Massage Therapy for Foot Pain

Common Causes / How Massage Helps

In my practice, I have treated clients for plantar fasciitis. With most of my clients having pretty active lifestyles, and because this condition generally causes a fair amount of pain, it slows them down enough to pose the question: “what can I do about this; what are my options?!”

The plantar fascia is a thick band of tissue that connects the toes to the heel. Pain can flare up due to increased inflammation and can be felt in the structure between those two points, but most often the attachment area of the heel is pronounced. If this condition develops into chronic heel pain, it can change the way a person walks, affecting the knees, legs, hips and back.

A tight achilles tendon, high arches, flat feet, bone spurs and weight gain may encourage the development of plantar fasciitis when there are repetitive stresses placed on muscle and ligaments over time. Additionally, if plantar fasciitis is diagnosed, and if the client has not already had an X-ray or MRI, I may recommend this to check the affected foot for any possible formation of spurs or possible stress fractures.

The good news is that this condition is treatable, but requires some time and patience. Some of the most common home treatments are: Ibuprofen and ice to decrease pain and inflammation; reduced exercise and rest; stretching and arch supports use. Outside of the home, other treatments to consider are: massage therapy, physical therapy, brace supports, corticosteroid injections to the site, or possible surgery.

Taking the client's current health and diagnosis into consideration, in general, my approach would be to release the posterior calf muscles, address and relieve muscle tension in the superficial and deep plantar muscle groups, incorporate some light stretching, and if there are indications of scar tissue, break up these cross-links of tissue which will help to realign the fibers of the plantar fascia. Using this approach helps to increase blood supply, rehydrate the tissue, decrease pain, and restore mobility and function to the area.

All the above choices can work well in combination or individually. Having a doctor evaluate your condition, and getting a diagnosis as soon as possible will ensure you keep your feet in optimal health. So, maintaining good care of your feet is an important 'step' in whole body health.