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Research Paper On Plantar Fasciitis

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Plantar Fasciitis Treatment: A Multifaceted Problem with New Treatment Possibilities
Heel pain is one of the most common physical complaints, affecting about 10 percent of Americans. The pain may be mild or severe, making it difficult to perform the normal activities of daily life. While there can be several different sources of heel pain, the most common is a condition called plantar fasciitis.
What is plantar fasciitis?
The plantar fascia is a tough, flat band of connective tissue that runs underneath the foot, attaching the heel to the bones of the foot. It helps coordinate the motions of the foot and ankle, and may also work as a shock absorber for the body.
In plantar fasciitis, the fascia becomes swollen or irritated through injury or over-use, making it painful to walk. The band may shorten during …show more content…

Instead of assuming that heel pain originates only in the heel, it makes sense to consider that there could be irritable spots anywhere along the integrated system. These hypersensitive spots in the skeletal muscle, called myofascial trigger points, may create dysfunction anywhere along the leg, but ultimately may be experienced as heel pain.
New approaches to therapy
Practitioners are beginning to pay attention to these trigger points and to manipulate them to treat plantar fasciitis. The results have been exciting. Case studies using both acupuncture and ischemic compression therapy suggest that treating trigger points along the muscle lines may have profound effects upon plantar fasciitis pain. In some cases, patients have reported immediate pain relief as well as a feeling of lightness.
Because plantar fasciitis is a complicated problem with many contributing factors, therapists cannot use a single-focus solution. Applying treatment along the entire line of integrated muscles and connective fibers holds great

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