This is an activity we like to use for heel pain. I have been seeing more children with heel pain in my practice lately. Is it that they wear cushion or minimalist shoes with no support? Perhaps. Or is it the way they sit in front of a computer, ipad or phone to study, text or play games? Maybe. Could it be overuse of specific muscles while playing their sport or running in gym class? The answer can be any or all of the above.
Believe it or not, a child’s overall posture with sitting, standing, running and even breathing can affect their heel or foot pain. From a PRI perspective, attention to breathing is very important. The way you use your muscles changes depending on the position of the powerful respiratory muscle, called your diaphragm.
The diaphragm is a mushroom-shaped muscle that lives in the middle of your body. Its primary role should be to help you breathe efficiently. If it is in the wrong position (i.e. not domed) your brain recruits it for postural demands, which is when things start to change with your posture and pain patterns can begin. Examples of pain caused by a faulty diaphragm position include: back pain, shoulder pain, hip pain, knee pain, and foot pain, including plantar fasciitis.