You may have gritted your teeth and dealt with foot pain for years without ever realizing that your discomfort had a specific physical origin or even a medical name. But if your pain stems from a condition known as plantar fasciitis, you should know that a skilled chiropractor can help your feet stop hurting and start healing.

Your foot has a ligament called the plantar fascia that connects the collection of bones that make up the ball of the foot to the heel bone. This strong connective tissue helps distribute that weight evenly across the bottom of the foot. As you might imagine, strain to this ligament expresses itself as significant, sharp pain when you try to stand or move about on the affected foot. You will typically experience these symptoms at their worst when you first get up and start walking around in the morning. The pain may diminish somewhat as the day goes on -- only to cause another miserable morning the next day.

What did you do wrong to suffer from this debilitating problem? You may have ill-fitting shoes or a gait problem that stresses your feet on a daily basis, or a sports injury may have damaged the plantar fascia. Even your weight could prove a factor, with excess pounds leading to excess strain on your feet.

If you have had enough of the pain and stiffness in your feet, walk them over to our office at Affton Lemay Chiropractic Center. Dr. Hengel can prescribe a form of massage called Active Release Therapy to break up any internal scar tissue, freeing trapped nerves and facilitating the healing process. We will also diagnose the underlying cause of your ailment and apply the appropriate corrective therapy, ranging from chiropractic adjustment to orthotic shoes, until your feet feel good again.

Have you experienced plantar fasciitis? Tell us your story!