Lately, we have been having more and more people come in with plantar fasciitis pain. It’s a burning pain in the feet that worsens with every step. Sometimes the pain is so intense it can even feel like the foot is landing on a nail.
The plantar fascia is the tough sheath of connective tissue that runs from the heel to the toes like a fan on the underside of the feet. When you have this foot pain it is because there is inflammation in the fascia. The question to ask is why is the fascia inflamed? The answer is because there is improper loading at foot strike. Plantar fasciitis is not a foot problem, it is a posture problem. Because you are not appropriately using your big leg muscles and hip muscles, you have left your feet to fend for themselves. The foot is smacking down on the ground with each step bearing the brunt of the entire weight of the body without the support of your legs, hips and back working as a team. All of these muscles and joints must work together to keep you out of pain.
If you stand sideways in a full length mirror, imagine a plumb line that starts at your ankles and goes straight up. Do your ankles, knees, hips, shoulders and head line up on the plumb line? If they don’t, that’s why you have foot pain (and hip pain, shoulder pain, knee pain and who knows what else)! Now, turn and face that mirror. Are the shoulders, hips, knees and ankles in parallel horizontal lines and do your feet point straight ahead? If not, then you cannot use the muscles of your legs, hips and back to help your feet, leaving them at risk for this intense pain called plantar fasciitis.
You can do something about your foot pain and it’s easy! You need to get your body’s weight-bearing joints to line up in straight lines and at 90 degree angles which is the intended design of the body. We are the original all-terrain vehicle! How do you do it? The answer is one simple word, one amazing method of pain relief – EGOSCUE. Call me at Pain Free Performance and I’ll get you started.
