Plantar Fasciitis Specialist

What is plantar fasciitis?

Plantar fasciitis is irritation and inflammation in the foot’s plantar fascia, the ligaments that connect your heel to the front of your foot.

The irritation and inflammation are often the results of overuse of your foot when participating in high-impact sports, like running or jumping. These activities can strain the ligament and cause small tears to develop in the tissue.

You might also be prone to plantar fasciitis if you spend a lot of time on your feet while working, especially on hard services, or if you have high arches or flat feet.

What are the symptoms of plantar fasciitis?

The hallmark symptom of plantar fasciitis is persistent heel pain and pain in the bottom of your foot. This pain is usually worse in the morning but might lessen as you start moving around.

If your foot pain continues to worsen, even with home care and rest, you should schedule a diagnostic evaluation at South Florida Foot & Ankle Centers.

How is plantar fasciitis diagnosed?

The providers at South Florida Foot & Ankle Centers spend time reviewing your medical history and your usual activities to identify what might be causing your pain. The physicians also look at your shoes’ wear pattern to determine if you have structural issues that affect your gait and foot health.

Your physician might request X-rays or other diagnostic imaging tests to rule out arthritis or stress fractures that might cause symptoms similar to plantar fasciitis.

Once they confirm plantar fasciitis as the source of your pain, the podiatry team customizes a treatment plan that focuses on relieving your symptoms and preventing additional damage to your ligaments.

How is plantar fasciitis treated?

Treatments for plantar fasciitis aim to relieve your pain and improve your mobility. The South Florida Foot & Ankle Centers specialists design a treatment plan for your individual needs to ensure your ligaments heal fully, so you can get back on your feet.

If you don’t find relief from your pain with rest and ice therapy, the providers might prescribe medications to relieve inflammation. You can also benefit from at-home stretching exercises and physical therapy to support the healing of your plantar fascia ligament.

If these conservative therapies don’t relieve your pain, you might benefit from:

Orthotics

The providers offer custom orthotics on-site that provide your foot with cushioning support to prevent irritation of your ligament.

Shockwave therapy

Shockwave therapy is a non-invasive procedure that uses impulses of energy to stimulate your body’s natural ability to heal damaged ligaments.

Surgery

In some cases, surgery is necessary to release overly tight ligaments by making small cuts into the tissue. You might also need surgery to remove large bone spurs that press on the plantar fascia.

If you need treatment for plantar fasciitis pain, call the South Florida Foot & Ankle Centers office nearest you or book an appointment online today.