Finding Plantar Fasciitis Treatment Methods That Work Can Be Tough

There are a number of strategies for plantar fasciitis treatment. Most people who suffer from heel pain believe that they have a heel spur or plantar fasciitis. The general course of action is to stop the activity and allow the injury to recover. The first thing to determine is this. What is the true source of your heel pain.
Referred pain from trigger points can be extremely painful and are very common. These muscle knots, stuck in contraction, cause nerve damage and pain from restricted circulation. It is realistic to estimate that as many as 9/10 cases of muscle and joint pain are either partially or solely the result of trigger points.
The muscles that refer pain to the heel are:
Abductor digiti minimi (Arch of foot near ball of foot)
Abductor hallucis (Inside of foot near heel)
Gastrocnemius (Upper calf)
Quadratus plantae (Arch of foot near heel)
Soleus (Calf)
Tibialis Posterior (Calf)
You may be able to feel the knot with your hand. It may feel like a firm cooked noodle under your skin. Trigger points are very sensitive and will be painful to the touch; this is the best way to find a trigger point.
The calf muscles can be massaged by using your opposite knee.
STEP 1:
Simply recline or lay on your back.
STEP 2:
Prop your leg up by the calf using your opposite knee.
STEP 3:
Find a tender area and use your knee to massage in short strokes.
You should aim for a pain level of seven out of ten. Apply about 10 strokes per session and repeat this short treatment between two and ten times per day.
The other method is to use the Thera Cane, an excellent tool for self trigger point treatment.
The muscles in the bottom of the foot can be massaged using the Thera Cane, a small ball or another small massage tool. Again, use the search and destroy strategy by finding a tender point and giving it a number of short firm strokes.
Trigger points ARE painful; using pressure massage IS the best way to deactivate these muscle knots.
Keep in mind that while treating trigger points often significantly reduces the pain it is possible other conditions still exist. Especially if the pain gone untreated for some time or the pain was the result of an injury. Persistence is key. By using all reasonable treatment methods available you will be able to prevent and treat the pain.
It is also very important to determine possible causes of the original heel pain in order to speed recovery and prevent future foot problems. Many people go too long in used shoes or they wear shoes that are not well designed for comfort and ergonomics. Shoe inserts or orthotics for plantar fasciitis treatment are another consideration.
Other foot treatment methods include comfortable shoes, night splints, icing of the affected area, anti-inflammatory medication.
By using all tools and treatment methods available heel pain will be a thing of the past.