Plantar Fasciitis

Do you have Plantar Fasciitis in the Chapel Hill, Raleigh, or Durham areas?

If you do then you know it can be painful and limit your enjoyment of activities that are important to you. When the band that connects your heel bone to the toes, the plantar fascia, becomes inflamed it can cause a lot of pain. Plantar fasciitis is most prevalent in runners, obese/overweight individuals, pregnant women, as well as people that wear improper shoes with little or no support. Other likely causes and/or contributing factors may be too much standing, vitamin C deficiency, and a sudden change to increased activity. Likelihood of developing this condition increases between the ages of 40 to 70. Someone suffering from plantar fasciitis may experience stabbing pain in the heel and it generally is worse first thing in the morning with the first few steps of the day. The pain often reduces with continued walking, and it is not common to experience plantar fasciitis in both feet simultaneously. If left untreated, a heel spur may occur.

In order to make a proper diagnosis of plantar fasciitis, an exam must be performed. During the exam, your foot will be tested by performing reflexes, testing the muscle strength and tone, as well as coordination and balance. A structural evaluation will also be performed to check the knees, hips and pelvis. If there is poor weight distribution or improper gait plantar fasciitis can develop. To rule out any other possible causes, such as a heel spur, fracture, or subluxation, an x-ray may be taken.

Treatment of Plantar Fasciitis

Plantar fasciitis can be treated with soft tissue work. The goal is to restore full range of motion in the different joints of the ankle and foot while minimizing stress to the plantar fascia. It is also common to work on the muscles of the calf to improve flexibility. If spinal misalignments is contributing to the problem this will should be addressed.


Spine Conditions

Chiropractors FAQ

Do Chiropractors adjust all patients the same way?

No. The chiropractor evaluates each patient’s unique spinal problem and develops an individual course of care. In fact, there are many different chiropractic techniques and the chiropractor will decide which is best for each patient. The recommendations made by a chiropractor are based upon years of training and experience. Each patient’s care is uniquely different from every other patient.

Can a person who had back surgery see a chiropractor?

Yes. It’s an unfortunate fact that up to half of those who had spinal surgery discover a return of their original symptoms months or years later. They then face the prospect of additional surgery. This too common occurrence is known as “Failed Back Surgery Syndrome.” Chiropractors may help prevent repeated back surgeries. In fact, if chiropractic care is initially utilized back surgery can often be avoided in the first place. Some chiropractors specialize in serving those people who have had previous back surgeries and are still in pain. Spinal Decompression Therapy can be the most effective course of treatment for such a person.

Can I adjust myself?

No. Since a chiropractic adjustment is a specific force, applied in a specific direction to a specific joint, it is virtually impossible to adjust oneself correctly and accurately. It is possible to turn or bend or twist in certain ways to create a “popping” sound that sometimes accompanies a chiropractic adjustment. Unfortunately, this type of joint manipulation is usually counterproductive, often making an already unstable spine even more unstable, and can sometimes be dangerous. Adjusting the spine is not for amateurs.

Can I tell if my spine is out of alignment?

Not always. A misalignment is like a dental cavity–you may have it for a long time before symptoms appear. That’s why periodic spinal checkups are so important. Although it may be possible to know you have a misalignment, it is rarely possible to be sure you don’t. Regular spinal checkups are always a good idea, and they promote good health from the inside out.

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Chiropractic Care

About Dr. Cosmas Leigh

Chiropractic Physician

Dr. Cosmas Leigh, D.C. is a pioneer in Spinal Decompression to treat spinal stenosis, herniated discs, bulging discs, and disc degeneration. Dr. Leigh was the first in his region to include the state-of-the-art DRX 9000c Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression system to his practice to reduce pain and restore function for people of all ages.