Or a podiatrist? One who specializes in feet? 😛
i guess you could do that, too, but my philosophy is to treat someone conservatively and to try and train them to do things a different way so that they stay healthy and out of your (or any other doctor's) office. in my opinion, seeing a podiatrist for something like this is like seeing an orthopedic surgeon for a chiropractic subluxation. i think you should try treating something this easy conservatively first, which means seeing a physical therapist or a chiropractor first. if it's something more serious, like a foot biomechanics issue due to structure, then you'd wanna see a podiatrist.
i know it seems silly to some of you to see a chiropractor for certain things, but honestly, it's because they actually can treat many things that you wouldn't think they could. just like your medical doctor has many tools such as a myriad of different drugs and surgery options, so does a chiropractor have many methods of treating conditions. manipulation is one tool that chiropractors may use; but, not in this particular case. many therapies, such as custom-fitted orthotics, are provided by doctors of chiropractic. despite the claims of various healthcare providers there is no "cure-all". avoid any health professionals that discount other practitioners and push their own treatment methods as the best remedy. different combinations of treatments help different people.
plantar fasciitis is closely related to heel spurs, although the two are not exactly the same. heel spurs are bony growths that result from too much tension in the plantar fascia. heel spurs are the common result of repetitive trauma or tension in the plantar fascia for an extended period of time (like running). a heel spur and/or the plantar fascia may "trap" or irritate nerves in the heel area and cause more pain, which is why adjusting the foot bones helps a lot with treatment.
it's usually caused by a change or increase in activities, no arch support, lack of flexibility in the calf muscles, using bad shoes on hard ground, or spending too much time on the feet. arthritis/heel spurs can cause similar pain. people with flat feet or high arches are more likely to get plantar fasciitis and/or heel spurs.
