Friday, February 27, 2015

Looking forward to Spring!!

Prepping for Spring

I woke up this morning, checked my weather app to see another 16 degree day, and threw a little temper tantrum in my head before even getting out of bed. Once I collected myself and returned to being an adult, I realized we’re all in the same boat. Everyone in Boston has endured an insane winter, and I’d be willing to bet that even the winter-lover’s enthusiasm is waning at this point. The good news is that (hopefully) it’s almost over. On February 2nd Punxsutawney Phil played a sick joke on all of us by seeing his shadow despite overcast skies, predicting another six weeks of winter. The great news is that at this point, there should be just three more weeks to go! That being said, instead of reviewing another injury this week I thought it might be nice to redirect our focus. Let’s set our sights on the nice weather just around the corner and talk about ways to prep for spring by staying healthy through the last bit of cold.

By the time the last month of winter rolls around, there’s a good chance we’ve succumbed to the harsh weather and hunkered down as we wait for the Earth to thaw.
Workout regimens have gone out the window with 6ft of snow barricading our doors and rendering the streets impassable. Healthy eating habits have taken a back seat in exchange for comfort food. The outdoor activities that usually clear our minds and help us to de-stress aren’t available, and curling up on the couch on a snowy day probably happens more often than it should when everyday is a snowy one. My point is, your ‘winter lifestyle” probably looks a lot different than the health-oriented one that you commit to the other three seasons of the year. And how could we blame you!? After all, bears hibernate during these months for a reason. Spring is fast approaching, though, so let’s get back on track. Let’s take inventory of how we’re feeling, thinking, eating, sleeping, and living so that we stay healthy and propel into the beautiful weather as our best selves.

SLEEP: I’m sure I’m not the first, or the fiftieth, person to tell you how important it is to get ample sleep each night. I also know it’s not always easy. It’s tough to find enough time in the day, or to pull yourself off the couch and out from under the three blankets keeping you warm, to get to bed. Sleep lets our bodies and minds recuperate from the day, prepare for the next, and maintain a healthy immune system. Think of it as the body’s quiet time to heal without having to worry about responding to stress, walking, talking, working, exercising, etc. It allows for tissue growth and repair, restoration of energy, and control of hormones. Inadequate sleep can throw off hormones responsible for appetite and feelings of fullness and hunger, confusing your body and causing you to overeat. It can affect levels of stress hormones, which in turn can cause weight gain and insulin resistance. It can also impact levels of growth hormones that allow for growth and development. In reality, it’s not just about feeling tired when you don’t get enough sleep. It’s much bigger than that!
            TO DO: Attempt to re-vamp your schedule to allow for adequate sleep each night. I know it’s difficult, but think of it as an investment to keep you healthy so that you can more effectively tackle your daily schedule. Start to wind down at least 30min before bed. That means electronics are turned off, lights dim, and to-do lists are put aside for the night. Instead of watching TV, try light reading or listening to calming music. Also, take stock of the light sources in your bedroom. Do you have good shades or blinds to keep it dark? Can you unplug some electronics that produce light? The darker you can get the room, the less stimulus you’ve got while trying to fall asleep and stay asleep.

MEDITATION: Some love to practice meditation, and others think it’s for the birds. Personally, I can relate to both. At first, I found the practice of meditation to be extremely frustrating. I started it as a requirement for one of my thesis projects at UMass. I remember thinking, “A person like me can’t sit still and “not think” for 10 minutes! This just isn’t for me.” I also remember realizing that it’s probably those of us who can’t imagine quieting our minds for just 10min a day that probably need it the most. After lots of practice, I have come to think of meditation as a reset button for my day. It doesn’t have to be 10min of beating yourself up for thinking about things when you’re not “supposed” to be thinking about things. It can be two or three minutes at the start, middle, or end of your day when you close your eyes, focus on your breathing, and regroup. Some biofeedback forms of meditation are even known for their physiological affects on the body, meaning your body is physically changing and relaxing in those couple of minutes. Many of the outdoor and exercise-related activities we turn to in order to relieve stress aren’t possible during the winter months. Unfortunately, stress doesn’t just disappear when it realizes our typical outlets aren’t available to us. Instead, try some meditation. After all, at the very least high stress = high cortisol levels = weight gain! More importantly, stress can compromise your immune system. You’ve made it this far without getting sick. Let’s keep it that way!
            TO DO: Because I’m a chiropractor, and not a meditation instructor (surprise!), I won’t try to pretend that I’m the best person to lead you through it. Instead, I’ll lead you to my friend Heidi Spear. She is an instructor at Kripalu in the Berkshires, and has created easy to follow CDs on meditation and relaxation, written books on mindfulness, and led workshops in yoga. You can find her work at http://heidispear.com, and even look her up on iTunes. If she can get my overactive brain to turn off for 5min a day, I’m confident she can help you too! You can also check out https://www.headspace.com for some free meditations to get started.

