What Are My Treatment Options for Plantar Fasciitis?

About one in 10 Americans will experience heel pain and other symptoms of plantar fasciitis in their lifetime. If you’re unable to manage your pain with home remedies, you can find innovative pain management solutions at New Tampa Interventional Pain & Sports Medicine.

Physical medicine specialist Jose De La Torre, MD, provides diagnostic evaluations in-office to confirm your heel pain is related to plantar fasciitis.

Dr. De La Torre also takes a patient-centered approach to relieving your symptoms by addressing their root cause. He offers a variety of nonsurgical therapies to restore your mobility and prevent additional tissue damage.

Recognizing signs of plantar fasciitis

Your plantar fascia, the tough band of tissue that connects your toes to your heel bone, is responsible for absorbing the shock of your movements and being a support system for the arches in your feet.

Plantar fasciitis occurs when the tissue band becomes inflamed or torn. Tissue damage can occur when you overuse your feet and ankles during exercise, when playing sports, or when standing for long periods of time on hard surfaces. Age-related changes in your soft tissues can also increase your risk for plantar fasciitis.

Inflammation or tears can occur anywhere along the plantar fascia but most often develop where the ligament attaches to your heel. For this reason, your initial symptoms may include discomfort in the heel that increases with activity and declines with rest.

As plantar fasciitis progresses, you might experience:

• Foot swelling
• Worsening heel pain
• Stiffness or tightness in the foot arches
• Stabbing pain in the sole of your foot

These symptoms can continue to worsen and cause the ligaments to separate from bone. Severe heel pain may disrupt your mobility and ultimately lead to additional pain in your hips, knees, and lower back.

Nonsurgical treatment strategies for plantar fasciitis

Your initial treatment plan for plantar fasciitis might include lifestyle changes like daily stretching exercises to ease tightness in your facia tissue. Dr. De La Torre may also refer you to a physical therapist for additional care to support the healing of tissue tears.

You may also benefit from nonsurgical treatments like:

• Oral anti-inflammatories
• Cortisone injections
• Night splints
• Arch supports or other orthotic devices

If you’re an athlete, Dr. De La Torre can show you how to properly warm up before practice and games to minimize damage to your feet and ankles.

In the event your pain stems from a severe tissue tear or your ligament separates from your bone, we can refer you to a specialist for surgery.

Additional plantar fasciitis prevention tips

If you’re already experiencing mild heel pain, you can do a few things now to prevent plantar fasciitis from getting worse.

One of the most important things to remember is that anytime you feel discomfort or pain, stop what you’re doing and rest. You may find immediate relief with ice therapy to minimize swelling in the soles of your feet.

We also recommend that you avoid wearing flip-flops and other unsupportive shoe styles that don’t protect your foot arch. Instead, invest in a good quality shoe with a low heel and good arch support.

Additionally, maintaining a healthy body weight can reduce unnecessary pressure on your legs and feet, which can prematurely wear out your plantar fascia. Our staff can recommend weight loss strategies you can incorporate into your daily routine to help you shed excess weight and maintain your results in the long term.

Call New Tampa Interventional Pain & Sports Medicine in Wesley Chapel, Florida, today or book a plantar fasciitis consultation online.