Understanding Plantar Fasciitis

What is Plantar Fasciitis?

Heel pain can make walking difficult and uncomfortable. Approximately 1 in 10 people will develop heel pain in their lifetime, and one of the most common causes is a condition known as plantar fasciitis.

The plantar fascia is a ligament that connects the heel bone to the toes, supporting the foot's arch. Plantar fasciitis occurs when the plantar fascia becomes inflamed, leading to pain at its attachment to the heel bone. In many cases, the symptoms of plantar fasciitis will go away within ten months. Patients who do not see symptom relief may seek more aggressive plantar fasciitis treatment to alleviate their pain.

Symptoms of Plantar Fasciitis

The main symptom of plantar fasciitis is heel pain, which is usually worse with the first steps of the day or after periods of inactivity. Other symptoms may include:

Pain that increases with prolonged standing or walking
Pain that is worse after exercise or activity, and improves with rest
Aching or burning in the heel or foot arch
Stiffness in the foot arch, especially in the morning
Swelling or redness in the heel or foot arch
Difficulty standing on tiptoe

Causes and Risk Factors

Several factors can contribute to the development of plantar fasciitis. Those who are more susceptible to developing the condition may have:

Advanced age
Abnormal foot posture
High BMI
Tight Achilles tendon

Some activities may also increase your risk of developing plantar fasciitis, such as wearing unsupportive footwear, specific intense physical activity, and trauma. Athletes who frequently perform running and jumping activities are at a higher risk of developing plantar heel pain.

Diagnosing Plantar Fasciitis

Plantar fasciitis is generally diagnosed through a physical exam and your medical history. Your doctor will check for areas of tenderness. We don’t usually need to perform imaging tests unless we need to rule out other conditions, such as a stress fracture.

Plantar Fasciitis Treatment

The first recommended treatment for plantar heel pain is often home stretching with NSAIDs (e.g., Aspirin, Ibuprofen). Corticosteroid injections and botulinum toxin A (Botox) are also commonly used to treat plantar fasciitis heel pain. Heel pads, foot orthoses, and shoe modifications may help decrease heel pain.

Patients should consider more advanced treatments if no improvement occurs after a minimum of six months of conservative treatment. At The Institute for Advanced Reconstruction, we offer several additional treatment options for plantar fasciitis. Treatment options include:

Plantar Denervation Surgery

This innovative surgical procedure relieves pain by disrupting the sensory nerve supply to the plantar fascia. Both the posterior and anterior branches of the inferior calcaneal nerve provide sensory innervation to the area where the plantar fascia originates from the heel. By surgically dividing the nerves that transmit pain, patients are able to resume walking and other activities without pain.

Platelet-rich Plasma (PRP) Injection Therapy

This treatment uses a patient’s own concentrated platelets, which are cells found in blood that contain growth factors to stimulate healing. When PRP is injected, it aids the body’s natural healing process. This technique is proven to not only relieve symptoms, but also to create healing in patients with plantar fasciitis.

Our Doctors

There is hope for healing from pain with treatment pioneered by our plantar fasciitis specialists. Contact us today and let us guide you toward a solution for your condition.

Physician

Michael Rose

MD, FACS

Physician

Hakan Usal

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