Plantar Fasciitis

What is plantar fasciitis?

Plantar fasciitis occurs when the plantar fascia, the thick ligament on the bottom of your feet, becomes swollen or inflamed from microtears. This tissue connects your heel bone to your toes, creating an arch in your feet. Pain from plantar fasciitis can decrease mobility and negatively impact your quality of life. It affects about 2 million Americans per year and as much as 10% of the population experience some type of heel pain in their lifetime.

What are the symptoms of plantar fasciitis?

If you experience the following symptoms, you may have plantar fasciitis:

• Pain or stiffness in your heel
• Sharp or dull heel pain
• Aching in your feet
• Burning in your feet
• Foot pain that feels worse in the morning or after rest
• Heel pain with physical activity

Foot pain from plantar fasciitis may feel worse after standing or sitting for long periods. It might develop suddenly after intense physical activity or appear slowly over time.

What are the risk factors for plantar fasciitis?

Plantar fasciitis is often caused by tension or stress on plantar fascia tissue, which normally acts as a shock absorber and supports the arches of your feet. You are more likely to get plantar fasciitis if you:

• Have arches in your feet that are too flat or too high
• Gain weight suddenly or are obese
• Run on uneven surfaces or for long distances
• Wear shoes with soft soles or poor arch support
• Have tight Achilles tendons
• Are over 40 years old
• Participate in ballet dancing, aerobic dancing, or ballistic jumping activities
• Have an abnormal walking pattern
• Spend most of the day standing or walking on hard surfaces

The cause of plantar fasciitis isn’t always entirely clear, but it is one of the most common complaints among patients.

What is the treatment for plantar fasciitis?

Your podiatrist goes over plantar fasciitis treatment options with you to determine which one best matches your needs. They use in-office digital x-ray and diagnostic ultrasound to help diagnose the problem and then create an individualized treatment plan for every patient.  They often use treatments such as custom orthotics, oral or injectable medications, stretching exercises and physical therapy, and also incorporate the latest in regenerative medicine into many of these treatment plans such as:

Amniotic membrane injections

Your provider injects donated amniotic membrane tissue from a baby’s placenta or umbilical cord to enhance healing naturally. These tissues, which undergo extensive screening, recruit your body’s own growth factors and stem cells to promote healing.

PRP injections

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections are filled with stem cells from your own blood. Your provider draws your blood, spins it in a centrifuge, and injects it into injured areas in your foot. Professional athletes known to use this natural healing method include Kobe Bryant, Tiger Woods, and Brian Urlacher.

Shockwave therapy

Extracorporeal pulse activation treatment (EPAT), or shockwave therapy, is an FDA-approved, noninvasive plantar fasciitis treatment that uses pressure waves to stimulate blood circulation and enhance healing naturally for faster recovery. One in-office session takes just 10 minutes.

When you’re ready to ease plantar fasciitis pain and heal naturally without anesthesia or surgery, call the Center for Podiatric Medicine today or book an appointment online.