Plantar Fasciitis

Along the bottom of your foot, connecting your heel bone to your toes is the plantar fascia, a thick band of tissue that acts like a shock absorber as you walk. Under excess tension and stress, it can become irritated, or inflamed, leading to small tears to the ligament. Plantar fasciitis is the inflammation of the plantar fascia and is common among runners, who are most likely to strain this band while training. General foot and heel pain, stiffness, and tenderness is usually present to some degree. The pain is most often described as a shooting or stabbing pain in the heel typically following rest or use. 

Plantar fasciitis can be treated over an extended period without the need for X-rays and MRI’s or surgery by taking advantage of rest, ice, changes in your footwear, custom orthotics, physical therapy, cortisone-type steroid injections, tylenol or anti-inflammatory medications, night splints, and low impact activities.

Although surgery is typically not necessary for plantar fasciitis, a plantar fascia release surgery may be recommended in chronic cases. In this procedure, the plantar fascia ligament will be detached from the bone to release tension and relieve inflammation of the ligament. Any bone spurs would also be removed at this time. It can be performed as an open surgery or as an endoscopic surgery by inserting instruments through small incisions with local anesthesia. The latter procedure, however, can increase the difficulty of the surgery and pose a higher risk of nerve damage. Your doctor will advise you on the best options tailored to your specific needs.