Plantar Fasciitis

About Plantar Fasciitis

Plantar fasciitis is a common, uncomfortable disorder affecting the heels. If you develop heel pain, visit Our doctors and the team at Mill Creek for an accurate diagnosis. They provide outstanding care for patients affected by plantar fasciitis and other causes of heel pain. Call Our Doctors at the Mill Creek Foot & Ankle Clinic, in Mill Creek, Washington or request a consultation online today.

Plantar Fasciitis Q&A

What is plantar fasciitis?

Plantar fasciitis affects the foot’s plantar tissues, which extend from your heel through the arch to your toes. Overuse or irritation can cause inflammation or tear the plantar tissues, leading to pain in the bottom of the heel.

This pain is typically worse in the morning, easing off as you move about. If you do too much or sit too long, the pain might flare up again. Plantar fasciitis usually worsens over time without treatment and could become a chronic condition.

Some people have plantar fasciitis in both heels, but it often only affects one foot.

What causes plantar fasciitis?

The most common reasons people develop plantar fasciitis include:

• Overuse injuries from sports and activities
• Inadequate arch support
• Going barefoot
• Excess body weight
• Sudden weight increase
• Jobs that require long periods of standing

Our doctors will take X-rays and do a thorough exam to determine what’s happening in your foot and decide on the most effective treatment.

What treatments help with plantar fasciitis?

It’s essential to reduce inflammation in the plantar fascia tissue to treat plantar fasciitis successfully. Rest, avoiding activities that worsen heel pain, and applying ice packs at intervals can help. You might benefit from anti-inflammatory medications, which also reduce pain.

If self-care doesn’t improve your symptoms after a few weeks, visit Mill Creek Foot & Ankle Clinic for a thorough exam.Our doctors might recommend taping, bracing and/or cortisone injections to help support the foot and reduce the inflammation. A night splint can also help by stretching the tissues while you sleep.

It’s vital to address the underlying causes of plantar fasciitis to ensure recovery and prevent the problem from recurring. For example, you might need to lose weight and invest in more supportive footwear. Prescription Orthotics — custom-made supportive insoles — can be invaluable for reducing plantar fasciitis pain and improving foot biomechanics.

Will I require surgery for plantar fasciitis?

Most patients recover well from plantar fasciitis with nonsurgical treatments. In more severe cases, steroid injections can help by delivering strong anti-inflammatory medication directly into the inflamed tissue.

An alternative to surgery is a platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection into the plantar fascia to repair the tissue and hopefully avoid surgery.Our doctors is one of only a few podiatrists that offer PRP injections on-site in his clinic. This regenerative therapy uses natural growth factors found in our blood cells to help heal damaged tissues.

If no other treatments work, you might require plantar fascia release surgery. During this procedure, Our doctors cuts the plantar fascia tissues to relieve the pressure.

Early intervention ensures you get effective treatment before you need surgery, so don’t delay in seeking expert medical advice if you develop heel pain.

Call Mill Creek Foot & Ankle Clinic to arrange a plantar fasciitis assessment or request an appointment online today.