Happy feet at Better Homes and Gardens LIVE 2011

We have never seen so many happy faces sighing with relief after being fitted up with the BAREFOOT SCIENCE™ foot strengthening insole system!

It was our first time exhibiting at the Better Homes and Gardens LIVE this year and it was a positive turn out in Homebush despite the wet and windy conditions over the last weekend. 

We had expected a lot of tired feet especially with the hard concrete floor at the exhibition hall, and many of the customers who visited our store complained that they are suffering from plantar fasciitis.

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So what exactly is plantar fasciitis?

Plantar fasciitis is a common foot problem that is a painful inflammatory condition causing chronic heel pain and arch pain in some cases. 

It can be caused by abnormal pronation of the foot and excessive forces at the toe off. Contributing factors include age, weight gain, long hours of walking and standing on hard surfaces, badly fitted shoes and shoes that are rigid that do not allow good foot function. Continuous pulling of the fascia at the heel bone can eventually lead to the development of bony growth on the heel, which is called heel spur.

During rest (e.g. when you're asleep), the plantar fascia tightens and shortens. However, when body weight is rapidly applied to the foot, the fascia must stretch and quickly lengthen, causing micro-tearing of the tissue. This is why the pain is more severe with your first steps in the morning or after sitting for a long period of time.

What are the usual treatments for plantar fasciitis?

Many healthcare practitioners would usually recommend rest (e.g. putting the feet up), stretching, massaging, physiotherapy, acupuncture and rigid orthotics to treat plantar fasciitis. However, we frequently see failures with these treatments in our clinic. Rigid orthotics and supportive footwear restrain foot movements and do not promote strong feet.

How can BAREFOOT SCIENCE™ help?

BAREFOOT SCIENCE™ insole system
in Full Length & 3/4 lengths

With the distinctive “posture dome design”, BAREFOOT SCIENCE™ safely stimulates the muscles in the foot, assists in their re-educating and remodeling, not only allowing them to be placed in a correct position during walking and standing, but also encouraging better alignment up through the body, resulting in a better posture. In effect, this dynamic support of the “posture dome” eases tension on the plantar fascia, massaging it with each step.

When the body is aligned, muscles are back to the correct position, which also improves blood flow circulation, carrying oxygen and minerals to help muscles to repair and recover. This significantly decreases the prolonging of the inflammatory in the plantar fascia and people suffering from plantar fasciitis are able to enjoy walking and running pain free sooner.

I find that plantar fasciitis is one of the easiest problems to treat when treated correctly. Unfortunately many practitioners tell patients the results can be poor and take a long time to achieve. If you have plantar fasciitis or you think you have it, why not book in an appointment and see how I can help you?