EXERCISE AND STRETCHING: When winter weather takes over, you can’t get outside for a run without frostbite, and your yoga class keeps declaring snow days, it’s easy to settle into a routine of inactivity. Finding ways keep moving and flexible are difficult, but not impossible. We want you ready to throw on your sneakers that first beautiful spring day, and we want you to stay strong and limber. Fitting in some form of activity each day not only provides all of the benefits that we know exercise to promote, but it also boosts the immune system, keeping you from getting sick this flu season. Staying active also helps prevent injuries from creeping up when you’re able to get back into your normal exercise routine.
            TO DO: Search for free workouts on-demand with your cable service. This way if you can’t get outside you can still sneak in some exercise. I’ve seen programs for yoga, cardio, strength training, and even zumba. And try your best to get outside for a walk when you can. Fresh air and sunlight do amazing things for your brain and your Vitamin D levels. If your gym is closed but you can still get around the city, see if other gyms in the area have a ‘drop in’ rate so you can take another class and try something new.

FOOD: Fresh fruit and veges are hard to come by during the winter months, and sometimes you just want a hearty meal to warm you up. Either way, diets change this time of year. Holidays bring sweets into the house, and no one wants to go grocery shopping when it’s below zero. As a result, we end up relying on a lot of processed and/or sugar-laden foods to fill up on. Remember this though, our bodies run on fuel in the form of food. They run on big macronutrients like carbohydrates, fats, and proteins, and smaller nutrients like vitamins and minerals. All of these things can be found in real food. When I say “real” I mean the things that come from nature, not from a box. Boxed processed foods, with ingredient labels full of unpronounceable chemicals and additives aren’t real. Not only do they fail to provide our bodies with the fuel necessary for us to function and stay healthy, but they also add harmful ingredients to our bodies in the form of chemicals, excess sodium/sugar, and unnatural dyes. Also remember, illness, sickness, and disease breed on things like sugar. When your body is already struggling to avoid whatever flu is going around this season, don’t give it any more ammo! Instead, give it whole foods that promote health, good digestion, and immunity.
            TO DO: Try shopping the perimeter of the grocery store one of these days. That means relegating yourself to the produce, dairy, and meat sections, and avoiding the aisles full of processed food. Obviously the different diets that you adhere to may exclude the diary and/or meat, but my goal is to simply help you fill your cart with more food from nature than from a box. The next time you grab chips for a snack, try grabbing some celery with some natural peanut butter instead. Swapping out a few typical food choices here and there can make a huge difference. By the time spring rolls around, you’ll be dying to stock up on fruits and veges at the farmer’s market on the weekends.

WATER: When you think about it, water is miraculous. Not only is most of the earth composed of water, but so are our bodies. Our skin, hair, and nails need it to stay healthy. Our digestive system doesn’t function without it. Our organs rely on it. The discs of our spine, the shock absorbers between the vertebrae, are made up of 86% water. Our muscles require it. Detoxification depends on it. Anyway, because we don’t get our daily intake of water from taking a shower or jumping in a lake, we must drink it! Drinking half of your body weight in ounces of water each day is the latest recommendation for staying adequately hydrated. And no, hot cocoa, coffee, soda, and fruit juice don’t count! Just water!
            TO DO: If the ‘taste’ of water doesn’t do it for you, there are some tricks you can use. Adding lemons or limes to your water can help, as can freezing berries in your ice cubes and adding them to your water bottle in the morning. That leads me to another point. Carry a water bottle with you, and fill it when it’s empty. Sometimes, people need to set water goals for themselves throughout the day. One bottle before lunch, one at lunch, one after, or whatever you need to get your daily intake. Either way, try actually focusing on this for the next week. In no time, it will become a habit, and your body will start to rely on it. And remember, by the time you realize you’re thirsty, you’re already dehydrated so stay ahead of the game!

