The anatomy of the plantar fascia is such that every time the foot pushes off, the fascia is under stretch. Jenkins points out that it is impossible to perform at Gates' position without repeatedly subjecting the plantar fascia to stress and strain. "When he gets in his stance, the gastroc [calf muscle] is on stretch. It attaches to the plantar fascia and the heel pad so as he pushes off, it will be painful." And it's not just limited to receiving situations. "As a blocker, he has to push hard through that foot against a defender," Jenkins adds.
What can be done? "Not much," says Jenkins. "It is hard to truly anesthetize the area." Beyond masking the pain, there is the functional aspect of what the loss of the plantar fascia means for support of the foot. The natural treatment would be to create a supportive orthotic (foot support) that could be inserted into Gates' shoe. But as Jenkins points out, early on that orthotic can be even more pain provoking as it comes into contact with the arch. "A custom foot orthotic is intended to build up the arch to make sure the soft tissues -- such as other tendons that control the foot and ankle -- are not being overstretched. But as weight bearing occurs through the medial [inner] aspect of the foot, that orthotic is now in direct contact with the arch and it's painful."
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