Plantar fasciitis typically causes heel and foot pain and stiffness. This pain is usually worse:

1. When you first get up in the morning.

2. If you walk after long periods of sitting or standing.

3. When going up stairs.

4. Following exercise.

Diagnosis

Your doctor can diagnose plantar fasciitis by discussing your medical history and checking your foot for pain, firmness, or redness on the bottom. They might observe how you stand and walk and look into other factors like high arches.

Your doctor may request foot X-rays to check for a stress fracture (a tiny crack in the bone), or conditions like a heel spur, an excess buildup of calcium on the heel bone.

Treatment for Plantar Fasciitis

Treatment includes simple steps to ease the condition. These steps are: 1. Rest: Begin with rest, which helps lessen pain and protects the ligament from more harm.

2. Ice: Apply ice by rolling your foot over it. Do this for 20 minutes, 3-4 times daily, to decrease swelling.

3. Medications: NSAIDs can be used to ease pain and lessen inflammation.

4. Exercise: Try calf and plantar fascia stretches to alleviate pain.

5. Steroid Injection: An injection may be given in the plantar fascia to lessen pain and swelling.

6. Shoes & Orthotics: Supportive footwear and orthotics can make walking or standing more comfortable.

7. Night Splints: Your doctor may advise wearing night splints to stretch the plantar fascia during sleep.

8. Physical Therapy: Learn stretching exercises, massage techniques, and ice applications.

9. ESWT: Physical therapists might use shockwave impulses to help heal the plantar fascia.

Surgery for Plantar Fasciitis

Surgery is an option if after a year, other treatments haven’t helped. The type of surgery you'll get depends on your specific case.

Gastrocnemius recession surgery lengthens tight calf muscles to reduce strain on the plantar fascia. Your surgeon will make your calf muscle longer, improving ankle movement. It's done with an open cut or through a tiny cut using an endoscope, a camera-equipped tool.

Plantar Fascia Release: Should you retain good ankle movement but still suffer from heel pain, we suggest a partial release surgery. In this, your surgeon will delicately slice a portion of your plantar fascia ligament to lessen the strain. While this operation can be done using an endoscope, the open incision method is simpler and carries a reduced likelihood of harming nerves.

Risks and Complications

Surgery for plantar fasciitis is usually safe, but like all surgeries, risks exist. Possible issues include:

1. Infection.

2. Nerve damage.

3. Persistent pain.