You know the drill: you get out of bed, put your feet on the floor, and you’re instantly met with heel pain. You could have plantar fasciitis, a common cause of painful feet. Here’s how we can help you manage it.

Plantar fasciitis is a common cause of foot pain, accounting for about 2 million trips to the doctor every year in the United States. As many as 10% of people will have plantar fasciitis at some point during their life, and it’s especially common among athletes, where it represents 10%-15% of foot injuries that require medical treatment.

Because plantar fasciitis involves your heel and the sole of your foot, daily walking and other activities can be an almost continual source of foot pain. At Regenexx Las VegasJosh Goodwin, MD, and his team treat plantar fasciitis using cutting-edge techniques designed to promote natural healing.

Quick facts about plantar fasciitis

To understand this condition, you need to know a little bit about foot anatomy. Plantar fasciitis is an inflammation of the plantar fascia, a strong band of supportive tissue that extends from your heel toward your toes. Tough but flexible, the plantar fascia helps support your midfoot, and it also acts like a built-in shock absorber when you walk and perform other activities.

Plantar fasciitis happens when repeated impacts to the bottom of the foot cause the tissue to stretch beyond its limits, creating tiny tears in the tissue along with painful inflammation. Almost anyone can develop the condition, but it’s more common among people who:

  • Engage in activities with repetitive impact to their feet
  • Increase activity suddenly
  • Spend lots of time standing
  • Are overweight
  • Have tight calf muscles
  • Have high arches, flat feet, or other specific foot shapes

Plantar fasciitis also tends to become more common as you age and as years of wear-and-tear take their toll on the tissue.

Plantar fasciitis symptoms

For most people with plantar fasciitis, foot pain is focused around the heel, extending toward the toes. Plantar fasciitis is sometimes triggered by heel spurs, bony overgrowths along the edge of the heel bone. These spurs irritate the plantar fascia and can contribute to tissue damage.

If you have plantar fasciitis, your symptoms are worse in the morning or after a period of rest, gradually improving with movement. Yet after another period of rest, the pain severity returns.

Treating plantar fasciitis

The good news: Plantar fasciitis tends to respond well to treatment. Your doctor may recommend any of a wide variety of treatment options, including:

Physical therapy

Gentle stretching and massage promote circulation and relieve muscle strain and inflammation in your feet. Dr. Goodwin often recommends physical therapy, but you can try these simple exercises at home, too.

MLS laser therapy

MLS laser therapy uses focused beams of energy to painlessly penetrate your foot. By targeting the tissues of the plantar fascia, laser energy reduces inflammation, relieves pain, and stimulates natural healing.

Injections

In some instances, Dr. Goodwin recommends injections of corticosteroids to reduce inflammation. He makes the injection directly into the plantar fascia for immediate effects. He may also recommend platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections to stimulate natural healing.

In addition to the treatments we provide at our office, Dr. Goodwin often recommends home care, such as:

Activity modification

Avoiding high-impact activities like jumping or running gives inflamed tissues a chance to heal. Wearing shoes with good arch support is important for relieving strain on the plantar fascia, too.

Over-the-counter medicines

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medicines, like ibuprofen, can help by reducing inflammation in and around the plantar fascia. These medicines are often used in combination with other therapies for maximum effect.

Applying ice

Using ice packs is a great way to provide some immediate relief for painful symptoms, and it helps relieve inflammation, too. Use ice packs for a maximum of 10-15 minutes at a time, and always wrap the pack in a cloth to protect your skin.

We can relieve your nagging plantar fasciitis pain

Located in the Green Valley neighborhood of Henderson, Nevada, Regenexx Las Vegas can help you finally relieve your persistent plantar fasciitis foot pain with a treatment plan tailored to your symptoms and risk factors. To learn more, call 702-986-0921 or book an appointment online at Regenexx Las Vegas today.