Do you experience sharp pain at the bottom of your foot when you attempt to walk after sitting for a long time? Is the pain worse when you take first steps after your wake up in the morning? It could be plantar fasciitis. Plantar fascia is a large band of tissue that extends from the heel to the front part of the foot. When these tissues break down, you experience pain.
Diagnosing plantar fasciitis:
Excessive running, prolonged standing, obesity and excessive foot pronation are the common reasons for this condition. A medical practitioner asks for patient history and does a physical examination. Your physician may recommend imaging tests to see if the pain is caused by a broken bone or pinched nerve instead.
Treatment for plantar fasciitis:
There are a handful of options to reduce inflammation and relieve pain. You may be given non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. If medication doesn’t prove effective, steroid injections are administered. If pain persists physical therapy is recommended. It is a supervised manual therapy aimed to restore mobility and relieve pain.
If your physician has suggested you to try physical therapy and you are looking for physical therapy specialist for plantar fasciitis in Bixby Knolls, California, schedule an appointment with ReVITAlize Rehab club. The rehab center is popular in the area for providing efficient holistic and physical therapy sessions.
What are the general benefits of physical therapy?
Physical therapy is packed with benefits including:
- Pain relief: Some medical issues involve manageable pain while some suppress a person’s mobility and cause immense discomfort. It can get difficult to perform normal day-to-day tasks. This therapy eases your pain and helps to improve your quality of life. It is a healthy alternative to painkillers which can get addictive with continuous usage.
- Speed up recovery process: It is possible to cut down your recovery time by opting for physical therapy. Though taking rest is the key to recovery, this speeds up the process and gets you on your feet sooner. Having a specialist work with you through the recovery process keeps you stress-free too.
- Improve mobility: You’ll face mobility issues even when most of the pain has subsided. You would still notice a decrease in mobility. You are likely to use the injured part as little as possible which curbs your mobility. Physical therapy involves carefully-selected movements and exercises that make sure you regain maximum possible mobility.
- Avoids surgical intervention: Non-catastrophic injuries can be fixed by physical therapy. Surgical procedures are expensive and involve more recovery time. There are also chances of further health complications. It is best to try to fix the issue without surgical intervention. Physical therapy avoids use of medication and need for surgery.
- Protects from future injuries: Serious injuries meddle with the future performance of athletes. Some conditions are degenerating and when untreated lead up to major complications and would require surgery. Physical therapy alleviates mobility issues and prevents an injury from progressing.
What happens in a physical therapy?
Physical therapy involves supervised manual therapy in addition to a personalized treatment plan. The specialists teach exercises and stretches that are helpful in retaining your mobility. Before signing up for a treatment plan, learn about what you are getting yourself into. Enquire about the techniques used and the cost. This prepares you physically, emotionally and financially.
Work out insurance:
The therapies can be quite expensive. Talk to your insurance company and see if they cover your physical therapy sessions. Ask your therapist about how many sessions would be needed and what would the approximate cost involved.
Choose a good physical therapist:
When you look up on Google, you’ll find many results popping up for physical therapists. Check out online reviews, shortlist the options and visit the centers in person to see if you find their practices beneficial and ambience comfortable. What kind of space are you comfortable with?
Some are small clinics with only a couple of physical therapists. Some are a part of a hospital network and have a large team of physical therapists. Though more focus must be on the choice of the physical therapist, look out for the location and ambience you feel comfortable in. Look out for certified specialists who specialize in rehabilitating feet.
Common questions posed by patients:
What kind of physical therapy does plantar fasciitis demand?
Your physical therapist works out a treatment plan based on your medical issue and symptoms. The program is designed to decrease the severity of your symptoms. There are selective stretching activities to improve ankle and calf flexibility, strengthening exercises targeting hip, trunk or leg musculature. The common types of stretches and exercise taught are:
- Arch stretches: Arch is the weight-bearing component affected by plantar fasciitis. Arch stretches improve arch’s strength and flexibility.
- Toe stretches: Build flexibility and strengthen the ligaments and muscles throughout the foot.
- Ankle mobility stretches: Improves the flexibility and range of motion of ankle.
- Achilles tendon stretches: Tight Achilles tendon may cause gait abnormalities. These stretches loosen and lengthen a tight Achilles.
- Calf stretches: Your calves become tight as a result of the condition. These stretches lengthen your calves.
Will the therapy hurt?
The intensity of pain differs according to the type of therapy. Though exercises and stretches don’t usually hurt, some may experience mild to moderate pain discomfort for few days during the stretches. You could always bring this to the attention of your physical therapist and he/she would make the necessary changes and take it slow.
What is the therapy duration?
There is no definite answer to it. It can be anywhere between few weeks and many months. There are few factors that contribute in determining the duration of therapy including:
- How long you have the existing condition
- Recovery rate of your body
- Other co-existing conditions
- Your commitment
Physical therapy cost:
The overall cost varies depending on the number of sessions required, severity of the problem, chosen therapist and center, your commitment and availability of insurance. If you have insurance, it costs $10 to $75 per session whilst without insurance it costs $50 to $350.
Physical therapy works great in treating plantar fasciitis. You don’t have to put up with pain. If your doctor has suggested physical therapy, start looking for centers in your area offering physical therapy.