Plantar Fasciitis

Plantar fasciitis is a condition that causes heel pain. It can make it hard to complete your everyday tasks, often affecting you while you work, exercise, and even while you stand. It commonly stems from overuse or too much stress being put on your feet, although there is a range of potential causes.

Seeking treatment can help you enjoy pain-free mornings, work days, and movements. Our experts at Teton Foot & Ankle are here to help with testing and treatment options so that you can find the relief you need.

Plantar Fasciitis

Plantar fasciitis refers to inflammation of the plantar fascia, which is the tissue that runs from your heel to the ball of your foot and connects your heel bone and toes together. The plantar fascia is specifically designed to absorb the stress of impact that you place on your feet; however, too much stress can damage it. This causes inflammation and micro-tears.

This condition is the single most common cause of heel pain and is often described as a stabbing sensation. One of the most frequent complaints from those suffering from plantar fasciitis is pain in the arch and heel after rest. Often, your foot will hurt first thing in the morning, and the pain will lighten up after a few minutes of walking. But as activity and time on your feet increase, the pain typically returns.

Symptoms of Plantar Fasciitis

While some foot and ankle conditions can lead to constant pain or pain that is exacerbated by exercise and movement, this condition is different. Your pain levels can change, and pain often follows rest as opposed to following activity. 

The symptoms of plantar fasciitis are as follows:

  • Changes in pain levels throughout the day

  • Decreased pain while exercising and increased pain after

  • Increased pain after periods of rest

  • Stiffness in the foot

  • Swelling around the heel

  • Pain located on the bottom of the foot near the heel

  • Pain when flexing the foot and decreased pain when pointing toes down

  • Pain when pushing on the heel area

Causes

This condition can be caused by quite a few factors related to exercise, work, lifestyle, and footwear. It is more prevalent in those who run often and those who are overweight, and it is most commonly found in people between the ages of 40 and 60.

Potential causes include:

  • Failing to stretch before exercising

  • Having a health condition such as obesity, flat feet, or high arch feet

  • Having a job that requires you to be on your feet for prolonged periods of time

  • Playing sports

  • Standing barefoot

  • Walking barefoot

  • Wearing shoes that do not offer sufficient support, such as flip-flops

  • Working or exercising on hard surfaces, such as the sidewalk

Diagnosis and Testing

There are several ways to test for this condition. Your podiatrist will likely press on your plantar fascia in order to check for inflammation and pain levels. It is helpful to tell them where you feel the pain and at what points during the day it is most intense.

They may have you stand barefoot on the floor and observe what your arch does under pressure, or they may have you raise into a “tip-toe” position and watch if the arch raises in order to find out if the flat-footedness is caused by skeletal deformity or muscle weakness. 

Other tests that may be used include studies such as X-rays, MRI and CT scans, or ultrasounds, though these tests are often used to rule out other problems.

Treatment

Non-surgical options are the most common form of treatment, as surgical options are rarely needed. 

Examples of these include: 

  • Corticosteroids

  • Extracorporeal pulse activation technology (EPAT)

  • Icing

  • Massaging 

  • Orthotics or inserts

  • Over-the-counter NSAIDS such as ibuprofen or aspirin

  • Percutaneous needle tenotomy 

  • Platelet-rich plasma (PRP)

  • Rest

  • Stretching

  • Supportive shoes

  • Temporary walking boot

While surgical options are not common, there are instances when they are necessary. In a gastrocnemius recession, your calf muscles will be lengthened in order to reduce the pressure on your plantar fascia. In a plantar fascial release, a surgeon relieves extra tension by making small incisions in the plantar fascia.

Idaho Falls Plantar Fasciitis Treatment

At Teton Foot & Ankle, we offer expert foot and ankle care for various conditions. We understand that these conditions can cause pain, discomfort, and disruption to everyday life, and we want to help you get back to feeling your best.

Contact us today so we can walk you through testing and treatment options for your plantar fasciitis and answer any questions you may have.

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Call our office if you have any questions about what we do or to schedule an appointment. 

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