Relaxing music. Powerful scents. Soft hands digging into your backside. 

It’s time for your massage.

This staple of any relaxing weekend feels great. But if you’ve got a case of plantar fasciitis, the pain might make it impossible to enjoy it.

Plantar fasciitis is a debilitating condition that affects the plantar fascia of the foot. It makes walking or even standing difficult. The suffering it inflicts may seem impossible to cure.

Introducing the plantar fasciitis massage. Relief for your plantar fasciitis pain may just come in the form of an evening at the massage parlor.

Let’s take a look at just 9 of the benefits of a plantar fasciitis massage.

What Is Plantar Fasciitis?

First, let’s define some terms. The plantar fascia is the name for the tissue that connects your heel to your toe ligaments. This is the latinate medical term for the sole of the foot.

As you can imagine, the plantar fascia is crucial to your ability to walk. It is responsible for maintaining a proper gait and absorbing all the shock that comes with a typical walk or run. Further, it flexes your foot upwards, toward your shin. 

This is also the part of your body that determines whether you have arched soles or flat feet. A tight plantar fascia might give you high arches, whilst relaxed tissue creates flat feet.

Unfortunately, this fascia can get inflamed. And that is what causes the plantar fasciitis we’re talking about. This sometimes creates debilitating pain and difficulty standing, walking, or running.

This inflammation can occur at any point along the fascia but tends to centralize where the fascia makes its connection with the heel. Plantar fasciitis comes in two varieties.

Traction Plantar Fasciitis

The first kind, and also most common, is traction plantar fasciitis. The strain from overuse and inflammation stretches the fascia further than it can bear. This induces microtears in the tissue and surrounding muscle.

Unfortunately, these tears–and thus the pain–get the worse if you stay on your feet. Most people cannot afford to stay sitting for long enough to allow these tears to heal. This repeated agitation from standing, walking or running drives the formation of scar tissue.

Scar tissue can be painful in and of itself. But this scar tissue also degrades the integrity of the fascia. That means less blood flow to the area and a generalized weakening of these connective tissues.

Compression Plantar Fasciitis

Unlike traction plantar fasciitis, compression plantar fasciitis occurs as the result of trauma. This could happen when you step on a sharp object. It could also happen from a sharp impact to the foot’s sole, such as from a long drop.

This usually affects the heel area or the ball of the foot. In either case, plantar fasciitis is painful, and it only gets worse the more you’re on your feet.

Plantar fasciitis often starts in the form of sharp pain. This pain may not be consistent throughout the day, only returning later. After repeated stress, the sole of the foot may become so painful that a simple touch hurts.

Plantar fasciitis affects a wide range of people. It affects runners, the obese, and those who spend long days standing on hard surfaces such as concrete.

Sports therapy massages can be helpful for those who get a lot of movement on their feet. The plantar fasciitis massage is one such massage.

Plantar Fasciitis Massage

The plantar fasciitis massage may be what you need to reduce pain and promote healing. Let’s discuss the 9 ways it can do this.

Benefit #1: It Softens the Fascia

Scar tissue buildup on the fascia causes the sole to harden. This stiff fascia then becomes somewhat unresponsive. It pulls harder on the heel and reduces blood flow to the area.

With a deep tissue massage, your plantar fasciitis massage therapist can break up that scar tissue. Scar tissue is notorious for being stiff and extra sensitive to pain. After a few sessions of massage therapy, that reduction in scar tissue may help to relieve your plantar fasciitis pain.

Benefit #2: It Promotes Bloodflow

Blood does it all. It delivers nutrients and oxygens to your organs and muscles. In addition to this, it is a crucial aspect of the healing process.

Due to that scar tissue, there is a reduction in blood flow to the area. Less blood flow means the healing process slows down. Add that to a busy day on your feet, and you might have little to no time to heal.

Try out a plantar fasciitis massage to accelerate the healing process in your soles.

Benefit #3: It Reduces Pain

Few people can go without walking for long. Plantar fasciitis makes this everyday task so debilitating that you may stay off your feet more. That’s where the massage comes in.

Much of the pain you experience with plantar fasciitis is due to tension. Your sole tightens up, meaning that the flexing walking causes only makes it worse.

A plantar fasciitis massage loosens up those tense muscles and tissue. This in turn, provides pain relief. Regular plantar fasciitis massages can keep the pain at bay while promoting the healing process.

Benefit #4: It May Prevent Scar Tissue Buildup

Scar tissue forms as a result of collagen. Collagen concentrates around a wound, creating linking structures that form into that scar tissue. If left untouched, that scar tissue builds as normal and can be very difficult to remove.

A plantar fasciitis massage not only promotes healing, but it also makes it difficult for scar tissue to form in the first place. The deep tissue pressure breaks it up. Healthy, sensitive tissue goes in its place, meaning less pain and better walking comfort.

Benefit #5: It Reduces Stress

Stress and pain go hand in hand. When you get stressed, your body produces more cortisol. This creates a feedback loop of further stress, cortisol, and pain.

The first thing you think of when you think of stress relief is a massage. Even though this is focused on treatment, you’ll still get that relaxation you crave with a massage clinic you trust.

Stress relief breaks this cruel cycle. It relaxes you, reducing cortisol production. You in turn, feel better, and that only helps your healing process.

Benefit #6: It May Heal You Faster than Other Treatments

A study in 2014 suggested that patients who get the plantar fasciitis massage may actually heal faster. This was compared to other treatments and massage techniques. If you want to relieve that pain sooner than later, a massage may be in your best interest!

Benefit #6: You Can Self-Massage at Home

Perhaps you’ve scheduled a plantar fasciitis massage once a week. But halfway through the week, you notice that you’re feeling tension again. The good news is, that you can perform self-massages in between appointments to get some relief.

These won’t be nearly as effective as professional massages. However, they allow you to self-treat when the need arises.

Benefit #7: You Can Walk From the Appointment

There’s no need to fear that you’ll be in too much pain to walk post-massage. As with any massage, there will be some pressure.

However, you’ll be able to stand up and walk normally after this massage. There’s no need to worry that this massage will be painful, like Shiatsu. You’ll be back to work or play the same day.

Benefit #8: The Results Happen Soon

If you’ve tried acupuncture or cup therapy, you might not have felt the benefits immediately. Different types of therapies may take several weeks for you to feel the results. Not the case with the plantar fasciitis massage.

Generally speaking, you can expect to feel relief within a few days. Regular massages will continue to loosen that tension and promote healing. You’ll go from chronic pain in your plantar fascia to consistent relief.

Benefit #9: Other Massages Help the Plantar Fasciitis Massage’s Effect

The plantar fasciitis massage isn’t the only thing you can do to relieve your pain. It works well in tandem with other types of massages.

The body is interconnected, and tension relief in one place can reduce tension in another as well. Massages of the calves, thighs, and glutes may help to promote blood flow and release tension in your soles, too.

You can kill two birds with one stone by getting your regular massages in the same appointment. There’s no need to stall your weekly massage just to get the plantar fasciitis massage. In fact, more may be better in this case.

Schedule Your Plantar Fasciitis Massage Today

Plantar fasciitis is a debilitating condition that causes pain when on your feet. A plantar fasciitis massage may be the answer you’re looking for. Get a plantar fasciitis massage to increase blood flow, release tension, and promote healing.

There’s a massage parlor in your area. Get in contact with Spacibo massage therapy and schedule your plantar fasciitis massage today.