Hi TJ, I got PF from
Hi TJ,
I got PF from standing in poor shoes behind a counter for 8 hours, then I'd go home and spend another 8 to 10 hours standing in my darkroom printing for an upcoming exhibition. After that initial start it just kept getting worse and worse as great globs of scar tissue built up along my Plantar Aponeurosis (the tendons going from the heel to the toes).
Where I live there aren't too many health care options, so I went to our regions Podiatrist. He had me walk 20 feet away from him, then 20 feet back, told me I over-pronated, and cast me for orthotics. I wore his rock hard plastic orthotics in shoes to correct for over-pronation for a year, and things just kept getting worse.
We got a hand me down computer about this time, and I scoured the Internet for a solution.
In the end I chose a Chiropractor in Vancouver trained in Active Release Technique (ART). This technique breaks up scar tissue in muscles and tendons like Myofascial Release does, except the ART practitioner uses a deep, penetrating stripping motion as the patient moves the effected area through its full range of motion. He had me extend my legs while sitting and point my foot slightly downwards, then I bent my foot back as far as I could and pulled my toes back to make the tendons on the bottom of my foot go as tight as possible. While I did this he pressed about as hard as he could with his thumbs, and in a stripping motion went from my toes to my heel. OUCH-EEE-MOMMA!!!!!!!!!!!!! I went for 5 treatments over two weeks 4 years ago, and my feet have gotten better ever since.
At the same time I also went to a Pedorthist, someone who specializes in foot biomechanics who goes for three years extra training after getting their degree in Health Sciences or Kinesiology just to become an entry level Pedorthist. She examined me for half an hour, declared I had a neutral gait, and made me some flexible orthotics. I wore those for about 2 years until I didn't need them anymore.
Of my original hard plastic orthotics the Pedorthist said, "These are the worst possible kind of orthotics that you could have been prescribed". After first using ART on my feet the Chiropractor said, "How many other people has he (the Podiatrist) done this to"?
Sorry for the essay, but I went through a whole world of hurt! Right now I would say I'm 99% cured of it
Hi TJ,
I got PF from standing in poor shoes behind a counter for 8 hours, then I'd go home and spend another 8 to 10 hours standing in my darkroom printing for an upcoming exhibition. After that initial start it just kept getting worse and worse as great globs of scar tissue built up along my Plantar Aponeurosis (the tendons going from the heel to the toes).
Where I live there aren't too many health care options, so I went to our regions Podiatrist. He had me walk 20 feet away from him, then 20 feet back, told me I over-pronated, and cast me for orthotics. I wore his rock hard plastic orthotics in shoes to correct for over-pronation for a year, and things just kept getting worse.
We got a hand me down computer about this time, and I scoured the Internet for a solution.
In the end I chose a Chiropractor in Vancouver trained in Active Release Technique (ART). This technique breaks up scar tissue in muscles and tendons like Myofascial Release does, except the ART practitioner uses a deep, penetrating stripping motion as the patient moves the effected area through its full range of motion. He had me extend my legs while sitting and point my foot slightly downwards, then I bent my foot back as far as I could and pulled my toes back to make the tendons on the bottom of my foot go as tight as possible. While I did this he pressed about as hard as he could with his thumbs, and in a stripping motion went from my toes to my heel. OUCH-EEE-MOMMA!!!!!!!!!!!!! I went for 5 treatments over two weeks 4 years ago, and my feet have gotten better ever since.
At the same time I also went to a Pedorthist, someone who specializes in foot biomechanics who goes for three years extra training after getting their degree in Health Sciences or Kinesiology just to become an entry level Pedorthist. She examined me for half an hour, declared I had a neutral gait, and made me some flexible orthotics. I wore those for about 2 years until I didn't need them anymore.
Of my original hard plastic orthotics the Pedorthist said, "These are the worst possible kind of orthotics that you could have been prescribed". After first using ART on my feet the Chiropractor said, "How many other people has he (the Podiatrist) done this to"?
Sorry for the essay, but I went through a whole world of hurt! Right now I would say I'm 99% cured of it
