When it comes to conditions that make doctors throw up their hands and wonder what to do, I think heel pain ranks right at the top. First, there the usual referral to a physical therapist, which gets the doctor off the hook. Then comes physical therapy, corrective insoles, expensive shoes, pain pills, and more powerful pain pills. When all this fails, another referral is usually made to a surgeon, who will generally perform a surgery that treats the symptoms. There may or may not be relief. Some may feel a bit better, and some may be permanently worse. |
Most heel pain is ascribed to heel spurs, arthritis, fascitis, or some other inflammatory process. Indeed, there usually is inflammation, often arthritis, and frequently spurs that can be seen on an x-ray. But all these are symptoms of an underlying problem that has never been resolved.
Once the underlying process goes unresolved for weeks or months, the body takes secondary steps as best it can to keep the heel and walking ability as functional as possible. These steps result calcium deposits in the form of arthritis, spurs, and more. If the underlying cause of the problem can be resolved, the painful heel (plantar fascia and muscles), and even the Achilles tendon simply stop hurting-with no further treatment needed whether the spur is still there or not.
The Cause
Most heel problems begin with an injury to the heel, foot, ankle, Achilles, or some combination of these. The injury does not heal properly and scars form on the tissues. The scars build up and cause pain as they press on nerves in the area and eventually retard the foot from moving properly. Muscle fibers become entrapped within their sheaths or within scar tissues. The problem is now chronic and painful on every step.
The Cure The only thing that will resolve most of these problems is to break down the entrapping and scarring tissues that have resulted from an injury. This is done with deep pressure applied to the foot and heel while the foot is mobilized and moved through its range of motion. In other words, the therapist finds the scar area, holds very deep and painful pressure, and instructs the patient to move his or her foot through the range of motion that involves the scarred area. |
This action breaks the muscles and fascia free from the scar materials and calcium cement. It is painful and often requires 6 to 12 treatments. But the treatments become easier over time and results are usually quick. As the body breaks itself free from the entrapping and irritating scars and calcium buildup, range of motion in the foot and heel quickly improves. Blood flows to the area and helps remove debris from the joint. Over time even the calcium spurs, which are usually a soft paste, are resolved and disappear. They were never the cause of the problem to begin with.
To find out more and to locate someone who can provide this treatment, go to www.activereleasetechnique.com. Hopefully you can find someone near you who has been trained in this remarkable technique. Once you discover how powerful this therapy is, and how tiny scars were the cause of the problem all along, it will dawn on you that in most cases surgery is useless.
To find out more and to locate someone who can provide this treatment, go to www.activereleasetechnique.com. Hopefully you can find someone near you who has been trained in this remarkable technique. Once you discover how powerful this therapy is, and how tiny scars were the cause of the problem all along, it will dawn on you that in most cases surgery is useless.
Treat the Cause or Suffer Best of all, the same type of problem occurs and can be easily corrected in other joints, such as wrists, elbows, shoulders, neck, and so on. The average number of treatments needed is from two to a dozen treatments. The treatment costs from less than $100 to close to $1,000. Whatever the cost, it is worth ten times the price. The treatment period is usually less than three months and most people show improvement after the first few treatments. |
The alternative is lengthy suffering. It is not unusual for heel and other joint problems to linger for months, years, or even for life. All during this time you cannot do the things you enjoy, you are in chronic pain, you may suffer from side effects from pain medications, and you may even be seriously injured by surgery. All the while your injury cries out for proper treatment.
The type of doctors who learn this technique are mostly chiropractors. However, some osteopaths, medical physicians, medical massage therapists, and physical therapists also know this therapy. I have been quoted often as saying, "How can anyone make it through life without fl skilled chiropractor?" In this case, if you are fortunate enough to find a great chiropractor who also knows Active Release Technique, hang on to him or her with all your strength. They are absolutely in disposable
So when it comes to chronic joint pain, remember, not one doctor in 1,000 really knows what is causing the problem-no matter how famous or expensive they are, or how "world-renowned" their clinic is. Unless there is an obvious cause (like a broken bone), almost all other joint problems that become chronic involve injured, damaged, entrapped, stuck, "glued," or scarred tissues like muscles, tendons, ligaments, and bone ends.
Nothing but freeing up these tissues will ever result in a cure. So treat the real cause of joint pain. And always save surgery as the treatment of last resort.
HEALTH ALERT Dr. Bruce West M.D. May 2006, Volume 23, Issue 5
The type of doctors who learn this technique are mostly chiropractors. However, some osteopaths, medical physicians, medical massage therapists, and physical therapists also know this therapy. I have been quoted often as saying, "How can anyone make it through life without fl skilled chiropractor?" In this case, if you are fortunate enough to find a great chiropractor who also knows Active Release Technique, hang on to him or her with all your strength. They are absolutely in disposable
So when it comes to chronic joint pain, remember, not one doctor in 1,000 really knows what is causing the problem-no matter how famous or expensive they are, or how "world-renowned" their clinic is. Unless there is an obvious cause (like a broken bone), almost all other joint problems that become chronic involve injured, damaged, entrapped, stuck, "glued," or scarred tissues like muscles, tendons, ligaments, and bone ends.
Nothing but freeing up these tissues will ever result in a cure. So treat the real cause of joint pain. And always save surgery as the treatment of last resort.
HEALTH ALERT Dr. Bruce West M.D. May 2006, Volume 23, Issue 5