If you have been suffering from plantar fasciitis for a while, you’ll know it’s not just “a sore foot”. It’s a chronic, sharp pain in the foot that can get in the way of normal daily life. Looking into treatment options like ART for plantar fasciitis can be incredibly beneficial, especially for runners, gym-goers, teachers, hairdressers, and anyone who spends a lot of time standing. Especially when you know that plantar fasciitis can become the sort of problem that slowly chips away at normal life.
That is one of the reasons people start looking into therapies such as ART for plantar fasciitis. The Active Release Technique is not just a general massage. It is a hands-on, movement-based soft tissue treatment designed to find restriction, work into it, and help restore better movement in the tissue that is actually causing the trouble. In this blog from Active Care, we explain exactly what this treatment is, and how it can help you if you have this condition.
What Is Plantar Fasciitis?
Plantar fasciitis is when the plantar fascia (which is the thick band of tissue running along the bottom of the foot from the heel towards the toes) becomes inflamed, and leads to a sharp pain in the bottom of your heel. The pain may also feel worse after long periods of rest, for example, when you take your first steps after you wake up in the morning, but it may also worsen after standing or walking for a long duration.
Repetitive stress or overuse are the main causes, that’s why those who are on their feet all day often develop this condition. Walking on hard surfaces, spending a long time on your feet and weight factors like obesity can put excess stress on the foot which can cause tiny micro tears in the tissue that then leads to the inflammation and pain. Treatments like ART for plantar fasciitis can help to relieve the discomfort you’re facing.
What Is Active Release Technique?
Active Release Technique (or ART for short) is a type of soft tissue treatment. It’s a non-invasive massage therapy used to locate scar tissue and treat soft tissue injuries affecting muscles, tendons, ligaments, connective tissue and nerves. The treatment is built around identifying the specific tissue involved, then treating the source of the problem.
That matters because soft tissue pain can be caused by scar tissue and adhesions which build up after overuse, repeated strain, old injuries or surgery. When that happens, tissue can become less mobile, blood flow can be reduced, and movement starts to feel restricted, weak or painful. ART is there to deal with the underlying restriction, rather than just masking the pain as you would do with solely medication alone.
What Is Active Release Technique For Plantar Fasciitis?
ART for plantar fasciitis targets the tight bands and scar tissue in the foot arch and heel that contribute to pain with every step, helping release tension in the plantar fascia and improve flexibility. Active release therapy for plantar fasciitis is not only about the sore spot under the heel. The foot does not work in isolation. If the calf is tight, if the Achilles is overloaded, or if the smaller muscles of the foot are not doing their job well, the plantar fascia ends up taking strain it should not have to absorb. That is why ART for plantar fasciitis often looks at the sole of the foot, the heel, the arch, the calf and sometimes the way the foot is functioning as a whole.
How Does Active Release Technique For Plantar Fasciitis Work?
ART is the process of identifying the affected structure through touch and movement, then treating it with carefully guided pressure and tension while the patient moves in a specific way. That movement part is important. You are not just lying there while someone digs their thumb into your heel. The tissue is being worked while it lengthens and shortens, which is one of the reasons ART feels more specific than a lot of other hands-on treatments.
For plantar fasciitis, that may mean the practitioner applying pressure through the arch, heel or calf while you flex the foot or move through a guided range. The aim is to find the areas that are not gliding properly, work through those adhesions, and help the tissue tolerate load more normally again. If you are wondering how to get rid of plantar fasciitis scar tissue, this is exactly why people consider ART. The treatment is designed around breaking down restriction and restoring mobility in tissue that has become stiff or irritated over time.
Other Techniques vs ART For Plantar Fasciitis
ART is not the only option for plantar fasciitis, and good treatment should never pretend otherwise. Stretching, supportive footwear, activity modification, insoles or orthotics, and exercises to improve the way the foot and lower leg are coping with load are all sensible options. In more stubborn cases, people may also be offered shockwave therapy.
ART therapy for plantar fasciitis can make sense because it is targeted and hands-on. At Active Care, we offer various different treatments for plantar fasciitis including ART, Graston and shockwave where appropriate, which treatment we’ll prescribe will depend on the severity of your condition.
ART vs Graston
ART and Graston are similar in that both are used to tackle scar tissue, restriction and soft tissue dysfunction. The difference is in how that work is done. Graston uses specially designed stainless steel instruments to scan the tissue, identify areas of restriction and apply cross-friction work to help break scar tissue down. ART, by contrast, is done with the practitioner’s hands and works through guided patient movement. So if Graston feels more tool-led, ART feels more movement-led.
ART vs Deep Tissue Massage
This is where people often get the wrong idea. Deep tissue massage is a broad term. It can be brilliant for general muscle tension, post-training soreness or areas that simply need loosening off. The main difference is that deep tissue massage is broader, while ART is more targeted and uses movement to release soft tissue restrictions.
Benefits Of Active Release Therapy Plantar Fasciitis
One benefit is that it is targeted. Plantar fasciitis is rarely helped by vague treatment. If the tissue under the heel is restricted, ART can help improve movement in tissue that has become stiff. Built-up scar tissue reduces blood flow, shortening soft tissue and restricting movement. If part of your problem is stubborn adhesions and tissue that feels chronically thickened or irritated, active release for plantar fasciitis is one of the more hands-on, effective options because that is exactly what it is designed to address.
Another benefit is that it is non-invasive. No injections. No surgery. Just a precise treatment approach paired with the right rehab and load management. That suits a lot of people, especially those who want to keep moving and would rather fix the reason their foot is struggling than simply mask it for a while.
Choose Active Care Active Release Technique For Plantar Fasciitis
If you’re looking at booking in for ART for plantar fasciitis, Active Care Chiropractic offers this treatment as one of our specialist techniques. Our chiropractor, Harry specialises in this treatment so we’ll normally point you towards him. However we also offer other treatments that could be beneficial for your condition, like shockwave or red light therapy. After assessing you we will always point you towards a treatment plan that’s right for you and your condition. If we think you will benefit more from a different technique, we will always recommend that.
If you want somebody to look properly at the tissue, the way the foot is moving and why the pain keeps returning, book an appointment with our chiropractic clinic today and we’ll help you overcome your pain with our non-invasive treatment plans.
