Can Deep Tissue Massage Help Plantar Fasciitis
Plantar fasciitis is a very common foot condition where the band of tissue that runs along the bottom of your foot becomes inflamed. It can be very painful and affect your ability to walk and carry out your everyday activities.
There are a few treatment options available but is massage one of them? Here we’ll look at how deep tissue massage can help, what aggravates the condition, and when you should see a doctor. First, let’s take a look at can deep tissue massage help plantar fasciitis.
Can Deep Tissue Massage Help Plantar Fasciitis?
There are many reasons to get a deep tissue massage, and plantar fasciitis is one of them. Not only can this massage help to reduce the inflammation you’re suffering from, but it can also help to release tension and remove any scar tissue.
It’s obvious why so many people are turning to deep tissue massage to help cure their plantar fasciitis. With regular sessions, you’ll soon be able to walk properly again and move around pain-free.
During your session, the therapist is going to work intensely on your feet and apply plenty of pressure. With this targeted manipulation, they’ll be able to stretch out ligaments, improve the blood flow and soothe your nerves. The benefits can be applied to the rest of your body too.
It’s important to speak to your therapist beforehand and mention that you specifically want them to work on your plantar fasciitis. It’s important to note this isn’t a magic cure, and results can change from one person to the next, but you will quickly start to see improvement.
Symptoms of Plantar Fasciitis
Plantar fasciitis is one of those conditions that many people self-diagnose. Due to this, it’s good to know exactly what the symptoms are. If you have any doubts, then it’s always a good idea to see a doctor.
The most notable symptom of plantar fasciitis is sharp pain around the heel and arch area of your foot. This is a pain that is usually worse after a long period of rest, particularly after you’ve been sleeping. The pain can decrease once you start moving around but increase after strenuous activity.
You’ll generally feel some swelling and tenderness around the heel area, with the arch of your foot feeling quite tight. This makes flexing the foot difficult. All these are signs that you have plantar fasciitis.
What Aggravates Plantar Fasciitis?
The frustrating aspect of plantar fasciitis is that it’s aggravated by you simply going about your day, which can make it very hard to recover from. The simple act of walking can make your symptoms worse, but so can standard for long periods on hard surfaces.
Due to this, it’s a good idea to get as much rest as you can and avoid walking or running activities whenever possible. Wearing proper footwear or insoles designed for plantar fasciitis can help to reduce the severity of your symptoms.
Home Treatments for Plantar Fasciitis
Alongside regular massage, there are home treatments you can do to help this painful condition. One of those is wearing a night splint. This helps to gently stretch your foot and keep it in the correct position to reduce pain, especially after waking up.
There are also a variety of stretches that you can do to help loosen the tendons. These stretches generally involve any motion that involves bending your foot towards you and stretching out your calf.
An example of this is where you sit down on the ground or on your bed with your feet stretched out in front of you. You can then wrap a rolled-up towel (or something similar) around the ball of your feet and gently pull it towards you.
If you’re in a significant amount of pain, then medications can help. As plantar fasciitis is caused by inflammation, anti-inflammatories such as ibuprofen would be the best thing to take.
Should You See a Doctor for Plantar Fasciitis?
It can be tempting to try and treat plantar fasciitis at home, and if the pain isn’t significant, then there’s usually nothing wrong with doing this. However, there are some good reasons why you should consider the doctor.
The biggest potential issue is that you’ve self-diagnosed yourself with the wrong condition. It could be something else that you’re dealing with, including more serious issues. You may also get referred to a specialist to have a closer look.
For severe pain, you may get the likes of steroid injections and custom orthotics. Due to these reasons, it’s always a good idea to visit your doctor. It may seem like a simple condition, but you never know if there is another issue you may be dealing with.
How Quickly Will Plantar Fasciitis Heal?
It’s very difficult to put an exact recovery time on your plantar fasciitis. The reason for that is that everyone has a different level of damage but also a different level of daily activities.
For example, someone who works at home and can rest for most of the day will most likely heal more quickly than someone who needs to walk all day for their job. As walking triggers the condition, it can make full recovery frustratingly long.
The quickest recovery from plantar fasciitis will be around four to eight weeks, but for most people, it’s usually a minimum of two months. Within six months, most people have fully recovered, but for some, it sadly takes longer than that.
The speed of recovery is also partly a lifestyle choice. You need to balance being able to do the things you love with your recovery time. You don’t want to be housebound for months, which is why the recovery process can be slow.
This is why massage and home treatments can be important. They’ll allow you to recover gradually while still enjoying a good quality of life.
Final Thoughts
For those struggling, deep tissue massage help plantar fasciitis can be a huge help. It reduces your pain while helping to speed up recovery. When combined with other treatments, it can help your condition improve while still being to enjoy an active lifestyle.
