Plantar Fasciitis sounds like a mysterious ailment you would keep among your deep, dark secrets if you were diagnosed with it. In truth, it’s a condition that affects casual joggers and world class athletes alike. Put simply, one who suffers from Plantar Fasciitis has at least one very sore foot.
The ailment is caused by the inflammation of a layer of thin tissue, known as plantar fascia. It supports the arch of the foot. Repeated tiny tears of this tissue not only hurt; they can keep top athletes off the field or severely limit their mobility when on it. It’s not uncommon for NFL and NBA players to suffer from Plantar Fasciitis because of the pounding their feet take.
In one 2006 case, Mario Williams, the NFL’s number one draft pick, played his entire rookie season with Plantar. His performance at defensive end was so disappointing; the Houston Texas feared they had wasted millions of dollars on him.
In 2007, however, Williams was named an alternate to the NFL All-Pro Team. You guessed it. Williams played his second season free from Plantar Fasciitis pain.
There are thousands of unheralded cases of Plantar and many sufferers have turned to acupuncture to ease the pain. They tried acupuncture after cortisone treatments, anti-inflammatory medicines and special orthopedic shoes all failed. Like most acupuncture patients, Plantar sufferers viewed acupuncture as a last resort. After their treatments, many could only regret that they hadn’t tried acupuncture first.