Plantar fasciitis (pronounced "fash-ee-EYE-tus") is an inflammation of the plantar fascia, the tissue along the bottom of your foot that connects your heel bone to your toes, and supports your arch. This condition affects over 2 million Americans and is typically characterized by intense stabbing pain in the heel - particularly first thing in the morning or after a period of activity. In many cases the pain decreases as the fascia warms up during the day but some sufferers (typically those with a chronic condition) are plagued all day with the pain.
The Plantar Fascia runs along the bottom of the foot, acting as your body's shock absorber by supporting the arch of the foot in carrying the body's weight.
The plantar fascia is thick, fiberous tissue that is not elastic. It originates at the heel bone (calcaneus) and fans out towards the base of the toes (metatarsal bones) and attaches to the bottom of them. It acts like a bow string to support the arch of the foot and absorbs the impact of walking.
Sometimes, when the impact is too great, tiny tears will begin to appear in the fascia. If the impact level continues unchanged, in time, these tears will increase in number, become larger and inflamed. The body repairs these tears in the fascia with scar tissue, which is less flexible than healthy tissue, and therefore leads to a cycle of re-injury and flare ups. Plantar fasciitis will become a chronic condition if left untreated.
The trick with healing plantar fasciitis and beating it once and for all is getting the plantar fascia to heal quickly, with minimal scar tissue formation. Even with optimum healing, there is always less elasticity in a plantar fascia after an injury, which may cause the fascia to hurt during daily activities and exercise. However, if you heal your injury efficiently and quickly, your chance of re-injury later on is much lower than average.
Allowing your plantar fascia to rest is always recommended following injury. Avoid all activities that may have caused the injury or irritation and begin Cold Compress or Ice Pack treatments if there is swelling or inflammation. The plantar fascia is difficult to rest completely as it is essential for daily activities. During your recovery, you will probably have to modify and/or eliminate any activities that cause pain or discomfort in your plantar fascia until your pain and inflammation settle.
The 1st step for conservative treatment of your injury is to reduce swelling to "open up" the area for more blood flow. Anyone in the health-care business knows that your blood supplies the oxygen and much needed nutrients required for your body to heal naturally after surgery. This is why doctors and surgeons recommend cold compression within the first 72 hours of an injury and following surgery.
Not only will you use your cold pack for the first 48 to 72 hours after the injury, but you should also use it during other stages of the healing process. Some examples include...
Having a Cold Compress or Ice Pack available at home to use if and when the need arises is helpful. Many of you already do so.
However, too many people over-focus on cold while ignoring the most critical aspect to healing - nourishing the injured tissues with a healthy supply of blood flow needed to repair and rebuild the injured tissues.
This leads to the most important recommendation...
Often, too many people over-focus on cold while ignoring the most critical aspect to healing - nourishing injured tissue with a strong blood flow - the body's healing capability is generally dependent on blood flow..
Even though the concept is simple, improving blood flow to injured tissues can be difficult. When the injury is in the calf, achilles or hamstring, the challenges are even greater. Traditional methods require your muscles and tendons to move to promote blood flow (exercise), but that same motion that promotes blood flow can at times lead to making your pain and condition worse.
Most people we deal with tell us these scenarios have happened to them many times in the past. Perhaps it has already happened to you.
After the inflammation in and around your tissue has been reduced, providing extra blood flow and strengthening the tissue in and around your injury is recommended. Believe it or not, the best time for you to focus on avoiding re-injury and strengthening the weakened tissue is when the swelling's gone and your tissue has started to heal. It's vital that you don't go back to activities too soon because you might bring on a major setback in your recovery...
Promoting blood flow within a muscle or soft tissue injury to help the body heal itself is a concept that has been utilized for centuries. This is where the focus has to be if you are seeking long-term improvement.
Oxygen and nutrients, carried within the blood, are critical for the body to heal itself. Without proper blood flow, recovering from an injury or condition will be delayed...sometimes for a very long period of time.
The real challenge is how do you promote blood flow to the area without causing further injury? This goal is further complicated by the fact the calf muscle (which also is attached to the achilles tendon) is involved in the majority of any leg movements we perform each day.
