December 2008
Greetings {FIRST_NAME}
| Please Welcome |
Nancy McKay brings to ALTA over 10 years of experience as a Pilates instructor. In addition to Pilates, Nancy is a massage therapist, experienced in rehabilitation on many levels. Please welcome Nancy to our group of excellent Pilates instructors. Click link to view the Pilates schedule.
| Charlie Wins! |
|
| Upcoming Events |
ALTA is excited to sponsor a 3 day Vestibular Rehabilitation Course in January. The course will expand our expertise in treating craniovertebral instability and headaches, vertigo, and cervicogenic headaches.
| Tip of the Month |
Work to distribute weight evenly among these three points on the foot making sure to maintain weight along the base of the toes.
| What Causes It? When the foot is on the ground a tremendous amount of force is concentrated over the arch. This force stretches the plantar fascia as the arch of the foot tries to flatten (pronate) from the weight of your body. When you walk, 3X your body weight presses down on the arch. When you run, this force can increase to 9X your body weight. This can lead to small tears in the plantar fascia where it attaches to the heel bone. If you don’t recover from your runs, the tearing will worsen over time until pain and inflammation may force you to stop running all together. |
 |
Plantar fasciitis can be caused by:
High training volume, running on hard surfaces, too much intensity
Standing all day, especially on hard floors with poor footwear
A foot that is too flexible (excess strain) or too stiff (poor shock absorption)
Tight muscles in your legs (especially the calves) and feet
A history of low back problems, especially disc injuries or sciatica
An inappropriate shoe for your foot type or worn shoes that lack cushion
Weakness in certain leg muscles and in your core (abs and back)
Faulty running biomechanics in the back, hip, knee, ankle, and/or foot
A flattened fat pad under the heel bone (more common in older runners)
How Can I Fix It?
Plantar fasciitis is very treatable, but you have so many treatment options that it’s hard to know what to do first. Getting evaluated by a Physical Therapist is extremely important because it will guide you toward treatments best suited for you. Otherwise, you are shooting in the dark and will end up frustrated. Following are a few strategies to get you started on the road to recovery:
- Plantar fascia stretches – before getting out of bed and 3X/day
- Calf stretches – Stretch with your knee straight for 45 seconds and then do the same with your knee bent. Make sure that your foot is straight (not turned out) and the arch is high
- Hamstring, quadricep, and hip flexor stretches
- Deep tissue massage for calf muscles and feet if tolerated
- Ice if acute and swollen, heat & ice after 2 weeks
- Night splints – At least 20 minutes/day with your knee straight
- New and improved shoes and/or insoles (Superfeet)
- Decrease training volume immediately and cross train if able
- Keep cushioning underfoot from morning till night (ie, don’t go barefoot)
- Self massage using a racquetball or golf ball
- Foam roller for massaging calf muscles
- Arch strengthening exercises
- Circling your ankles before getting out of bed to avoid morning pain
- A good Physical Therapist has even more tricks to get you back running fast!
A Solution is Waiting for You.
