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Don’t assume that chiropractors only take care of neck and back pain. These practitioners are specialists in musculoskeletal injuries, especially of the joints. Chiropractic adjustments can be performed on many different parts of the body.
The human foot has 26 bones and 33 joints. The cuboid bone abuts six different bones. Each joint can become misaligned, causing you a lot of foot pain. Through chiropractic foot care, those with training in the extremities can adjust foot joints to alleviate pain and discomfort.
What Is Plantar Fasciitis?
A common foot affliction, plantar fasciitis occurs when the ligament (plantar fascia) that connects your heel to your toes becomes inflamed. The most common symptom is having heel pain in the morning or after you’ve been sitting for a long time and stand up. People who are middle-aged, overweight or spend time on their feet at work have a higher risk of developing plantar fasciitis, but anyone can get it.
Plantar fasciitis can hinder your normal activities. Ignoring it can lead to other problems in your feet, knees, hips and back. According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, most people respond to treatment well. Resting your foot from high-impact activities can help give your foot time to heal. Ice can minimize swelling and inflammation. Stretching exercises can help alleviate tight muscles in your feet and calves, which can reduce pain.
How Can a Chiropractor Help?
Chiropractic adjustments can help to take the pressure and stress off the plantar fascia to let it relax. This gives the tissues time to heal. You can work with your chiropractor to find ways to manage the pain during the healing time. A chiropractor may also suggest specific exercises to stretch the plantar fascia that will help you avoid further injury and discomfort.
Chiropractic adjustments help you manage your pain more effectively. Adjustments made to your joints based on a particular condition help your body get to the root of the problem. You aren’t dealing with just the symptoms but treating the real issue. If you have adjusted your gait due to foot pain from plantar fasciitis, it can lead to strained muscles and back pain. Chiropractors take a holistic approach to realignment, which will help you stand and walk properly.
Sometimes the issues you’re dealing with may require surgical solutions. In these situations, a chiropractor is likely to send you to some sort of bone, muscle, and nerve specialist—such as this orthopedic surgeon in Ocean, NJ. Orthopedic practitioners tend to be the next step up from a chiropractor if the issue you’re dealing with doesn’t seem to be affected by adjustment or other chiropractic therapies. There are situations where your plantar fasciitis may be a symptom of some other issue. In fact, it may not be plantar fasciitis at all, but something else entirely. A good chiropractor knows their limit and knows when to send you to an orthopedic surgeon. Furthermore, they can very likely recommend some of the best-localized options to you, saving you time in research.
Treating Foot Pain
Plantar fasciitis is not the only type of foot pain that a chiropractor can treat. Typically, new injuries, such as a sprain or tear, will have to heal before a chiropractor can make adjustments. But many times, once the ligaments from a sprain heal, the joints are out of alignment. You still have foot pain, even though the sprain has healed. With treatment from a chiropractor in Scarborough, the adjustments keep your joints aligned.
Whether you have plantar fasciitis, flat feet, bunions or achilles tendinitis, your chiropractor may be able to help without prescribing medicine or shots. If you’re looking for a non-surgical option for treating foot pain, talk to a chiropractor.