An injury that often leads to straining in other areas will make an overall recovery hard to initiate. People tend to "chase the pain", meaning they only focus on treating an area that is actively painful, while not taking into account the fact they other areas of the body will be overcompensating...eventually leading to issues in those areas as well.
It is through the blood the body carries the nutrients and oxygen that injured tissues rely on for recovery.. It is well known that increased blood flow helps your body accelerate the healing process.
This is why the TShellz Wrap®is such an important tool. The whole purpose of the wrap is to provide localized heat while also significantly increasing blood flow to tissue in the treatment area. The result of this is as follows:
With a TShellz Wrap® application, more blood begins to flow effectively to the treatment area - for the length of the treatment and a short duration thereafter. Deep tissue needs the extra blood flow to heal as it is through the blood the body carries the oxygen and nutrients needed for proper and long-term healing.
Now, on to recommendation number two in the journey to recover from your Plantar Injury...
The best option we came across in our research to accomplish effective blood flow to tissue in the bottom of the foot at home is the Plantar TShellz Wrap®. Use of this device results in an increase of blood flow within the treatment area - all in a non-invasive manner.
Have you seen what happens when you add water to a flower wilted from drought? In essence, your injured leg is much like a "wilted" flower; your body wants to heal its injury, but needs lots of nutrients to do it. Blood brings life to your tissue by delivering healing nutrients and oxygen that are vital for their growth and survival. In addition, the blood carries away toxins and waste cleaning the area and healing it faster. Without a good supply of blood, your foot simply won't heal properly.
Using a TShellz Wrap® will not expose you to the risk of causing further harm to soft tissue like you can when using rigorous exercise. The Leg/Arm TShellz Wrap® accomplishes the goal of enhanced blood flow without the need for intensive exercise and as such reduces your risk of re-injury.
The intention of an Leg/Arm TShellz Wrap® is to ease pain by dilating blood vessels, decrease stiffness by elongating soft tissue, improve blood circulation, and boost metabolism and enzyme activity. In stimulating localized blood flow to damaged soft tissue, you provide needed oxygen and nutrients to grow strong healthy collagen. In addition, you will experience a clearing of toxins and excess fluid build up from the injury site. Over the intermediate term, this helps to reduce incidents of swelling as trapped fluids will be whisked away - reducing pressure on blood vessels.
Using the TShellz Wrap® is truly a unique experience. Within moments of applying a treatment to your foot, you can feel the healing sensation due to the increase in blood flow within the area. During a treatment, and for quite some time after you finish, the treated area will feel relaxed and warm. It's a very soothing sensation and extremely effective.
We recommend the use of a TShellz Wrap®:
TShellz Wraps® contain a unique Carbon Fiber Energy Pad which is flexible and will shape to conform to your body. This Energy Pad emits a uniform wave of perfectly safe energy over its entire surface. This energy is absorbed by soft tissue in the treatment area, opening blood vessels, resulting in an increase in blood flow. Blood circulation is how your body repairs soft tissue and this is why we recommend the Plantar TShellz Wrap®; a product that is designed to boost blood flow in the area.
We can promise that you will receive a product that is designed to be safe and does what it is supposed to do... reduce pain (as stated in "Therapeutic Heat and Cold", 4th edition. - Ed. Justus F. Lehmann, M.D., Williams, and Wilkin) temporarily increase length & flexibility of soft tissue (as stated in "Therapeutic Heat and Cold", 4th edition. - Ed. Justus F. Lehmann, M.D., Williams, and Wilkin) and aid your body in its recovery via enhanced blood flow.
The unit plugs into a standard wall outlet to get its power. The nice thing about the power supply is that the same unit can be used in North America and overseas as well. It has the capability to operate between 110v and 230v.
It has a special signal controller that can be set for 3 different power levels of application (3=High, 2=Medium, 1=Low). The cord is long so you can sit or lie comfortably and watch TV, read or surf the net while you're using it.
Treatments are max 30 minutes in duration and the device can be worn over clothing. This allows you to use the device at work, at home, or really anywhere you have access to an electrical outlet.
