Plantar fasciitis is a common cause of pain underneath the heel and foot. Many people experiencing it consider reflexology in the hope that working on the feet may help them feel more comfortable.
So, can reflexology help with plantar fasciitis?
Some people may find reflexology relaxing and may feel more comfortable following a treatment. However, reflexology should not be presented as a treatment that repairs the plantar fascia or corrects the underlying cause of plantar fasciitis.
How I approach reflexology when somebody has heel pain depends on their individual circumstances, how sensitive the foot is and what can be done comfortably.
What Is Plantar Fasciitis?
The plantar fascia is a strong band of connective tissue running along the underside of the foot between the heel and toes. It helps support the arch of the foot and plays an important role when standing and walking.
Plantar fasciitis develops when this tissue becomes irritated or overloaded.
A common symptom is pain underneath the heel, which can be particularly noticeable during the first few steps after getting out of bed or after sitting for some time.
The discomfort may ease somewhat once you begin moving and then become more noticeable again following longer periods of standing or walking.
What Can Contribute to Heel Pain?
There isn’t always one obvious reason why somebody develops plantar fasciitis.
Factors that can contribute include:
- spending long periods standing or walking
- suddenly increasing running or other physical activity
- footwear that doesn’t adequately suit the person’s needs
- foot shape and biomechanics
- tightness around the calf and ankle
- changes in the amount of load placed on the feet.
Heel pain can also have causes other than plantar fasciitis, so persistent or significant symptoms are worth discussing with a GP, physiotherapist or podiatrist rather than diagnosing the condition yourself.
How Is Plantar Fasciitis Usually Managed?
Most cases are managed without surgery.
Appropriate advice may include temporarily modifying activities, suitable footwear, stretching or strengthening exercises and other treatments depending on the individual’s circumstances.
A physiotherapist or podiatrist can assess the foot properly and advise on treatment where necessary.
Reflexology can be considered alongside appropriate care, but it has a different role.
Can Reflexology Help with Plantar Fasciitis?
People seek reflexology for many different reasons, and some people with plantar fasciitis report that their feet feel more relaxed or comfortable following a session.
What I don’t want to do is turn that personal experience into a medical promise.
There isn’t good evidence for claiming that pressing particular reflex points repairs damaged plantar fascia, removes heel spurs or corrects the biomechanics responsible for plantar fasciitis.
What reflexology can provide is a hands-on treatment of the feet in which pressure and technique are adapted to the individual.
For somebody with plantar fasciitis, that means paying particular attention to what feels comfortable rather than assuming that stronger pressure will produce a better result.
What Happens If Your Heel Hurts During Reflexology?
This is where communication matters.
Reflexology should not become an endurance test.
If an area of your foot is painful, I don’t believe that applying increasingly deep pressure to it somehow makes the treatment more effective.
I can adjust the pressure, avoid a particularly sensitive area or adapt how I work on that foot.
And if the foot is too painful to work on comfortably, I would rather say so than aggravate something that needs appropriate assessment and recovery.
Pain is information, not an instruction to press harder.
Every Pair of Feet Is Different
People sometimes assume that reflexology has to involve strong pressure to ‘work’.
It doesn’t.
Some clients enjoy firm pressure. Others prefer something gentler. And when a particular area of the foot is already painful, the appropriate pressure may be very different from usual.
Before and during a session, you can tell me exactly what feels comfortable. I will adapt what I’m doing accordingly.
You don’t earn extra reflexology points for suffering through it. 😊
Mobile Reflexology When Walking Is Uncomfortable
There is also a very practical advantage to mobile reflexology when your heel hurts: you don’t have to walk somewhere to receive it.
I travel to clients throughout London and provide reflexology in their homes. You don’t need to walk to a station, stand waiting for public transport or make another journey afterwards.
Once the treatment finishes, you’re already home and can continue resting your feet.
If you’re experiencing plantar fasciitis and wondering whether reflexology might be worth trying, you’re welcome to contact me first and tell me how your foot is feeling.
I’ll give you a straightforward answer about whether I think a session can be comfortably adapted. And if what you describe sounds as though your heel needs proper assessment rather than reflexology, I’ll tell you that too.
