Plantar fasciitis is when the plantar fascia, the fibrous band of tissue that runs along the bottom of your foot connecting your heel bone to your toes, gets tight, inflamed, and painful. This creates sharp, achy, sometimes stabbing pain under the foot, usually at the center of the heel or through the arch of the foot, and it’s always worse first thing in the morning when you wake up or after sitting for an extended period of time, as it tightens with inactivity.
Plantar fasciitis is common due to everyday biomechanical stress and constant weight bearing. It often occurs in people who have had an old ankle sprain or altered foot biomechanics due to subluxation or misalignment in the foot, overloading the fascia and creating tendonitis-like symptoms. It can also be exacerbated by tight calf muscles and Achilles tendon, reducing the ankle’s range of motion and putting more stress on the plantar fascia. Three other causes of plantar fasciitis are being overweight, excessive standing especially on hard surfaces, and improper footwear that doesn’t provide enough arch support.
If you don’t address the plantar fasciitis, it will progress to the point where it will be difficult to walk due to pain in the heel and arch of the foot. If it remains long enough, a heel spur will most likely develop due to Wolff’s Law, which states that healthy bone will adapt and remodel in response to the mechanical loads placed upon it. Severe untreated cases can require surgery.
The good news is chiropractic is very effective at treating plantar fasciitis. The chiropractic approach in our office consists of four things: first, adjusting the misaligned or subluxated foot bones to restore proper mechanics, which is usually the root cause of the problem. Second, breaking up the adhesions in the plantar fascia with deep tissue massage for a couple of minutes to mobilize the tissue. This can be very uncomfortable but is very helpful. Third, stretching the plantar fascia and calf musculature to create more flexibility in the foot and ankle. And fourth, providing a full foot arch support for additional cushion and stability.
In severe cases, after the foot biomechanics are corrected, we will cast the patient for orthotics with a heel cut out to remove excessive pressure at the attachment and in the belly of the plantar fascia.
One very important home tip is to put your footwear with arch supports next to your bed and step directly into them when getting out of bed. Do not step directly on the floor. The plantar fascia will tighten overnight, and when you step on the floor with no support, you will create small micro tears in the fascia and make it worse. Another tip is to always wear your arch supports and avoid flat shoes like sandals or flip-flops with no arch support. Walking in sandals or bare feet with plantar fasciitis will make it worse.
$149 New Patient Special
Includes consultation with your doctor, thorough chiropractic examination, first treatment and customized plan of action.
How Our Care Plan Works
1. Finally Be Heard
Too often, patients feel like just another number in a crowded waiting room, leaving them frustrated and unheard. We believe your recovery starts with a conversation. That’s why we dedicate a full 30 minutes to your initial exam—giving you the floor to share your history, your concerns, and your goals. We’re here to listen intently, ensuring that the path we build together is one that finally puts your needs first.
2. Tailored Plan Of Attack
Knowledge is the first step toward lasting health. Once we’ve analyzed your exam results and digital X-rays, you’ll return for a detailed Report of Findings. We don’t just tell you what’s wrong; we show you why it’s happening. Together, we’ll walk through a personalized care plan tailored specifically to your lifestyle and goals. Our objective isn’t just a quick fix—it’s a sustainable strategy designed to resolve the root cause of your discomfort and prevent it from returning.
3. Take Back Control Of Your Health
Health is wealth. While resolving your symptoms is our first priority, our ultimate goal is to empower your future. We shift the focus from how you feel to how you function, teaching you the principles of spinal hygiene and proactive wellness. By investing in your health today, you aren’t just adding years to your life—you’re adding life to your years, ensuring you have the energy and mobility to enjoy every moment with the people you love.
How We Treat Plantar Fasciitis In Birdsboro & Reading, PA
Comprehensive Consultation and Exam
At McClimon Chiropractic, we know that in order to eliminate plantar fasciitis, we must first accurately diagnose it. Upon greeting the patient by name and giving them a tour on the way back, the doctor will help educate them on what it is we do. We then listen to the patient through a thorough consultation of their signs, symptoms, and history. You will have an opportunity to discuss your specific problem with the doctor and have all of your questions and concerns answered.
After the consultation, the doctor will perform appropriate orthopedic tests, a palpation exam especially of the foot, a postural exam, and spinal and foot range-of-motion testing. Typically with plantar fasciitis there will be tenderness in the center of the heel and in the arch of the foot. Once all exam information is compiled, the doctor will recommend appropriate X-rays and schedule your day two doctor’s report of findings to review all of your findings and recommendations.
The doctor’s recommendations are based on your goals and his findings. It is important to properly diagnose and treat plantar fasciitis sooner rather than later, or it could progress to the point of surgery. The great part about the chiropractic approach is that it directly addresses the root cause of the mechanical problem and doesn’t just mask it with a medication or injection. You cannot fix a mechanical problem with a chemical solution.
