Plantar Fasciitis: More Than Just a Foot Problem

ByDr Vince Scuderi

If you’ve been told to just stretch, ice, or change your shoes—read this first.

Plantar fasciitis is one of the most common causes of heel pain, affecting millions of people each year. The pain is often worst when you first step out of bed or after long periods of rest, typically felt in the posterior-medial heel. But what if the problem isn’t just in your foot?

At True Resilience IMS, we take a broader look. And we often find that plantar fasciitis is the end result—not the origin—of a deeper imbalance.

What is Plantar Fasciitis?

Plantar fasciitis refers to micro-tears and inflammation of the plantar fascia, a thick band of connective tissue that supports the arch of the foot. It’s designed to act like a shock absorber, but repeated stress can lead to breakdown and pain.

Common Causes & Risk Factors

  • Running or walking on hard surfaces
  • Tennis, jumping sports
  • Sudden increases in training
  • Prolonged standing on hard floors (like concrete or wood)
  • High or low arches (pes cavus or pes planus)
  • Decreased flexibility of the Achilles or foot muscles
  • Sedentary lifestyle or obesity

Typical Symptoms

  • Pain worst with first steps in the morning or after prolonged sitting
  • Pain improves slightly with walking or stretching
  • Focal tenderness near the heel
  • Pain with passive dorsiflexion of toes and ankle
  • Often unilateral or worse on one side

But There’s More to the Story

Plantar fasciitis isn’t just about weak or tight muscles. From a fascial counterstrain perspective, we look beyond the foot to uncover what may be driving the inflammation.

Deeper Contributors We Commonly Find:

  • Tightness in the superficial back line: This myofascial chain connects the plantar fascia to the calves, hamstrings, sacrum, spine, and even the scalp. Dysfunction anywhere along this chain—especially in the lower back or neck—can project symptoms into the feet.
  • Posterior chain restrictions: Calf tightness and hamstring or gluteal dysfunction, especially in the gluteus medius, often create strain patterns that anchor in the heel.
  • Navicular bone dysfunction or midfoot joint strain
  • Lymphatic and venous congestion: Poor drainage in the lower extremity—often due to systemic inflammation, surgery, or even long-standing gut dysfunction—can lead to thickened, painful fascia.
  • Bone marrow dysfunction in the calcaneus or metatarsals.
  • Fat pad or superficial fascia inflammation: Especially in patients with higher adiposity or repeated trauma.
  • Spinal cord congestion: Restrictions in the lower spine can create nerve traffic jams that lead to persistent heel symptoms.

Treatment Beyond Stretching

Yes, sometimes the fix involves foot strengthening, calf mobility, and orthotics. But many patients have already tried that—with little or temporary relief. At our clinic, we use Fascial Counterstrain to identify and treat the true origin of dysfunction—whether that’s a congested nerve root in the lumbar spine, a tight ligament in the pelvis, or inflammation in the superficial fascia of the heel.

A Better Path to Relief

If your plantar fasciitis has been labeled “chronic” or hasn’t improved with typical care, it may be time to look beyond the foot. At True Resilience IMS, we specialize in uncovering and treating the hidden causes that other approaches miss.

We assess fascial, neural, lymphatic, vascular, and organ-driven contributions
We offer gentle, highly specific hands-on treatment
We track not only pain relief but also long-term function and durability

Don’t let heel pain slow you down.

Schedule a consultation today and let’s find the root cause—together.

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