The Foot Trainer

Plantar Fasciits is one of the most commonly misunderstood and mistreated foot conditions because the medical definition is confusing, traditional treatments focus on symptoms and the exercises are typically physiologically incorrect, incomplete and ineffective.

Medical (Symptom) Definition: "Plantar fasciitis is inflammation involving the plantar fascia especially in the area of its attachment to the calcaneus (heel bone) and causing pain in the heel."

Reasons Why the Medical Definition is Misleading and Incorrect:

• Inflammation and pain are symptoms.

  Symptom =

  a sign, condition, by-product or temporary event which often appears to be a problem. However, when remedied, the problem (pain) reappears with other symptoms. Symptoms need be addressed, however, they should also be used to identify the most probable cause and your individual contributing factors.

  Cause =

  the root of the problem. The reason for which something has undergone change and is now causing a problem.



• Technically they are referring to the plantar aponeurosis not the plantar fascia.
  Plantar = bottom

  Aponeurosis =

  a flat sheet of tough ligament/tendon like tissue that mainly serves to connect toe and heel bones

  Fascia = skin like tissue that envelope muscle
  Ligament = strong cords of tissue that connect bone to bone
  Isis = inflammation



• There are 4 muscles/tendons (please refer to anatomy pictures) that also attach to your heel bone and any or all may contribute to plantar fasciits:
  The flexor digitorum brevis muscles/tendons
  Flexor = pull down
  Digitorum = the 2nd to 5th toes,
  Brevis = the muscle and tendon are both located entirely within the feet
  
  The abductor hallucis muscles/tendons
  Abductor = pull out
  Hallucis = big toe
  
  The abductor digiti minimi muscles/tendons
  Digiti = toe
  Minimi = smallest
  
  The gastrocnemius, soleus muscles/achilles tendons

The Physiological (Cause) Defintion:

Plantar fasciitis is repetitive strain injury involving foot and leg muscles, tendons, ligaments and the bones they attach to.

It is typically characterized by muscle imbalances where one or more flexor muscle/tendons are short/tight and one or more opposing extensor muscles/tendons are weak.

Foot Trainer Exercises address the physiological cause by stopping the repetitive injury cycle, relaxing short/tight flexor muscles/tendons and strengthening weak extensor muscles.

The Plantar Fasciitis Injury Sequence

• Repetitive impact on your feet and legs over time causes your flexor muscles/tendons to become short and tight.
• Repetitive impact on short, tight muscles/tendons causes micro tearing at the point where your tendons attach to your heel and toe bones.
• Repetitive micro tearing at the point of attachment causes progressive scarring of tissue, inflammation and pain.
• Over a period of time heel spurs and arthritis may develop.

Phone: (250)887-3268
info@foottrainer.com