Plantar Fasciitis, Heel Pain

Plantar fasciitis is the inflammation of the plantar fascia, tissue in the foot used during walking and foot movement. Plantar fasciitis can be caused by a number of factors, including type of shoes, foot structure, overuse, and types of walking surfaces. The main symptom of plantar fasciitis is heel pain. At Simply Feet Clinic, our podiatrist will assess your unique condition and recommend ideal solutions.

Therapies

Physical therapy or using special devices might relieve symptoms. Treatment may include:

• Physical therapy. A physical therapist can show you exercises to stretch the plantar fascia and Achilles tendon and to strengthen lower leg muscles. A therapist also might teach you to apply athletic taping to support the bottom of your foot.

• Night splints. Your care team might recommend that you wear a splint that holds the plantar fascia and Achilles tendon in a lengthened position overnight to promote stretching while you sleep.

• Orthotics. Your health care professional might prescribe off-the-shelf or custom-fitted arch supports, called orthotics, to distribute the pressure on your feet more evenly.

Surgical or other procedures

If more-conservative measures aren't working after several months, your health care professional might recommend:

• Injections. Injecting steroid medicine into the tender area can provide temporary pain relief. Multiple shots aren't recommended because they can weaken your plantar fascia and possibly cause it to rupture. Platelet-rich plasma obtained from your own blood can be injected into the tender area to promote tissue healing. Ultrasound imaging during injections can assist in precise needle placement.

• Extracorporeal shock wave therapy. Sound waves are directed at the area of heel pain to stimulate healing. This is for chronic plantar fasciitis that hasn't responded to more-conservative treatments. Some studies show promising results, though this therapy hasn't been shown to be consistently effective.

• Ultrasonic tissue repair. This minimally invasive technology uses ultrasound imaging to guide a needlelike probe into the damaged plantar fascia tissue. The probe tip then vibrates rapidly to break up the damaged tissue, which is suctioned out.

• Surgery. Few people need surgery to detach the plantar fascia from the heel bone. It is generally an option only when the pain is serious and other treatments have failed. It can be done as an open procedure or through a small incision with local anesthesia.