Every day the majority of us spend a large amount of time on our feet. Consequently, any form of pain or discomfort in the muscles of our feet has a significant effect on our general wellbeing and enjoyment of day to day activities.
Whether it is due to walking, standing, running, wearing high heels or ill-fitting shoes, poor foot biomechanics, weak arches or flat feet, the muscles in our feet face constant stress through repetitive compression. This can cause damage to the fascia resulting in irritation or inflammation.
What is Plantar Fasciitis?
Plantar fasciitis is one of the most common sources of foot pain. Plantar fascia is a thick fibrous band of connective tissue that originates from the bottom surface of the calcaneus (heel bone) and runs along the sole of the foot towards the toes. Its purpose is to stop the over flattening of the arch of your foot. When it faces too much stress micro tears in the muscle occur which is known as Plantar fasciitis.
What are the symptoms?
The predominant symptom of plantar fasciitis is pain under the heel. The pain may be dull or sharp and the sole of the foot may feel achy or as if it has been burned. Inflammation of the heel may be visible. The pain can sometimes be felt more severely in the mornings when the first steps are taken, when intense activity is undertaken or after sitting or standing for an extended period of time.
Treatment through Massage and Myofascial Cupping
Research[1] has confirmed that treating plantar fasciitis though the use of myofascial cupping is an effective way to improve symptoms and help to return the plantar fascia to pre-damaged levels of elasticity.
Deep tissue massage works by applying positive pressure to the fascia by massaging the damaged tissue. Conversely dry cupping applies negative pressure to the plantar surface, heels, and calves, which enables more blood to circulate and promote healing whilst loosening the muscles and ligaments in these areas.
A combination of these two techniques coupled with effective pandiculation can provide positive outcomes for suffers of plantar fasciitis.
[1] See: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5462687/; https://www.researchgate.net/publication/333332585_Effects_of_myofascial_trigger_point_dry_cupping_on_pain_and_function_in_patients_with_plantar_heel_pain_A_randomized_controlled_trial