ADDRESS INJURIES: One of the biggest bummers is watching everyone else put on their sneakers to get outside and exercise on the first beautiful spring day, and being sidelined by an injury. Winter treadmill running, slip and fall accidents, or starting a new activity too quickly can all lead to injuries that hang around through the spring. Take the time to address injuries now, rest if necessary, and rehab your body.
            TO DO: If you’ve got a spinal, soft tissue, or extremity issue check in with your chiropractor for an exam and evaluation. Depending on the injury, adjustments, strengthening, stretching, muscle work, taping, and/or stability can be used to address it. Catching it sooner rather than later is always better, making recovery easier and quicker.

SET GOALS: This is an easy one. What do you want to accomplish in the coming months? Is it better health? Is it a fitness or exercise goal? Is it a professional or family goal? The spring can be used like the New Year to start fresh and evaluate your life. But don’t wait until it gets here to set goals. Sit down and think about how you’d like to spend the next 6 months. That way, as soon as the weather allows us all to operate like fully-functioning adults again, you’re ready to go!

Hopefully this week’s blog has you looking forward to a spring of warmth, health, and wellness! Remember, the ground hog says just three more weeks…..


-Dr. Lauren Doscher

Friday, February 20, 2015

Shin Splints

Now to put it nicely, the city of Boston is kind of a mess right now. I know I’m not telling you anything you don’t already know, but between the arctic temps and one million feet of snow, we have seen transportation routes, daily activities, work schedules, and exercise options change drastically in the past month. One of the biggest things I’ve noticed is how few runners are out and about in the city. If I know anything about these athletes, I know that the inability to get outside for their daily or weekly routes around Boston is driving them crazy. You want to see someone have a mini crisis? Try telling a runner who is used to jogging along the Charles everyday that he’ll be relegated to a treadmill for a month or two while the city figures out what to do with 10’ tall snow banks. It’s torture! Anyway, the point is that when I was walking around the city yesterday, my thought process started with the snow and went to: “No one is outside running. That’s so unusual. à Oh my goodness, I bet everyone is trying to make due on treadmills. à Ooooooo their bodies aren’t used to thattttt. à Ugh, bring on the shin splints.” So here we are talking about shin splints, all because Mother Nature seems to want the Northeast in a blanket of white until July.

Training for a sport or working to get back in shape is hard enough, right? No matter the activity or goal, it takes conditioning of your lungs, muscles, and mental strength just to get to the point where you don’t feel like you’re going to die every time you head out for some exercise. Given all of that, it seems pretty unfair that some people have do deal with excruciating and debilitating pain in their shins as well. Now unfortunately, shin splints don’t discriminate. Most people associate this particular injury solely with runners, but in reality I’ve seen it sideline cyclists, basketball players, and neighborhood walkers alike. If you’re active, changing up your fitness routine (like going from running outside to on a treadmill), or starting fresh in the New Year, shin pain can creep up on you and stop you in your tracks. If you’ve experienced it before, you know exactly what I’m talking about. If you haven’t, you’re one of the lucky ones! Let’s talk about some of the causes of this nasty pain, and how to treat it.

