuse, poor foot mechanics, tight calf muscles, foot structure issues, age, trauma, biomechanical imbalances and improper footwear.
Wearing shoes that don't provide proper and adequate support or cushioning can contribute to development of plantar fasciitis.
Misalignments in your foot or lower body can also disrupt the normal forces that act on the plantar fascia.
And a sudden injury to your foot can damage your plantar fascia.
Plantar fasciitis is also more common in middle aged adults although it can occur in anyone of any age.
And certain foot shapes, like high arches or flat feet can also predispose people to plantar fasciitis.
Calf tightness can pull on the plantar fascia and cause inflammation and pronation which is inward rolling of the foot or supination, "outward rolling of the foot" can also place excessive strain on the fascia and repeated stress on the plantar fascia from activities like running, standing for long periods or running can result in plantar fasciitis.
Plantar fasciitis is a common condition which causes inflammation of the plantar fascia, which is the thick band of tissue that runs along the bottom of your foot from the heel of your toes.