Foot Pain and Osteopathy

Let’s talk about feet. Everyone knows the fact that together, our feet carry the most bones in our body (26 in each foot), though our hands aren’t far behind (19 bones in each hand, not including the wrist which has 8 bones in each). Why do we need so many bones in our feet?

Our feet act to give us balance and hold us upright. In order to carry our body, our feet need a certain degree of movement through them to allow for change of weight bearing through the motion of walking or running. Our lower limb is more complex than you would think, with not only all those bones involved, but also all the muscle attachments which allow us to move in the way we do.

When presented with foot pain, an Osteopath will often look not just at the foot, but also beyond it all the way up to the lumbar spine (and sometimes even beyond there!) And just as foot pain can be caused by something up higher, the feet can sometimes be responsible for other presentations up higher in the body.

Plantar Faciitis: Policeman’s Heel

One of the most common local presentations of foot pain is a condition called plantar fasciitis, more commonly known as policeman’s heel.  This condition is an inflammation of the band of tissue that spans from your heel to the ball of your foot. It can be very painful to walk on and can last for months. It is usually caused by lots of standing or sometimes from wearing bad footwear, such as thongs.

Plantar fasciitis is commonly treated by massaging the bottom of the foot, rest and sometimes even immobilization with a boot. However, other factors may be attributing to the condition, such as how your lower back and hips are moving and other muscles that might be pulling the foot and ankle out of alignment during the walking cycle.

If you think you might have a similar presentation, contact Inlign Osteopathy to discuss your condition.