How in the world do your itty bitty shins cause so much pain and discomfort? Well, there are a few ways, some soft tissue and some bony in nature. First of all, the ‘shin bone’, also known as the tibia, is actually pretty strong and much bigger than you might think. Reach down and find the sharp ridge of your shin running down the middle of your lower leg. Grab hold of it with your fingertips. Now let your thumb slide toward the inside of your leg until you no longer feel bone. You’ve basically got your tibia in a pincher grip that’s probably about an inch wide. This bone travels from the inside of your ankle up to your knee, widening at the top to meet the end of the thigh bone (femur) and form the knee joint. Not only does it make up part of the knee joint, allowing the lower leg to bend and extend, but it bears a lot of weight while standing, walking, running, etc. Lying along the outside of shin is the tibialis anterior muscle. This muscle travels from just below the outside of the knee, down along the shin until it crosses over the shin toward the inner ankle. It actually attaches itself to the bones of the first toe. When it contracts, this muscle works to lift the top of your foot towards your shin. Imagine it as the muscle responsible for allowing you to walk around on your heels. If you sit with a leg out in front of you and draw your toes/foot back toward you, you will probably see the muscle along your shin pop out. There it is! Another important job of the tibialis anterior is to support the arches of your feet. Now which parts have the ability to become injured?

Sometimes, pain in the shin can be caused by tiny stress fractures of the tibia. Usually caused by repeated trauma (lots of running, jumping, etc.) or an initiation of a new activity too quickly, these stress fractures happen over time. Now I don’t want you to sit there and imagine your shin bone broken into a million pieces. Instead, think of little hairline fractures probably not even perceptible on x-ray, but present enough to cause inflammation, pain, and slight weakening of the bone.

Another cause of pain in the shin comes from stress on the tibialis anterior muscle. Repetitive activities like running, walking, stair climbing, and jumping all require the muscle to work overtime. Just like any other muscle in the body, overuse can mean irritation, spasm, and inflammation resulting in pain. Further, if the arches of your feet have fallen and you over pronate, extra stress is placed on this muscle.

Sometimes improper biomechanics of the low back, pelvis, hips, knees, and ankles are to blame. If the joints in any of these areas are not moving properly, the surrounding muscles react. For example, maybe the joints of the pelvis aren’t moving smoothly, affecting the way you walk. A muscle like the Tensor Fasciae Latae that runs from the outside of the pelvis to the knee, tighten. Now both your hips and your knee are affected, putting strain on a muscle like the tibialis anterior and causing you pain. Think of it as this crazy biomechanical chain of events that can happen from the feet up, or spine down to change how you move and feel.

Lastly, some pain the in shin is caused by a more serious condition called compartment syndrome. While this isn’t considered true ‘shin splints’, the two conditions occasionally get confused. During chronic compartment syndrome, the pressure in muscles of lower leg (such as the tibialis anterior) increases, usually due to some sort of injury or overuse. Because the muscle is surrounded by an inflexible covering known as fascia, when injury-induced swelling occurs, there is little room for the muscle to expand. Instead, venous and lymphatic drainage is stunted and waste and extra fluid are not cleaned out of the muscle. Blood supply to the area remains and pressure grows. Eventually oxygen to the muscles is decreased and nearby nerves and muscles have a chance of being damaged. Swelling results and now you’re in the middle of a nasty cycle of injury to the muscles!

So what can we do short of requesting shin transplants to feel better? Just in case that option doesn’t exist let’s explore other treatments:

