Plantar Fasciitis

Plantar fasciitis, a common cause of heel pain, can be intensely uncomfortable and affect your mobility. If you develop recurring pain in the bottom of your heel, visit Pinnacle Foot & Ankle Clinics in Burnsville or Edina, Minnesota. The experienced team can diagnose the cause of your pain and effectively treat plantar fasciitis. Call Pinnacle Foot & Ankle Clinics or book an appointment online today for a prompt evaluation and relief from plantar fasciitis pain.

What is plantar fasciitis?

Plantar fasciitis is the most likely diagnosis for heel pain. It affects the plantar fascia, a band of soft tissue extending from your heel bone to your toes. This tissue supports your foot’s arch when you walk or run.

Plantar fasciitis begins with irritation of the plantar fascia that develops into inflammation. It causes intense pain on the bottom of your heel, usually worse in the morning when getting up or after sitting for long periods.

After walking for a few minutes, the fascia stretches, and the pain lessens. Some people find the pain returns if they spend a long time on their feet.

What causes plantar fasciitis?

The leading cause of plantar fasciitis is foot structure. Having high or low arches can increase stress on the plantar fascia, making inflammation more likely.

Footwear providing little or no arch support and jobs requiring several hours of walking or standing can also stress the plantar fascia. Carrying excess body weight is another plantar fasciitis trigger.

How is plantar fasciitis diagnosed?

Plantar fasciitis pain is quite distinctive, so the Pinnacle Foot & Ankle Clinics team can usually tell you have the condition during a foot exam. To confirm the diagnosis, you might need X-rays or an MRI. These diagnostic imaging procedures also detect heel spurs.

Heel spurs are common when you have plantar fasciitis. Your body produces these small bony growths in response to plantar fasciitis, but they rarely cause discomfort.

How is plantar fasciitis treated?

The Pinnacle Foot & Ankle Clinics team offers several conservative treatments to relieve plantar fasciitis. Anti-inflammatory medication helps by reducing pain and inflammation. Wearing a splint at night stretches the plantar fascia. Custom-fitted orthotics (specially designed shoe inserts) cushion your heel and support the arch, reducing pressure on the plantar fascia.

If these treatments don’t work, your Pinnacle Foot & Ankle Clinics doctor might inject cortisone (a powerful anti-inflammatory steroid medication) into your heel.

These treatments are effective nine times out of 10, but you might need surgery if they don’t relieve your discomfort. Plantar fascia release surgery is a minimally invasive procedure where your surgeon cuts the excessively tight tissue. This releases pressure on the plantar fascia and reduces heel pain.

Call Pinnacle Foot & Ankle Clinics or book an appointment online today for expert plantar fasciitis treatment.