Most associate plantar fasciitis with being a painful foot condition. It occurs when connective tissue at the bottom of the foot called the plantar fascia becomes irritated. Plantar fasciitis is most common among those who spend a lot of time on their feet. If your feet hurt when you wake up, this is a hallmark sign of plantar fasciitis. Fortunately, for the majority of people, symptoms can be relieved without any surgery.

Plantar fasciitis can potentially cause significant heel pain. Most note the pain as being the most severe in the morning upon awakening, following rest, or after being on your feet for long periods of time.

Walking or stretching helps relax the plantar fascia, and can help manage pain.
Many people with plantar fasciitis eventually develop heel spurs, abnormal bony growths that form underneath the heel. Heel spurs can occur if the plantar fascia pulls away from the bone, or from prolonged inflammation of the plantar fascia.

Plantar fasciitis is caused by structural problems within the foot. People with flat feet have an extra long plantar fascia. This creates a greater distance between the heel and the balls of the feet. Those with high arches have a short plantar fascia. And, people with short plantar fascia are more prone to plantar fasciitis. Sudden weight gain, obesity, and prolonged standing or walking on hard surfaces can all contribute to plantar fasciitis.

At SportsMed, we'll need to do an examination and review of your medical history before we can diagnose plantar fasciitis. You should describe your symptoms to Dr. Berry accurately, and explain the amount of time that you spend on your feet.

We can also use imaging scans, like MRIs or an X-ray to determine the extent to which your plantar fascia is inflamed, and help determine appropriate treatment options.

In the majority of cases, plantar fasciitis can be treated non-surgically. Rest, ice, and over-the-counter anti-inflammatory or prescription medications can help manage pain. We may also use Cortisone injections to help alleviate symptoms.

For some, it can be helpful to lose any excess weight, and to refrain from going barefoot.

Physical therapy can be helpful to learn exercises to stretch and help relax the tissues in the heel. Dr. Berry may recommend custom orthotics, shoe inserts, or a removable walking cast to help position your foot and cushion your heel. Night splints can help while you sleep.

Customized orthotics and insoles can help relieve inflammation or tightness in the plantar fascia. It is important to perform any exercises given to you by Dr. Berry to help keep your foot stretched and relaxed. Maintaining a healthy weight helps as well.

We only use surgery to treat plantar fasciitis a very small percentage of the time. Surgical treatments will usually only be considered after non-surgical treatments, like physical therapy, have failed. Plantar fascia release surgery is used to relax the plantar fascia, and is usually paired with tarsal tunnel release surgery. Surgery is successful for the vast majority of people.

The majority of people with plantar fasciitis improve after a few months of non-surgical treatment. It is important to follow your doctor’s instructions. It is important to let your doctor know if your symptoms do not improve after a few months so that your treatment plan can be reassessed.