·      Rest: I know that suggesting rest to active, motivated individuals doesn’t always go over well, but sometimes it’s necessary! If you’re in a lot of pain during/after activity, consider taking a couple of weeks off. If you’re dealing with over-worked muscles, you should be able to see a bit of improvement in that time. Ease back into activity at that point, starting slow, to gauge how you feel and go from there. Stress fractures, however, won’t heal in two weeks.
·      Ice: As a natural anti-inflammatory, ice can help reduce inflammation caused by both stress fractures and irritated muscles. Try filling a Dixie cup ¾ full with water, and freezing it. You can then peel back part of the paper cup to expose the ice, and use it for an ice massage along the shin and muscles. 4-5min of icing, 20min rest, followed by another 4-5min of icing after activity may help. You may really dislike me for those 5minutes of freezing cold, but your shins won’t!
·      Cross-train: Your body likes diversity! If you’re a runner dealing with shin splints, try cross-training with cycling or running in the deep end of the pool. Anytime you subject your body to the same motions or actions repetitively, there’s a chance that it will get cranky. Switching things up can help you develop different muscles, and give overused muscles a break. You can even try training on different terrain. Try trail running if you’re used to pavement!
·      Stretch: Before you begin activity, warm-up! Sit with your legs out in front of you and start by drawing the alphabet with your toes/feet. Then gently point your toes, hold for 3s, and relax, repeating 10 times to stretch the tibialis anterior before use.
·      Orthotics: As we talked about, sometimes the arches of the feet are to blame. If you question the integrity of your arches or notice any foot pain along with your shin splints, question your chiropractor about getting some orthotics to put into your shoes. They work to put your feet back into biomechanically appropriate positions, and make the soft tissues and joints much more cooperative.
·      Graston: Ask your chiropractor about this technique. It uses lotion and a stainless steel tool to work through adhesions and scar tissue that may have developed in the covering of the tibialis anterior muscle. Any time adhesions and/or scar tissue develop there is potential for inflammation, restriction of movement, improper function, and spasm. Any of these things can contribute to your pain. Now, I’ll never try to pretend that this is the most comfortable or pleasant treatment on the planet. That being said, a patient recently told me that the work we did on his shins with Gaston saved his senior year basketball season. He told me that without it, he wouldn’t have been able to make it through the games. I’ve also seen it help treat triathletes, cyclists, and long distance runners. Pretty cool stuff….
·      Adjustments: You can always have your chiropractor assess your low back, pelvis, hips, knees, ankles, and feet for joints that aren’t moving well and need to be adjusted, and for muscle imbalances throwing off your biomechanics and in need of retraining. These things can all help relieve excess stress on the shins.
·      If you’re experiencing extreme pain that doesn’t improve with a couple weeks of rest, or extreme pressure in the lower legs with exercise, consult your doctor about the possibility of stress fractures or compartment syndrome. Again, these fractures probably won’t show up on x-ray, but it can’t hurt to check. Longer periods of rest will be necessary to heal in this case. If compartment syndrome is suspected, further testing can be done to confirm and if necessary surgery may be a treatment option.

Until next time, switch up your exercise routines or take some time to let your body rest. Meanwhile, try to embrace the snow. It may be around for a while….


Dr. Lauren Doscher

Friday, February 13, 2015

High Heels Causing Back Pain

After watching the Grammy’s this week, I’ve decided that most women have an incredible superpower. It’s not flying, or mind reading (I wish!), or time travel, but it is truly amazing nonetheless. When I started watching the red carpet, I was distracted by all of the beautiful people, beautiful clothes, and beautiful shoes. Everyone looked so elegant that it took a second for my chiropractic brain to kick in and realize that all of the women seemed to be wearing THE HIGHEST HIGH HEELS ON PLANET EARTH! I’m not kidding. There must have been some sort of rule that said, “If they’re not 5”, you won’t be let in,” because everyone was at least a half of a foot taller that night. The craziest thing is that these women glided from interview to interview, and through all of their performances as if they were wearing slippers…or Nike’s. That’s when I decided that the ability to stand, walk, dance, and generally function in everyday life while wearing heels, is a superpower. Here’s the thing though. I’m pretty certain that this is one superpower we don’t want to have. I mean it’s impressive, but if heels are that uncomfortable and difficult to wear, what are they actually doing to our feet and our bodies as they cart us around the city of Boston? Let’s talk…

When we step into a pair of heels, it’s like we’ve decided that walking around on our tippy toes the entire day is a great idea. It’s also as if we’ve decided that our posture, biomechanics, and center of gravity aren’t challenged enough during the day, and could use a liiiiittle added stress. As soon as we hop into those bad boys, our weight shifts forward, we bend slightly at the hips, and our bodies have to fight that effect all day long. As your center of gravity travels forward, your calves, hamstrings, and low back work and struggle to keep you upright. Meanwhile, in order to keep us from becoming a human version of the Leaning Tower of Pisa, our upper back has to work in tandem with our lower body to pull us back upright. As we’ve talked about before, the longer you put your body and soft tissues through unnecessary and excessive amounts of stress, the more apt they are to adapt accordingly. The simple act of standing in heels causes these muscles to tighten, shorten, spasm, and become very uncomfortable. So, I guess we now know why wearing heels makes your legs look great! They’re working overtime! Factor in a five-day work week in your favorite pumps, and you’ve got some permanent tightness and decreased flexibility developing.

