Heel pain affects nearly 2 million Americans each year and can be responsible for mild discomfort or even debilitating pain.  The most common form of heel pain is Plantar Fasciitis.  This condition occurs when the long fibrous plantar fascia ligament along the bottom of the foot develops tears in the tissue resulting in pain and inflammation. The pain of plantar fasciitis is usually located close to where the fascia attaches to the calcaneus, also known as the heel bone.      

The plantar fascia ligament is like a rubber band and loosens and contracts with movement. It also absorbs significant weight and pressure. Because of this function, plantar fasciitis can easily occur from a number of reasons. Among the most common is an overload of physical activity or exercise.  Athletes are particularly prone to plantar fasciitis and commonly suffer from it. Excessive running, jumping, or other activities can easily place repetitive or excessive stress on the tissue and lead to tears and inflammation, resulting in moderate to severe pain. 

Whole Body Vibration can be used to help stretch, massage and strengthen the muscles in the foot.  Using Whole Body Vibration approximately ten minutes a day will increase lymphatic circulation to remove acids from the plantar fasciia. The Vibration Therapy also helps to vibrate acids out of the tissues causing the pain or inflammation. The involuntary muscle contractions from WBV can also help tone and build weak muscles in the legs and feet to help improve balance, coordination, and other possible lower extremity issues.