Heel Pain (Plantar Fasciitis)
What Is Plantar Fasciitis?
Plantar fasciitis is the most common cause of heel pain. About 2 million patients are treated every year. This degenerative condition happens when the plantar fascia, the ligament that runs from your heel bone to your toes, becomes irritated and inflamed.
The most common cause of plantar fasciitis is repetitive strain to this ligament. This can happen due to excessive running or walking, exercises that place stress on the heel, or poor footwear. Repetitive activities cause micro-tears and inflammation in the plantar fascia, which eventually leads to plantar fasciitis.
Do You Need Relief from Heel Pain? Call for a Consultation
Dr. Jason Morris and Dr. Avanti Redkar at North County Foot & Ankle Specialists in Escondido, CA, understand how frustrating recurring heel pain is for patients. They are trained in advanced podiatry procedures and, using a patient-first approach, can uncover the source of your discomfort in order to determine the treatment that best suits your needs.
Drs. Morris and Redkar, are both podiatric foot and ankle specialists with board certification in rearfoot and forefoot reconstructive surgery.
It's time to get to the bottom of what's causing your foot pain. Leave a message or call:
(760) 745-1226
Our Patient-First Approach
"Patient-first" means that we consider every treatment option to find the one that best suits your needs.
When you come in for care at North County Foot & Ankle Specialists in Escondido, CA, the doctors start by exploring the most conservative options to bring you relief. However, if needed, we are also trained in using the latest techniques to treat complex cases. In addition to his advanced training in reconstructive procedures, Drs. Morris and Redkar specialize in using advanced orthobiologics to boost healing in select cases.
What Are the Symptoms of Plantar Fasciitis?
Patients suffering from plantar fasciitis typically feel a stabbing pain on the bottom of the foot near the heel. The throbbing is usually worst just after getting out of bed in the morning or after a period of sitting.
While the stinging often disappears after a few minutes of walking, the scenario repeats itself the next time they rest. But it can also happen when they spend a prolonged period on their feet. Symptoms include:
- Pain on the bottom of the heel or arch
- Pain that is worse when they get out of bed
- Pain that increases over a period of months
- Stiffness, tenderness, and swelling
Why You Should Get
Heel Pain Diagnosed
While plantar fasciitis is one of the most common causes of heel pain, there could be other reasons your foot is sending you urgent warnings. You could have a stress fracture, Achilles tendinitis, or Bursitis, to name a few possible explanations.
Because there are several potential causes, it is important to have your foot properly diagnosed. If plantar fasciitis is suspected, our board-certified podiatrists at North County Foot & Ankle Specialists in Escondido, CA, may use ultrasound to confirm the diagnosis since soft tissue injuries are difficult to identify with traditional x-rays.
How to Treat Plantar Fasciitis
If it is detected early, most cases of plantar fasciitis can be treated at home with rest, ice, anti-inflammatory medication such as ibuprofen, and stretching exercises for the calves and plantar fascia. But if home remedies and anti-inflammatory medications don't resolve the pain, our doctors in Escondido may recommend:
Orthotic shoe inserts will provide needed arch support, especially in shoes such as women's flats that offer little in the way of foot support. We also recommend wearing activity-appropriate shoes. If you run, wear running shoes. If you are hiking, wear a pair of hiking boots.
Gentle stretching exercises can help prevent plantar fasciitis and relieve the pain of a flare-up. In particular, stretching your calves can help reduce heel pain. We can explain the proper exercises or, if needed, recommend physical therapy.
Wearing a splint, or brace, on your foot at night will keep your plantar fascia stretched so it doesn't tighten up overnight and cause pain when you step out of bed in the morning
If you are still struggling with foot pain, our doctors can reccomend more advanced treatments such as orthobiologics, platelet-rich plasma (PRP) treatment, or extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT). Surgery is only considered as a last resort and only if a year of aggressive nonsurgical methods has not provided relief.
Heel Spur vs. Plantar Fasciitis
How Can You Tell Which One You Have?
It's difficult to tell the difference between plantar fasciitis and heel spurs since both cause pain in the same area, but they are distinct problems. Plantar fasciitis is caused by inflammation of the plantar fascia ligament. A heel spur is a bone-like calcium deposit that grows on the heel bone and usually isn't visible to the naked eye.
The doctors at North County Foot & Ankle Specialists in Escondido, CA, will use x-rays and other techniques to determine what is causing your problem and recommend the appropriate treatment.
