Is Plantar Fasciitis a Permanent Condition?

Plantar fasciitis, a condition affecting the muscles and tissues that connect your heel bone to the small bones of your feet, is one of the most common causes of heel pain for adults in the United States. Daily stresses on your feet result in wear-and-tear on your plantar fascia, causing pain and limiting your mobility.

If you’re suffering from plantar fasciitis, should you expect this condition to last forever? Far from it! Leonard Greenwald, DPM, provides diagnosis and effective treatment options for plantar fasciitis from his medical practice in San Jose, California. Here’s what Dr. Greenwald wants his new and existing patients to understand about recovering from plantar fasciitis.

Understanding plantar fasciitis

Your plantar fascia are thick bands of tissue that run along the bottom of each of your feet. Your two plantar fascia connect your heel bones to the small bones at the front of your feet. You’re at greater risk for plantar fasciitis, a disorder of the plantar fascia, if you’re overweight, wear shoes that don’t adequately support your feet, or you run regularly.

The stabbing pain that’s related to plantar fasciitis is typically the worst in the morning, when you take your first steps of the day. Pain tends to decrease as you get moving, but can become a problem if you have to stand for a long time, or when you stand up after a long period of sitting down.

Effective treatment options for plantar fasciitis

Far from being a permanent or chronic condition, plantar fasciitis typically responds well to treatment. Most people recover completely with a few months of conservative treatment. And, you have lots of options available to you.

Many cases of plantar fasciitis respond positively to conservative treatment strategies. After diagnosing your plantar fasciitis, Dr. Greenwald typically recommends conservative approaches first. You could benefit from treatments and therapies including:

• Rest to allow your plantar fascia to recover from stress, including night splinting
• Anti-inflammatory medications, icing, or targeted steroid injections 
• Targeted stretching and strengthening exercises to support the tissues and muscles
• Custom orthotics or arch supports, or a general change of footwear

Severe cases of plantar fasciitis may require surgery. Dr. Greenwald has over 40 years of experience with foot and ankle surgery. So, if you need surgery to repair damaged plantar fascia, you’re in experienced, confident hands with him. Dr. Greenwald and his team use the most minimally-invasive techniques possible for your treatment, limiting your recovery time.

To learn more about whether plantar fasciitis could be the cause of your heel pain, and to explore your options for getting your feet back in top shape again, get in touch with Dr. Greenwald today. Schedule your initial consultation by calling our office or using our online booking system.