Plantar Fasciitis Symptoms and Treatments

Your heels are the largest of the 26 bones in each of your feet.

In many ways, your heel is the “backbone” of your foot; it provides the strength, support, and balance necessary for your feet to do their jobs properly.

Given the heel’s hefty and constant workload, it’s no surprise that problems will often develop, especially as we age.

Heel pain and discomfort can make every step a challenge, and one of the most common reasons behind such troubles is a condition called plantar fasciitis.

As resilient and strong as your heels are and need to be in order to carry the heavy workload of supporting your entire body, all that work can take its toll. 

This is especially true as the years (and miles) add up.

What Exactly is Plantar Fasciitis?

The plantar fascia is the thick band of tissue which runs along the bottom of your foot, connecting the heel bone to the toes.

This biomechanical condition caused by immense and ongoing pressure that damages heel tissue, is perhaps the most common cause of heel pain, inflammation and stiffness at the sole of the foot.

What Are The Causes of Plantar Fasciitis?

Plantar fasciitis is most often the result of a repetitive strain injury to the ligament of the sole of the foot.

Excessive or intense running or walking, inadequate footwear, rapid weight gain, prolonged standing and sitting, or recent changes in activity can all increase the risk of developing the condition.

Certain underlying medical conditions, such as reactive arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis, can also contribute to plantar fasciitis.

Symptoms And Diagnosing This Condition

Common among runners, plantar fasciitis often appears as a stabbing pain on the bottom of the foot near the front or center of the heel.

This pain is usually at its peak right after waking up in the morning and taking the first steps of the day but can also increase in intensity after standing or sitting for a long time.

If you are experiencing frequent or consistent heel pain, you should schedule an appointment with a qualified and experienced podiatrist to determine the cause of the problem.

Understanding the reasons behind your discomfort is the first step towards resolving the issue.

At your initial appointment with one of our foot and ankle specialists, we will give you a comprehensive examination to identify the source of your heel pain.

Visually and through manipulation of the foot, we look for signs of tenderness and swelling and pinpoint the precise location from which your pain is emanating.

We may also have you undergo a physical test involving standing and walking to find the source of the problem.

In some cases, we recommend an x-ray or MRI to ensure that your pain isn’t the result of something other than plantar fasciitis.

What Treatments Are Available For Plantar Fasciitis?

For many, if not most patients with plantar fasciitis, at-home treatments, and exercises can effectively resolve the pain associated with the condition. As an initial approach, we may recommend the following at-home heel pain treatments:

  • Heel inserts
  • Tendon stretches
  • Anti-inflammatory medications
  • Icing to reduce inflammation

If pain and problems persist after these efforts to treat the condition, JAWS Podiatry also offers the following in-office services to help patients get relief from heel pain:

  • Platelet-rich plasma injections to decrease the thickness of the plantar fascia. This procedure usually involves two to seven days of recovery time with no weight-bearing.
  • Stem cell therapy that can promote tissue healing, repair, and regeneration. Patients usually see noticeable improvement to heel pain in two to six weeks.

In a small percentage of patients, extreme cases of plantar fasciitis can devolve into very painful heel spurs, which are calcium deposits that cause a bony protrusion on the underside of the heel bone.

Ninety percent of the time, we can use non-invasive treatments like the stretching, physical therapy, orthotics, regenerative procedures, and over-the-counter pain relievers as described above to effectively address this condition.

For more severe cases, however, surgery may be the best way to lower inflammation, relieve pain, and restore full mobility.

Heel Pain? Schedule an Appointment With Our Teams Today!

No one should have to live with heel pain and discomfort – and you don’t need to.

If you are experiencing heel pain or other symptoms that may indicate that you have plantar fasciitis, please reach out to our foot and ankle specialists at JAWS Podiatry today.

We offer a range of advanced and effective surgical and non-surgical procedures to treat heel problems, and our podiatrists provide exceptional patient care that can get you back on your feet quickly.

Please call us today at (954) 922-7333 or contact us online to schedule a consultation.

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