We’ve all blamed the dog for eating our homework, making a mess, or eating the last cookie on the table. But those angry rascals can also cause physical injuries. The cute fluffy little dog wags its tail and encourages you to go for a walk every day. Rain or shine, he wants to go. You probably walk it every day and have a set route and pattern.
Sometime in the middle of the night, the dog walk starts to damage your shoes. Your cute, shiny white shoes get old and give you less support. Rubber heels, once firm and comfortable, become soft. The shoes eventually stop absorbing the striking forces of the concrete. The force of the impact passes through the shoes and reaches your feet.
Eventually the bottom of your foot starts to get a little tired and it hurts when you walk. The crafty dog makes you walk every day and your feet keep absorbing the extra force. Over time, a small spot becomes more painful and might cause you a little soreness first thing in the morning. The pain disappears quickly in a few steps. Then one day, you realize that the small pain has turned into a sharp, stabbing pain that lasts for 10 steps. That dog has done it again; he caused you to develop a case of plantar fasciitis.
Plantar fasciitis is an inflammatory condition of the fascia (ligament) that runs on the bottom of the foot. This fascia extends from the heel to the toes and supports the entire foot. It stretches with each step and absorbs some of the forces of walking, running or jumping. In some cases, the fascia can be injured and develop into plantar fasciitis.
There are several different treatments for plantar fasciitis, including ice, stretching, exercises, shoe inserts, orthotics, better shoes, the Graston technique, taping, or cold lasers. Cold laser is a newer technique to treat plantar fasciitis.
The cold laser uses specific wavelengths to cause changes inside the body. Different frequencies and wavelengths have different functions. The laser is excellent for reducing pain, inflammation and edema. It will also activate enzymes to produce additional ATP, which is the energy source for cells. Injured cells often have lower energy stores, so extra ATP means more energy to repair and heal. The laser can also decrease the formation of scar tissue, which is a component of chronic plantar fasciitis.
Cute, fluffy dogs want their walks, and most aren’t about to wait weeks for their feet to stop aching. Give your feet two weeks of ice and rest. If your pain does not improve, seek active treatment for your plantar fasciitis.