As a chiropractor, I frequently see patients seeking relief from chronic pain, often localized in areas like the back, neck, or feet. While it's easy to focus on the specific site of pain, recent research is shedding light on how seemingly localized pain conditions may actually reflect larger, more systemic health issues. One area of interest is the link between chronic plantar fasciitis—a common cause of heel pain—and broader concerns such as inflammation and cardiovascular disease (CVD).
In this blog, I want to dive deep into the connections between chronic pain, inflammation, and systemic health, using a recent study on plantar fasciitis as an example. Understanding these links can help you approach your pain from a more holistic perspective, potentially uncovering other health factors that may be influencing your condition.
What Is Plantar Fasciitis?
Plantar fasciitis is a condition marked by inflammation of the plantar fascia, the thick band of tissue that runs across the bottom of the foot and connects the heel bone to the toes.
This condition is usually characterized by a sharp pain in the heel, particularly in the morning or after prolonged periods of standing.
Many factors contribute to plantar fasciitis, including:
Prolonged standing or walking
Improper footwear that doesn’t provide adequate arch support
Biomechanical imbalances such as flat feet or high arches
Obesity or high body mass index (BMI)
However, the recent study explored a deeper, more systemic connection: the potential role of inflammation, and how chronic plantar fasciitis may actually signal an elevated risk for cardiovascular issues.
The Study: A Closer Look at Inflammation and Pain
The study in question examined a group of 400 patients who had foot or ankle pain, with nearly half of them diagnosed with plantar fasciitis. One of the key markers the researchers were interested in was C-reactive protein (CRP), a substance produced by the liver in response to inflammation in the body. Elevated CRP levels are often associated with chronic inflammation, which is a known contributor to atherosclerosis, or the hardening of arteries—a major factor in cardiovascular disease.
The results were significant. Researchers found a strong correlation between elevated CRP levels and chronic plantar fasciitis, especially in individuals who already had cardiovascular risk factors like diabetes, hypertension, or high cholesterol.
What does this mean for you? It suggests that chronic pain in areas like the heel may not just be a localized issue—it could be a signal that your body is dealing with more widespread inflammation, which could elevate your risk for conditions like heart disease.
Why This Matters for Your Healing Process
When patients come to see our Chiropractic Clinic in Marathon for pain relief, especially for chronic conditions that haven’t responded well to initial treatments, it’s crucial to consider the whole body, not just the specific area where the pain is occurring.
Chronic pain, especially conditions like plantar fasciitis, may be more than just the result of physical strain or improper biomechanics. If inflammation is at the root of your pain, we may need to explore what’s happening elsewhere in your body. Conditions like diabetes, hypertension, or high cholesterol often contribute to systemic inflammation, which can, in turn, worsen your pain and delay healing.
How Chronic Pain and Systemic Inflammation Are Connected
Here are a few ways systemic inflammation and chronic pain conditions may be interconnected:
Inflammation: When your body is dealing with chronic inflammation—whether due to cardiovascular risk factors or other underlying health concerns—your immune system is constantly active. This heightened state of inflammation can aggravate existing pain conditions and make it harder for injuries or overuse conditions, like plantar fasciitis, to heal properly.
Cardiovascular Risk Factors: Conditions like high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol are all known to contribute to systemic inflammation. If you're dealing with one or more of these conditions, your body may already be in an inflamed state, making it more prone to chronic pain.
Weight and Biomechanics: High BMI is also strongly associated with plantar fasciitis. Extra weight puts additional strain on your feet, especially the plantar fascia, and this mechanical stress can be compounded by the inflammation from cardiovascular risk factors.
The Bigger Picture
What this study highlights is the importance of looking beyond just the site of pain and considering how systemic health concerns might be influencing your condition. Whether you're dealing with plantar fasciitis, back pain, or neck pain, it’s important to recognize that chronic pain can be multifaceted.
At Marks Chiropractic in Marathon City, I take a holistic approach to pain management, which includes assessing your overall health, lifestyle, and biomechanical function. Here are a few ways we might address both localized pain and underlying health concerns:
Addressing Inflammation: If systemic inflammation is playing a role in your pain, we may look at strategies to reduce that inflammation. This could include dietary changes, exercise (to lower body weight and improve cardiovascular health), and even stress management techniques, which are known to reduce inflammatory markers.
Biomechanical Corrections: We’ll also work on correcting any biomechanical imbalances, such as improper gait, poor posture, or imbalances in how you distribute weight while walking or standing. In the case of plantar fasciitis, proper footwear and custom orthotics can make a huge difference in reducing pain and strain.
Lifestyle Modifications: Reducing risk factors like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or excess weight is not only crucial for your heart health but can also significantly improve your pain levels and healing process. We’ll work together to create a manageable plan that addresses these concerns without overwhelming you.
Final Thoughts: Listen to Your Body
The takeaway from this research is clear: Chronic pain, like plantar fasciitis, may be a signal of something bigger happening in your body. If you’ve been dealing with long-term heel pain or other forms of persistent discomfort, it’s worth considering whether other factors—such as inflammation or cardiovascular risk—might be contributing to the problem.
As a member of your healthcare team, my goal is to not only relieve your pain but to help you understand the underlying causes so we can address them effectively. If you’ve been struggling with chronic pain and haven’t found lasting relief, let’s take a deeper look at your overall health and develop a comprehensive plan to get you feeling better from the inside out.
If you have any questions or want to schedule an appointment to discuss your concerns, don’t hesitate to reach out. For healthcare providers or those interested in digging deeper into the study you can find the full article in the link below! "Elevated levels of C-reactive protein, associated with chronic plantar fasciitis, suggest a link to systemic inflammation, which could elevate the risk of CVD [cardiovascular disease]. Identifying plantar fasciitis as a marker for systemic inflammation in patients with CVD risk factors, including diabetes, hypertension, and dyslipidemia, underscores the importance of thorough cardiovascular evaluations in individuals with persistent heel pain. Further longitudinal and interventional research is essential to substantiate these preliminary findings and understand their impact on CVD risk management and treatment."
Elabd K, Basudan L, Alomari MA, Almairi A, Almairi AM. Plantar Fasciitis as a Potential Early Indicator of Elevated Cardiovascular Disease Risk. Cureus. 2024 Jun 9;16(6). Link
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