Plantar Fasciitis
Plantar fasciitis is inflammation of the thick band of tissue (plantar fascia) that runs along the bottom of the foot, causing heel pain that is typically worst with the first steps in the morning.
Definition
Plantar fasciitis is inflammation of the thick band of tissue (plantar fascia) that runs along the bottom of the foot, causing heel pain that is typically worst with the first steps in the morning.
In-Depth
What You Need to Know
Plantar fasciitis is the most common cause of heel pain, affecting approximately 2 million Americans annually. The hallmark symptom is sharp, stabbing heel pain with the first few steps after waking or after prolonged sitting (start-up pain). Risk factors include overweight/obesity, running, flat feet or high arches, tight calf muscles, prolonged standing (occupational), and age 40-60. Physical therapy treatment includes manual therapy to the foot and calf, stretching (calf stretches, plantar fascia-specific stretching, toe curls), strengthening (intrinsic foot muscles, calf raises — eccentric loading is particularly effective), modalities (ultrasound, iontophoresis, dry needling), taping (low-dye taping), orthotics recommendation, and activity modification. Night splints maintain ankle dorsiflexion during sleep. 90% of plantar fasciitis cases resolve within 10 months with conservative treatment. Refractory cases may benefit from corticosteroid injection, extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT), or platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection.
Calls & Questions
What Patients Ask
Common phone questions about plantar fasciitis — and how Front Desk handles scheduling and call routing automatically.
Common Patient Questions
- 1What causes plantar fasciitis?
- 2How long does plantar fasciitis take to heal?
- 3Do I need orthotics for plantar fasciitis?
- 4Can physical therapy help heel pain?
How Front Desk Helps Your Practice
Front Desk captures plantar fasciitis symptom details from callers, schedules evaluation appointments, and notes that PT is first-line treatment.
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FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about plantar fasciitis.
Plantar fasciitis is inflammation of the thick band of tissue (plantar fascia) that runs along the bottom of the foot, causing heel pain that is typically worst with the first steps in the morning. Plantar fasciitis is the most common cause of heel pain, affecting approximately 2 million Americans annually. The hallmark symptom is sharp, stabbing heel pain with the first few steps after waking or after prolonged sitting (start-up pain).
Your physical therapy provider can answer this during your appointment. Front Desk captures plantar fasciitis symptom details from callers, schedules evaluation appointments, and notes that PT is first-line treatment.
Your physical therapy provider can answer this during your appointment. Front Desk captures plantar fasciitis symptom details from callers, schedules evaluation appointments, and notes that PT is first-line treatment.
Your physical therapy provider can answer this during your appointment. Front Desk captures plantar fasciitis symptom details from callers, schedules evaluation appointments, and notes that PT is first-line treatment.
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