Digital X-rays
We believe to see is to know, and not to see is to guess, and we don’t guess with our patients’ health. Our state-of-the-art digital X-ray machine is essential to fully evaluate the alignment of the foot and how to precisely make our specific chiropractic adjustments based on your misalignment or subluxation pattern. They not only allow us to see what is there, but also allow us to monitor your progress or regression if future films are warranted. They are also valuable to screen for any pathology or contraindications to adjust. There are circumstances where they may not be utilized, such as pregnancy. X-rays allow us to see misalignment and whether a heel spur is developing.
Specific Chiropractic Care in Birdsboro, PA
Subluxation is misalignment in the spine or in an extremity, creating pressure on your nervous system and diminishing the flow of information over your nervous system, creating dysfunction and dis-ease. In plantar fasciitis, we usually find a misalignment of the calcaneus or heel bone, talus, and sometimes mid-foot bones, which alters the foot biomechanics and tightens the plantar fascia, contributing to plantar fasciitis.
Once subluxation or misalignment is identified in the foot through your examination and X-ray, the adjustment is the treatment to reduce or remove subluxation, restoring the body’s normal alignment, mechanics, and innate intelligence, restoring proper nerve flow and function, reducing inflammation, and improving mobility, which will help eliminate the symptoms without the use of drugs or surgery. In addition to the adjustment, we use deep tissue massage to break up the plantar fascia adhesions, stretches to improve mobility, and arch supports or custom orthotics to support the fascia and speed up healing. This is extremely safe and effective, addressing the root cause of the problem instead of just masking it.
Custom Therapeutic Exercise Plan
Exercise is an important part of your recovery and healing process, as well as helping you achieve your full potential. Subluxation or misalignment will create poor structural alignment and altered biomechanics, often leading to muscular imbalances and plantar fasciitis. It is important to note that exercise helps support the adjustments and improve flexibility and range of motion, but stretching without correcting the underlying structural misalignment is like medicine without a diagnosis — it won’t address the root cause of the imbalance or provide lasting results.
Exercise helps to mobilize tissues, stabilize them, and reinforce proper functional movement. We guide all patients through specific stretches for plantar fasciitis and guide them on modifying activities to prevent setbacks. Some home stretches involve stretching the calf muscles and stretching the muscles under the foot. We give specific instructions on footwear, arch supports or orthotics, and how to break up the adhesion of the plantar fascia at home. These are all designed to support the structural adjustments, create more mobility in the plantar fascia, and restore proper functional movement, eliminating the root cause of the plantar fasciitis pain.
Soft Tissue Work
In plantar fasciitis, the plantar fascia under the foot becomes very tight and develops adhesions. At McClimon Chiropractic, soft tissue work is a core part of how we treat this: it helps mobilize the plantar fascia, which helps create more flexibility, taking tension off of the attachment and lessening the pain. We do this by hand or with a scraping tool to break up these adhesions under the foot. The soft tissue work helps loosen the tissue and supports the adjustments to create better foot mechanics and less pain.
Another great tip to help plantar fasciitis is not stepping on the floor in bare feet when getting out of bed. The plantar fascia will tighten overnight, and stepping on the floor with no support will create additional stress on the attachment under your heel, not allowing it to heal. Stepping directly into a shoe with an arch support and walking around a few minutes prior to getting a shower or starting your day will avoid this irritation and speed up recovery.
Who Plantar Fasciitis Commonly Affects in Birdsboro & Reading, PA
Runners
Running puts a lot of stress on the foot, and repetitive strain, training errors, and increased biomechanical stress from altered foot alignment will increase the likelihood of developing plantar fasciitis. At McClimon Chiropractic, we help runners create better foot alignment with specific foot adjustments that improve mobility and biomechanics of the foot, lessening the stress on the plantar fascia and the likelihood of developing it. A good tip to manage foot health before and after a run is to wear proper footwear with a good arch, stretch the calf and foot, and avoid walking barefoot, which is more likely to irritate the plantar fascia.
Obese Individuals
Being overweight puts more stress on the foundation, which is your feet. An increase in the load on altered mechanics will create breakdown much faster. Chiropractors can perform specific adjustments and give home exercises and instructions to lessen the pain from plantar fasciitis and allow the individual to be more active, thus losing weight.
People With Certain Foot Structures
The normal foot arch has a moderate, balanced curve where the middle or inner part of the foot is slightly raised and does not touch the ground you stand on. Both flat feet or low arches and high arches put you at higher risk for plantar fasciitis because of how they change the way weight spreads across your foot. Chiropractic helps manage foot structure through specific foot adjustments, home stretches, and often custom-made orthotics.
Certain Occupations
Occupations that require prolonged walking, standing, or carrying heavy loads on hard surfaces are more likely to develop plantar fasciitis, including teachers, nurses, factory workers, retail staff, and postal carriers. At McClimon Chiropractic, we help relieve plantar fasciitis resulting from work through specific foot, lower back, and pelvic adjustments, recommending home stretches, wearing good supportive shoes with good arch supports, and doing soft tissue work on the plantar fascia.