The most common question we receive from individuals prior to purchasing is - how many times a day should I be using my TShellz Wraps® and when should I be using them? While treatment plans will differ for each individual and their specific injury, there are general guidelines that should be adhered to.
The Leg/Arm TShellz Wrap® would then be used:
Dealing with aches and pains affecting the foot, ankle, leg, knee, hamstring, hip, back, arm, shoulder, elbow, wrist, or hand? If so, then applying the Arnica Infusion to any of these targeted areas will bring about fast relief from the pain and sore tissues. Simply apply a small amount of cream to the body and moments later, you will experience a soothing and comforting sensation over the area.
Arnica Infusion is specially designed to relieve pain due to sore muscles and joints associated with arthritis, backaches, sprains, strains, and bruises. No matter if you are dealing with an acute injury, chronic pain, or a general "flare-up" - you will experience fast relief from pain and inflammation.
This is a product that many of our current MendMeShop customers asked us to develop. So we focused our time and resources over the past few years and came up, with we believe, will be one of more effective, fast acting, topical pain relief creams on the market.
You are likely familiar with some of the standard topical agents on the market as most of our customers use them. The are mass marketed and even found in most department stores now.
Well, we are here to say that Arnica Infusion goes many steps beyond what they offer.
Made in the USA at an FDA registered manufacturing facility, you can be assured that Arnica Infusion is both safe and effective. We only source top grade ingredients while implementing strict quality control checks during every step of the production process. Expect the same high quality that MendMeShop customers have been accustomed to since we started the company in 2005.
The "Cool Blue" formula is the perfect balance between the smooth application of a cream and the effective absorbing factor of a gel. It is not too thick and not too thin - just the right texture. Best of all, it feels very nice on the skin!
Each application of Arnica Infusion feels so comforting and soothing, we are certain it will become an item you will not want to live without.
The Arnica Infusion formula is based on a combination of scientific research and the use of high quality ingredients. The properties within the formula were chosen for their pain relief, anti-inflammatory, and soothing qualities.
The acting ingredients within the formula include ones many of us are familiar with; along with ones that have not received a lot of publicity (only in research circles). Extensive testing resulted in a blending of ingredients that provides the most synergistic of benefits.
The notable ingredients in the Arnica Infusion formula include:
Extensive quality control procedures during the manufacturing process ensure the ingredients and final product are both safe and effective. We would not stake our reputation on anything but the best.
Apply Arnica Infusion at work to help reduce acute discomfort associated with overuse of muscles and joints. No matter if you are in a physical demanding job or work within an office environment, you will be placing stress on different parts of the body and aches and pains will result.
If you suffer from a sprained ligament, pulled muscle, strained tendon, or even bruising - apply Arnica Infusion for quick relief of the pain.
Application of Arnica Infusion can be done up to a maximum of 4 times per day on a consistent basis to help bring about relief from various pains and aches.
Follow up your TShellz and Cold treatments with an application of Arnica Infusion. Combine the pain relieving benefits of Arnica Infusion along with the healing benefits of the wraps to make your recovery go much more smoothly.
Do not apply Arnica Infusion within a 2 hour timespan before a TShellz Wrap® treatment.
Whether you decide to use the Arnica Infusion in conjunction with the TShellz Wrap® and other treatments - or if you decide to use the cream as a stand-alone product - you will not be disappointed with the results. We guarantee it.
Recovery time can be lengthy depending on your situation so full commitment to treatment (6 weeks to 6 months or longer) is crucial. Avoidance of aggravating activities (any activity that involves repeated, impact of your heel on a hard surface such as jumping) and activity modification (pursuing less strenuous, weight bearing routines such as water exercises or biking) is recommended.
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During your recovery, you will probably have to modify and/or eliminate any activities that cause pain or discomfort at the location of your soft tissue injury until the pain and inflammation settle. Always consult your doctor and/or Physical Therapist before using any of our outstanding products, to make sure they are right for you and your condition.
Please be aware that this information is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider before using any of our outstanding products to make sure they're right for you and your condition or if you have any questions regarding a medical condition. Always see your doctor for a proper diagnosis as there are often many injuries and conditions (some very serious) that could be the cause of your pain.
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