ABOUT US
ABOUT US
ABOUT US
Board Certified Orthopedic Surgeon
Shoulder and Knee Specialist
PLANTAR FASCIITIS KANDILNOTES
INTRODUCTION​
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Plantar fasciitis is the most common cause of plantar heel pain
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It is characterized by inflammation of the origin of the plantar fascia and surrounding perifascial structures in the inside of the heel/foot
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The word fasciitis implies an inflammatory process; however, histologic evidence does not support this concept and suggests more of a degenerative process without inflammation
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80% of heel pain is plantar fasciitis
CAUSES​
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Although not clearly defined, it is thought to be secondary to repetitive microtrauma at the origin of the plantar fascia
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS
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Pain in the sole of the heel and inside of the foot
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Tenderness of the sole of the foot
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Pain is often worse with first few steps in the morning and also worse with continued weight bearing
TREATMENT​​
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Treatment of plantar fasciitis is usually multimodal and involves trying multiple different modalities
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The first line of treatment usually a period of rest and can involve a course of physical therapy or a home exercise program focused on stretching of the achilles tendon and plantar fascia
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Anti-inflammatories such as ibuprofen are oftentimes helpful as an adjunct to other treatments
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Night splints
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Custom and over the counter orthotics and heel cups have been shown to help
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Shockwave therapy has shown good results in some studies
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Steroid injections are not recommended due to risk of achilles rupture
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Plantar fasciitis that has failed conservative management may be treated with Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) as there is growing evidence that this may help improve pain and avoid surgery
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Surgery is reserved for cases that don’t improve after a minimum 6 month course of conservative management if symptoms are significantly affecting activities of daily living and quality of life.
PREVENTION ​​
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The best way to prevent this condition is to avoid repetitive activities that overload the achilles tendon and plantar fascia