One of the best tips to manage foot health is not stepping on the floor in bare feet when getting out of bed. The plantar fascia will tighten overnight, and stepping on the floor with no support will create additional stress on the attachment under your heel, not allowing it to heal. Stepping directly into a shoe with an arch support and walking around a few minutes prior to getting a shower or starting your day will avoid this irritation and speed up recovery. Walking in bare feet or shoes with minimal arch support will make it worse.
Pregnant Women
Pregnant women are at risk of plantar fasciitis due to carrying excessive weight. The extra weight can create more stress on the foot, and if there is subluxation in the foot, it will create more stress on the musculature and tendons, potentially contributing to plantar fasciitis. Plus, hormonal changes can loosen foot ligaments and shift their center of gravity, altering posture. Also, this is often accompanied by swelling in the feet and ankles, which leads to wearing less supportive footwear or going barefoot, which is more likely to result in plantar fasciitis. Chiropractic adjustments help spinal and extremity alignment in the foot, improving mechanics and lessening the stress on the plantar fascia. Chiropractic also helps ease back pain, balance the pelvis, and reduce physical tension through specific adjustments and techniques like the Webster technique.
Check Out Our Location Near You
Our office sits right on Main St in the heart of Birdsboro, just
8 miles from Reading — Main St runs straight into Reading, so it’s
an easy, direct drive either way. We’re proud to help patients
throughout Birdsboro, Douglassville, and Reading find lasting
pain relief.
3346 Main St, Birdsboro, PA 19508
Frequently Asked Questions About Plantar Fasciitis
Can chiropractors in Birdsboro, PA help with plantar fasciitis?
Yes. McClimon Chiropractic has extensive training in extremity conditions including plantar fasciitis and has been helping patients with this condition for over 20 years. We also make custom orthotics specifically for this condition.
What exercise can you do when you have plantar fasciitis?
You can manage plantar fasciitis with low-impact cardio and targeted stretches and myofascial work. Swimming, seated toe stretches, and standing calf stretches are all great options. Make sure to wear good arch supports.
How do I permanently get rid of plantar fasciitis?
There are four main steps: wear good arch supports especially first thing in the morning when you get out of bed (do not walk barefoot in the morning, or you will create more small micro tears in the plantar fascia and limit healing — step right into your arch supports out of bed and walk around a few minutes prior to starting your day), adjust the feet to maintain proper alignment and mechanics, stretch the plantar fascia and calf muscles, and do deep tissue massage to break up the adhesions in the feet about twice a week. At McClimon Chiropractic, we also make custom orthotics and can create a heel cut out to take stress off of the plantar fascia attachment and give the foot the support it needs for long-term relief.
Is a foot massage good for plantar fasciitis?
Yes, but it has to be deep tissue through the plantar fascia specifically to break up the adhesions of the fascia and improve its mobility.
What aggravates plantar fasciitis?
Wearing unsupportive shoes, like flip-flops with little to no support, not wearing good arch supports in your shoes, walking barefoot, repetitive mechanical strain, prolonged standing on hard surfaces, and tight lower leg muscles.
Is it bad to walk with plantar fasciitis?
No, but it’s bad to walk with plantar fasciitis in unsupportive shoes. Please see a professional to have the severity of the condition and your footwear evaluated.
Do cortisone shots help with plantar fasciitis?
No. A cortisone shot will help with the pain but will not help with the cause of the pain. The cortisone shot numbs the pain, which could actually cause the patient to use the foot more, making the condition worse without the proper treatment addressing the root cause of the condition.
What is the best thing to do for plantar fasciitis?
Four steps: wear good arch supports especially first thing in the morning, adjust the foot to create proper alignment and foot mechanics, stretch the lower leg musculature, and utilize deep tissue massage on the plantar fascia around twice a week until symptoms subside. If you have chronic plantar fasciitis, custom-made orthotics are recommended, which we have made for patients.
How do chiropractors in Birdsboro, PA help with plantar fasciitis?
Chiropractors can perform a thorough history, exam, and X-ray of the foot to officially diagnose it. Then they will guide the patient through the necessary steps to address the root cause. These steps include wearing proper footwear with adequate arch support, adjusting the foot, recommending home stretches, and performing deep tissue massage as needed until the symptoms subside. Our office also recommends and makes custom orthotics for patients with more severe cases.
How can I prevent my plantar fasciitis from getting worse?
There are four main steps: wear good arch supports especially first thing in the morning when you get out of bed (do not walk barefoot in the morning, or you will create more small micro tears in the plantar fascia and limit healing — step right into your arch supports out of bed and walk around a few minutes prior to starting your day), adjust the feet to maintain proper alignment and mechanics, stretch the plantar fascia and calf muscles, and do deep tissue massage to break up the adhesions in the feet about twice a week. We also make custom orthotics and can create a heel cut out to take stress off of the plantar fascia attachment and give the foot the support it needs for long-term relief. We recommend Spenco arch supports as a good generic arch support to buy over the counter.
$149 New Patient Special
Includes consultation with your doctor, thorough chiropractic examination, first treatment and customized plan of action.