Another way your body reacts to a large lift under the heel is by tilting your pelvis forward. Imagine the effect to be similar to the way that the weight of a pregnant woman’s belly draws her midsection forward. Or even, picture the posture of someone with “swayback.” If you’re not familiar with the term, it’s usually used to describe someone with an accentuated arch to her low back, making her glute muscles very prominent. So, high heels tilt the pelvis forward, causing us to the bend at the hips. This also forces the natural curve of the low back to straighten out. In order to adapt and stand up straight, our bodies throw an arch into the low back to draw our upper body back over our hips, instead of allowing us to remain bent forward. A couple of issues may arise from this (besides the muscles tension mentioned above), to cause low back pain. First, anytime you increase the curve of the low back, the joints that make up the backside of your spinal column end up jamming. Jammed (facet) joints can cause a decrease in joint motion which may lead to decreased flexibility in the low back. It can also mean inflammation, irritation, and radiation of pain from the low back into the glutes or leg(s). Also, occasionally we see an injury called a Spondylolisthesis associated with an increased low back curve. This is the shifting of at least one lumbar vertebra forward, potentially creating some instability, spasm, and pain.

Lastly, and most obviously, is the foot pain. Ohhhh, the pain. Now most of us don’t go into a department store actually looking to buy uncomfortable shoes. Some heels have more cushion than others and some are simply made better. Regardless, it’s not always torture when we try them on and take a 30 second test drive around the shoe department before deciding to buy them. The problem really does come with extended wear. This is because the pressure we feel on our forefoot while wearing heels is dependent on the height of the heel. The higher the heel, the more pressure that is transferred down underneath the ball of your foot. You may not even notice the effects of this weight transfer for the first hour or two, but this is why is feels like someone has broken your feet and rearranged your bones at the end of the day. Perhaps that was a little dramatic, but the point is that it hurts! The balls of your feet simply aren’t made to withstand that kind of pressure for long periods of time. As a result, the joints in your feet start to jam, extra stress can mean arthritic changes, and bunions can begin forming. If we take it one step further and think about the soft tissues of the feet, we realize there’s more potential for injury. The strong but easily irritated arches of the feet do not reallllly appreciate a high heel. For people with normal arches, a heel ends up straining them. Those with dropped arches or “flat feet” experience an even more dramatic version of this strain. Even if you’ve got nice high arches, a heel provides very little support to your foot. It’s like a very unfortunate lose/lose/lose situation. And don’t forget last week's discussion. Messing with the soft tissues and arches of the foot can put you in a world of hurt in the form of Plantar Fasciitis. No fun. Nooo fun.

So what are we going to do about this? I thought about banning all high heels in the city of Boston, but I’m not sure I have the authority to do that. Let’s talk about some realistic suggestions instead:

