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Plantar Fasciitis - Treatment Overview
SYMPTOMS & TREATMENTS
- Topic Overview
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Health Tools
- Cause
- Symptoms
- What Happens
- What Increases Your Risk
- When To Call a Doctor
- Exams and Tests
- Treatment Overview
- Prevention
- Home Treatment
- Medications
- Surgery
- Other Treatment
- Other Places To Get Help
- Related Information
- References
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The goals of treatment for plantar fasciitis are to:
- Relieve inflammation and pain in the heel.
- Allow small tears in the plantar fascia ligament to heal.
- Improve
strength and flexibility and correct foot problems such as
pronation
so that you don't stress the plantar fascia
ligament. - Allow you to resume your normal activities.
About 8 out of 10 people recover completely within a year. Out of 100 people with plantar fasciitis, about 95 are able to relieve their heel pain with nonsurgical treatments. Only about 5 out of 100 need surgery.1
Treatment that you start when you first notice symptoms is more successful and takes less time than treatment that is delayed.
Initial treatment
There are many methods you can try to relieve the heel pain of plantar fasciitis. Even though their effectiveness has not been proved in scientific studies, these methods, used alone or in combination, work for most people.2
- Rest your feet. Limit or, if possible, stop daily activities that are causing your heel pain. Try to avoid running or walking on hard surfaces, such as concrete.
- To reduce inflammation and relieve pain, put ice on your heel. You can also try an anti-inflammatory drug such as ibuprofen (Advil or Motrin, for example), naproxen (Aleve, for example), or aspirin.
- Wear shoes with good shock absorption and the right arch support for your foot. Athletic shoes or shoes with a well-cushioned sole are usually good choices.
- Try heel cups or shoe inserts (orthotics ) to help
cushion your heel. You can buy these at many athletic shoe stores and
drugstores. Use them in both shoes, even if only one foot
hurts.
- Put on your shoes as soon as you get out of bed. Going barefoot or wearing slippers may make your pain worse.
- Do simple exercises such as
calf stretches and
towel stretches several times a day, especially when you first get up in the
morning. These can help your ligament become more flexible and strengthen the
muscles that support your arch. For more information, see:
Avoid using only heat on your foot, such as from a heating pad or a heat pack. Heat tends to make symptoms worse. If you use contrast baths, which alternate hot and cold water, make sure you end with a soak in cold water.
If your weight is putting extra stress on your feet, your doctor may encourage you to try a weight-loss program.
Ongoing treatment
If nonsurgical methods such as rest, ice, and stretching exercises help relieve your plantar fasciitis symptoms, continue using them. If you have not improved after 6 weeks, your doctor may recommend that you continue those methods but add other nonsurgical treatments, such as:
- Custom-made
shoe inserts (orthotics ). Custom-made orthotics
require a prescription. If your foot has an unusual shape or if you have a certain
problem that the device will help, then a custom-made insert may fit better and
control pain better than a nonprescription one.
- Night splints. A night splint holds the foot with the toes pointed up and with the foot and ankle at a 90-degree angle. This position applies a constant, gentle stretch to the plantar fascia.
- A walking cast on the lower leg. Casting is somewhat more expensive and inconvenient than other nonsurgical treatments. And after the cast is removed, you will need some rehabilitation to restore strength and range of motion. But a cast forces you to rest your foot. Some people report that it is the most helpful of nonsurgical treatments.
Your doctor may recommend corticosteroid shots if you have tried nonsurgical treatment for several weeks without success.1 Shots can relieve pain, but the relief is often short-term. Also, the shots themselves are painful, and repeated shots can damage the heel pad and the plantar fascia.
Treatment if the condition gets worse
If nonsurgical treatments for plantar fasciitis do not relieve your heel pain, you may need to try other treatments. These may include corticosteroid shots, custom shoe inserts, or a walking cast if you have not already tried one. Formal physical therapy instruction can help to ensure proper stretching of the Achilles tendon and plantar fascia ligament. Doctors usually consider surgery only for severe, persistent cases.
Out of 100 people with plantar fasciitis, about 95 are able to relieve their heel pain with nonsurgical treatments. Only about 5 out of 100 need surgery.1 If you are one of the few people whose symptoms don't improve in 6 to 12 months with other treatments, your doctor may recommend plantar fascia release surgery. Plantar fascia release involves cutting part of the plantar fascia ligament in order to release the tension and relieve the inflammation of the ligament. For more information on surgery, see:
What To Think About
If you are trying to lose weight and you develop plantar fasciitis when you begin exercising, especially jogging, talk with your doctor about other types of activity that will support your weight-loss efforts without making your heel pain worse. An activity like swimming that doesn't put stress on your feet may be a good choice.
If your plantar fasciitis is related to sports or your job, you may have trouble stopping or reducing your activity to allow your feet to heal. But resting your feet is very important to avoid long-lasting heel pain. Your doctor or a sports medicine specialist may be able to suggest a plan for alternating your regular activities with ones that do not make your pain worse.
If you exercise frequently, ask your doctor questions about exercising during plantar fasciitis treatment. Or ask about whether physical therapy or referral to a sports medicine specialist, podiatrist, or orthopedist is appropriate.
| By: | Healthwise Staff | Last Revised: October 22, 2009 |
| Medical Review: | William M. Green, MD - Emergency Medicine Barry L. Scurran, DPM - Podiatry and Podiatric Surgery | |
© 1995-2011 Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated. This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions.
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