If you are experiencing the sharp pain of plantar fasciitis in your heel, take comfort in knowing that you will likely find relief within a few days. By visiting your doctor and physical therapist a few times, you can make significant progress and expect to be free from pain in a few months.
According to your symptoms, your treatment will be customized by your doctor and physical therapist.
Most Effective Plantar Fasciitis Treatments
The most effective way to treat plantar fasciitis is to stretch the ligament known as the plantar fascia, along with stretching the calves alternatively. If you have the opportunity to utilize a gym, you can enhance the stretch by utilizing a leg press machine to increase the stretch further. Your physical therapist is able to instruct you on this exercise. After 1 or 2 stretch sessions, most individuals notice significant improvements.
- Physical therapy. A physical therapist can instruct you in a series of exercises to stretch the plantar fascia and Achilles tendon and to strengthen lower leg muscles, which stabilize your ankle and heel. A therapist may also teach you to apply athletic taping to support the bottom of your foot.
- Night Splints: Your physicians may recommend you wear a night splint. This splint is designed to stretch the calf and arch of the foot while you are sleeping.
- Consider your shoes. If you are not wearing shoes that have a good arch support and sufficient padding, your plantar fasciitis may get worse instead of healing. You can also incorporate a heal pad or orthotic into your shoes for additional comfort and reinforcement.
- Apply ice. Applying ice to the bottom of your foot is an excellent treatment for reducing inflammation.
Medications for Plantar Fasciitis
The most effective medication for plantar fasciitis is generally an anti-inflammatory medication since it is an inflammation. If your condition is mild or moderate, your doctor will likely suggest over-the-counter non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), like ibuprofen.
If you don’t have a good response to stretching and over-the-counter NSAIDs, your doctor might recommend celecoxib, diclofenac, meloxicam, or another prescription NSAID. Nonetheless, your doctor will likely gradually discontinue the use of NSAIDs to minimize the possibility of experiencing side effects, including digestive issues or heart complications.
Advanced Tissue Repair Services:
Steroid shots
Injecting a corticosteroid into the painful part of the heel is able to offer temporary relief. It should be noted that repeated injections might lead to a weakened plantar fascia, potentially resulting in rupture, along with the shrinking of the fat pad that covers the heel bone.
Shockwave Therapy
Extracorporeal shockwave therapy is an initial treatment option for chronic heel pain that does not respond to conservative care. Two types of treatments can be used – low-strength and high-strength. However, the high-strength treatment is more painful, requires anesthesia, and may not completely eliminate the heel pain in one session. For this reason, we prefer the low-intensity treatment, which is performed 3-4 times. The treatment is conducted in-office without the need for anesthesia. A low energy ultrasound probe is utilized to break down scar tissue in the heel area and improve blood flow to the damaged tissue. This promotes soft tissue healing. After each procedure, the patient can walk on their foot with a regular shoe and there is no recovery time required. Typically, it takes 3-4 attempts to achieve complete healing and alleviate plantar fascia pain.
PRP (Platelet Rich Plasma) Injection Therapy
Platelet rich plasma therapy, also known as PRP therapy, is an advanced and innovative method used to treat chronic plantar fasciitis and alleviate pain. In cases where more traditional treatment methods have been unsuccessful, it is possible that there is a lack of blood supply required for the healing process, as well as the presence of chronic scar tissue in the affected area. Essentially, the body perceives the damaged region as the new normal and does not initiate the healing process. The objective of platelet rich plasma therapy is to enhance the blood supply and growth factors in order to aid in the healing process by targeting the scar tissue and damaged region within the plantar fascia.
The treatment takes place in the office using ultrasound guidance to accurately place the material in the targeted area of chronic scar tissue. To obtain the required blood, a blood draw is performed from the arm, similar to lab work blood draws. The blood is then spun in a special machine to concentrate the PRP cells. Subsequently, the concentrated cells are injected back into the damaged tissue. After the injection, measures are taken to protect the patient and mitigate pain, swelling, and stress on the affected region during the healing process.
Stem Cell Therapy
The field of medicine has been significantly advanced by the injection of mesenchymal stem cells, surpassing any other single treatment in the last decade. Stem cells serve as the fundamental components for all bodily tissues, playing a role in improving vision and liver function. Stem cells associated with tissue building and repair are known as stem cells. These cells can be found in both body fat and bone marrow. Our preferred method involves extracting stem cells from the bone marrow using a small needle under local anesthesia. The bone marrow is then centrifuged in a specialized machine to concentrate the stem cells, which are subsequently injected back into the plantar fascia region. This technique not only enhances the presence of healing cells in the area but also significantly reduces the swelling. Although complete pain relief may take 4-6 weeks, most patients usually experience a positive response within the first 2 weeks of treatment.
Relef Procedure
The trade name Rel?F is not a spelling error, but rather a radio frequency procedure used to heal damaged soft tissue, specifically the plantar fascia in cases of plantar fasciitis. This procedure utilizes radio frequency technology to break up scar tissue in the plantar fascia, while also applying heat to increase blood supply and promote healing in the affected area. To ensure patient comfort, a patented liquid mist technology is employed to cool the skin, while a probe transfers heat to the deeper tissues. Anesthesia is not required for this office-based procedure. Following the treatment, the foot is protected with a boot for approximately one week. In some cases, it may be necessary to undergo two procedures in order to fully resolve plantar fasciitis.
Surgery
Your orthopedic surgeon or podiatrist may do a plantar fascia release, which involves cutting the inflamed ligament, in order to reduce the tightness in the tissue. Another procedure, known as gastrocnemius recession, stretches one of your calf muscles to alleviate the strain between the plantar fascia ligament and the calf. Surgery is not often necessary and is usually considered as a last resort for individuals experiencing severe pain that has not responded to other treatments. One potential side effect of surgery is a weakening of the arch in your foot.