·      LIMIT the amount of time you spend in heels: Please, pleassseee! I’m begging you. I know they look great. I get that they do amazing things for your legs. I even realize that sometimes the workplace dictates a certain dress code. But attempt to cut back on the amount of time you subject your feet to the effects of a heel. I got pretty lucky as a female. My dislike for high heels has been perfectly paired with the lucky fact that if I tried to wear them while adjusting a patient, I’d probably tip over. Because some of you may not be so fortunate, I simply recommend that you start to listen to your feet, legs, and low backs and give them a rest every now and then. They’ll thank you!
·      Switch up your footwear: Try different heel heights throughout the week, or travel to work in one pair of shoes and pack a second pair for the office.
·      Ice your feet: Utilize the trick for Plantar Fasciitis we talked about last week. Freeze a water bottle and roll in under each foot for 4-5min at the end of the day. The ice will act as a natural anti-inflammatory and decrease any swelling. The bottle itself will serve to work out some of the tightness in the soft tissues under the feet.
·      Stretch: Keeping the muscles of your lower body flexible and limber will help prevent them from really shortening or spasming in response to the high heels. Focus on the bottoms of the feet, calves, hamstrings, and low back, and give them a little TLC at the end of a long day.
·      Consult your chiropractor: Sometimes you’re going to have to wear those heels, your superpower may fail you, and you might end up in some discomfort. If you aren’t able to squash it on your own with the other tips, let your chiropractor know. She can evaluate your feet and ankles for joints that aren’t moving well and need to be adjusted, or for injured soft tissues that need some work with the Graston technique to break up adhesions or scar tissue. I will strongly suggest seeing your chiropractor for any high heel-induced low back pain. Each cause of low back pain that we discussed today is treated a little differently, so it’s important to figure out exactly what’s causing your pain in order to properly address it. An exam will reveal which structure(s) are causing your pain, and your chiropractor may use adjustments, soft tissue techniques, or stabilizing exercises to treat them.

Until next time, try to remember that just because we havvvve a superpower, doesn’t mean we need to usssse it constantly. Be kind to your feet and low back, and throw on a pair of good sneakers every now and then.


-Dr. Lauren Doscher

Wednesday, February 4, 2015

Plantar Fasciitis and Foot Pain

I’m not quite sure how I feel about the fact that my brother’s birthday pancakes inspired a blog about Plantar Fasciitis, but I think it just speaks to the power of pancakes. Let me explain….

It was Sunday morning and I was walking through the North End to the nearest grocery store on a mission for milk, eggs, and Bisquick. We were celebrating my younger brother’s birthday so of course the world’s most delicious pancakes were on the menu. I was almost to the store when the bottom of my foot started to bother me, so obviously I felt the need to self diagnose. I went back through my activities of the past few days, thought about all of the walking I had done, and had an epiphany! Since moving from Atlanta, my primary mode of transportation has completely changed. You see the people of Atlanta love their cars. Sure, public transportation exists, and people do have legs to walk on down there, but do most use their legs or the train? No way. The train system isn’t exactly efficient, and to give you an idea of how pedestrian-friendly the city is, I’ll share with you the very first piece of advice I got from my older brother when I arrived: “If you value your life, you will only cross the street when that little flashing Walk signal lights up, and even then keep your eyes peeled.” Nice, right? My point is that walking is not a way of life in Atlanta, and I’ve learned very quickly that it is in Boston. You walk to work, to the grocery store, to the T, from the bus, and then back again. Your feet carry you wherever you need to go. My two feet certainly aren’t used to this kind of action and I was starting to feel it. So there I was on Sunday flipping pancakes, stretching out the bottom of my foot, and thinking about Plantar Fasciitis. In case you too are feeling some foot pain, let’s talk about how this particular condition presents and what you can do about it. 

Plantar Fasciitis is the inflammation or irritation of the plantar fascia; the thick connective tissue band that runs from the heel to the toes along the bottom of your foot. Some have even attributed the discomfort to degeneration of the fascia at its attachment points. Either way, think of the plantar fascia as a bowstring along the bottom of the foot that supports the arches, bends and flexes to help our foot propel us, and acts as a shock absorber for movement. When irritated, it results in pain/tenderness in the heel, discomfort underneath the foot, and even tightness into the Achilles tendon and calf. It can be really uncomfortable and stubborn as all get out. It’s usually worse in the morning upon waking because it’s had the chance to stiffen up without use all night. It might relax as you go about your morning routine, but quickly regresses with activity, even if that ‘activity’ is simply walking. 

