Bring back the skip in your step by treating the pain in your soles.

The plantar fascia is the fibrous, dense tissue along the bottom of your foot. Despite it being just one of your body's many tissues, Dr. Jane Peterson from Connect Chiropractic, says that this one part of you can lead to some serious discomfort.

Micro-tears that appear when the tissue becomes overstressed are what cause plantar fasciitis. This, painful in itself says Peterson, can become worse when inflamed.

"A lot of people first notice this pain as a stabbing pain in the bottom of their heel or the bottom of their foot when they first wake up in the and [take] those first couple steps in the morning," Peterson explains. A sharp or burning-type pain along the bottom or towards the inside of the foot can also be a symptom of plantar fasciitis.

The pain is typically confined to the bottom of your foot, but even this can spell trouble for someone who likes to be kept on their toes.

How does that pain come about?

"Your plantar fascia is actually like a shock absorber every time you're walking," Peterson explained. "That's what is taking all of the force."

The appearance and irritation of micro-tears along that tissue due to repetitive strain and stress are what eventually lead to the pain along the underside of your foot.

Most commonly, people between the ages of 40 and 60 are affected, as well as those who tend to be overweight, due to the added shock needing to be absorbed. "A lot of people who are standing all day... if you have a high arch or a very flat foot," Peterson says are also more likely to get plantar fasciitis.

The ailment is treatable, however, particularly with the Graston Technique, with which Peterson is familiar. The technique utilizes stainless steel diagnostic tools that are run over soft tissue areas and vibrate back into the hand of its user in areas where there is muscle adhesion or scar tissue. Peterson says this assists the care provider in determining what care is best to provide.

Treatment always begins, however, with a simple alignment at Connect Chiropractic, where you will be evaluated to ensure your nervous system is functioning in the best condition possible. When dealing more specifically with foot pain, a foot alignment may first allow your chiropractor to assess what the best course of treatment is going forward with your condition says Peterson.

Restricted foot movement can be a cause of foot pain as well, and Peterson emphasizes a full step-by-step evaluation in order to pinpoint the right options for each patient.

"We still want to make sure the body is well-aligned, and that includes the foot."

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