Complete, Advanced Care for Heel and Foot Pain
Plantar fasciitis is an inflammation (painful swelling) of the plantar fascia (a band of tissue that connects the heel bone to the toes). This condition is one of the most common causes of heel pain. It can make walking, running or using your foot painful and challenging.
If you have plantar fasciitis, the team at St. Luke’s Orthopedics is here for you. We provide a full range of non-surgical treatment options and, in rare cases, surgery to relieve pain . Our patient-centered approach to care means you’ll receive the treatment that’s right for you and your unique needs.
How We Diagnose Plantar Fasciitis
We’ll start the diagnostic process with a thorough physical exam. Your provider will check your foot for tenderness and swelling. We’ll also ask you about your symptoms, as well as when and how they occur.
Most patients don’t need imaging tests to diagnose plantar fasciitis. However, if your provider wants to rule out other conditions as the cause of your foot or heel pain, you may need to have one or more of the following tests:
Our Plantar Fasciitis Treatment Options
If we find that you have plantar fasciitis, you and your provider will work together on a personalized treatment plan to relieve your pain.
Noninvasive Treatments
Plantar fasciitis usually responds well to conservative treatment options, such as:
- Over-the-counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen and naproxen
- Resting your foot and taking a break from sports or other physical activities that caused your plantar fasciitis
- Changing your exercise routines to avoid activities that put stress on the plantar fascia
- Wearing supportive shoes that better cushion the plantar fascia
- Adding orthotics or shoe inserts for more support of your foot’s arch
If your plantar fasciitis is more severe, your provider may recommend physical therapy to improve the function of your foot and leg muscles and decrease the stress on your plantar fascia. You may also need to wear a night splint (which stretches your plantar fascia while you sleep), a walking boot or a cast for a time.
Minimally Invasive Treatments
If conservative treatments aren’t enough for your plantar fasciitis, your provider may recommend additional options, such as:
- Steroid injections to decrease inflammation
- Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections to harvest platelets from your blood and bring them to the plantar fascia, which may help it heal more effectively
- Extracorporeal shockwave therapy, which uses sound waves to increase blood flow to the plantar fascia to help it heal faster
Surgical Treatments
It’s rare to need surgery to treat plantar fasciitis. But if you don’t respond to noninvasive and minimally invasive treatments, your provider may recommend one or both of the following options:
- Gastrocnemius recession: This procedure lengthens the calf muscles to lower the pressure from your leg on the plantar fascia
- Plantar fascia release: This procedure involves making incisions (cuts) in the plantar fascia to relieve tension
Plantar Fasciitis Symptoms
Heel pain is the most common symptom of plantar fasciitis. This pain is often at its worst after first getting up in the morning or after sitting for a long time. It may also appear as sharp, stabbing pain when putting pressure on the heel.
Other symptoms can include:
- Foot stiffness
- Pain in the arch of the foot
- Swelling around the heel
- Tightness in the Achilles tendon (the band of tissue that runs from the calf to the heel)
Plantar Fasciitis Risk Factors
Activities that irritate or stress the heel or the arch of the foot can cause plantar fasciitis. Some of these activities can include:
- Exercises or activities that involve stress on the heel, such as running, dancing, ballet, etc.
- Exercising without stretching or warming up first
- Not wearing shoes that properly support your feet (such as sandals or flat sneakers without enough arch support)
- Playing sports
- Walking or standing barefoot often
You may be at higher risk for plantar fasciitis if you have:
- Feet with high arches
- Flat feet (no visible arches)
- Obesity