Typically, the pain flares up with excessive walking, running, jumping, or use of stairs, especially when we increase the amount of those activities in our day. Flat shoes also pose a problem as they lack arch support and cushion, while tight calves change your foot orientation and your arches. Maybe you started a new cardio kickboxing class, got a new pair of flats, made a New Year’s resolution to walk more, or changed your route to work. Now your foot, or heaven forbid feet (plural), are in pain. For me, the inciting incident was obviously ditching my car in a snow bank to tackle the streets of Boston by foot. All of these activities strain the plantar fascia, tugging, pulling, and stretching it such that its attachments at the heel and toes become irritated. You can even develop micro tears in the connective tissue. I don’t know about you, but that doesn’t sound like my idea of a good time. At the very least, the connective tissue increases in thickness, and decreases in flexibility and strength, perpetuating the problem and leaving you in pain. A little worse is the opportunity for your feet issues to affect the rest of you, throwing off your knees, hips, pelvis and back because their biomechanics have changed. Now you’ve got more issues!

So what do we do about it? How do we tackle the very annoying plantar fascia when it decides to become a real pain in our feet? Well, there are a couple of easy things you can do to address it if you feel like I’m talking to you:

·      Rest: Laying off any aggravating activities for a couple weeks can actually give the fascia a chance to heal and repair. Of course if “aggravating activities” include walking, I realize that’s kind of difficult to avoid.
·      Shoes: Make sure the shoes you’re wearing most of the time support your arches and cushion your foot. They help absorb shock and take stress off the plantar fascia.
·      Ice Massage: Because ice is a natural anti-inflammatory, it works to squash any inflammation that may be causing discomfort. Try freezing a water bottle and rolling it under your foot for 5-10min after activity. This also helps to loosen up the muscles/connective tissue.
·      Deep Tissue Massage: Done by a professional, this can help target the problematic tissues to release them. They may also pay attention to the calves in order to loosen up the muscles and prevent them from tugging through the Achilles and down into the heel. If you have a Runner’s Stick, you could also use that along the bottom of the foot.
·      Kinesio Tape: This method of taping is very different from traditional athletic taping. It allows full range of motion of the foot/ankle while supporting the arches and providing back-up stabilization to the soft tissues that need it. Ask your chiropractor if she knows how to Kinesio Tape.
·      Graston: This soft tissue technique uses lotion and a stainless steel tool to break up adhesions/scar tissue in the plantar fascia and soft tissues of the foot that are contributing to decreased mobility and preventing them from effectively doing their jobs. It sounds like medieval torture, but it’s pretty effective in producing relief while treating one of the causes of your discomfort, instead of just masking the pain. Ask your chiropractor if she is Graston certified.
·      Chiropractic Extremity Adjustments: Sometimes the joints of the feet aren’t moving like they should. This throws off the way the soft tissues respond and develop, and can even affect the way you walk. Getting your chiropractor to evaluate your feet for these restrictions, and put some motion back into the joints where necessary, can let soft tissues relax, arches maintain their integrity, and allow you to walk properly.
·      Orthotics: Orthotics are shoe inserts that reinforce proper biomechanics of the foot and retrain the muscles, soft tissues, and arches accordingly. They are helpful for both people with low arches (flat feet) or very high arches depending on how they are made to fit your needs. Proper structure and function of the feet means less tugging, pulling and stress on the plantar fascia. Ask your chiropractor if she orders orthotics for her patients, or where you can go to get some made.  
·      Night Braces: Another approach is to invest in night braces for the feet. These work to stretch the feet and calves while you sleep to promote flexibility and prevent them from tightening up overnight.

More extreme ways of treating Plantar Fasciitis involve corticosteroid shots and surgery. While a small percentage of people will need to explore these options, my goal is to help you avoid them if possible. I don’t know about you, but the idea of getting shots in the bottom of my feet is like my own little version of a nightmare.


So to recap today’s discussion: Plantar Fasciitis is typically diagnosed by a patient’s report of symptoms, along with physical examination of the soft tissues of the foot. Imaging isn’t helpful in this case, with the exception of ruling out bigger, badder problems. If you’ve got some foot pain and you feel like you fit this description, try some of the home remedies and check with your chiropractor to see how she can help. Plantar Fasciitis is stubborn, stubborn, stubborn, so if you’re unable to tackle it on your own don’t be afraid to bring in reinforcements. Remember, the other option may be needles in your foot… That being said, I think I’ve got an appointment with a frozen water bottle, some Graston tools, and some gluten-free pancakes.

-Dr. Doscher