Popular Treatments for Plantar Fasciitis… and What To Do If They Fail

Plantar fasciitis is inflammation of the plantar fascia, which is the tissue that stretches across the entire length of the bottom of your foot. It can even result in a tear to the tissue and be extremely painful, limiting mobility and exercise. If you have plantar fasciitis, you may have tried these popular treatments listed below. Sometimes, they offer relief, but when they don’t, there are innovative alternatives your doctor may not know about that you can try instead. Here’s what you need to know about all your options.

If your plantar fasciitis is in the early stages, sometimes resting more can head off more serious pain in the future. Of course, if you resume the activities that provoked the plantar fasciitis in the first place, it will likely come back again. So, you will likely need to rethink whatever is causing your pain, whether that’s spending all day on your feet, doing too much uphill exercise, or performing certain types of high-impact workouts.

The application of ice on your feet can reduce swelling and pain. However, this is a temporary measure if you don’t address what’s causing the inflammation. Likewise, heat brings relief, although it’s best to apply if there’s not too much swelling. Heat therapy is most effective when used alternating with ice in what is known as contrast therapy.

Many people enjoy soaking their feet, even if they don’t have plantar fasciitis. It can relieve muscle tension and help the feet relax, especially if you’ve been standing or walking all day. Depending on your personal preference, you may like hot water over cold or add Epsom salts or essential oils to the water.

Poor support in your shoes, especially if you have flat feet, can predispose you to plantar fasciitis. Therefore, at the first signs of pain, investing in better footwear can help. You want shoes that fit well and provide superior arch support and a stiff heel cup. A sole that offers some impact resistance can help, too, so your feet aren’t acting like shock absorbers.

These socks put pressure on the bottoms of your feet, prompting better circulation and offering a little bit of support in addition to your shoes. With compression socks, you tend to get what you pay for, so it’s worth buying more expensive brands to get more compression and high-quality, long-lasting materials.

These colorful strips of tape have become increasingly popular, thanks to Olympic and professional athletes sporting them on TV. The tape can be applied to improve support to the soles of your feet. You need to know how to apply it, though, so it’s best to learn from an orthopedist, certified athletic trainer, or physical therapist. Be aware that you may need another person to tape you, too, as it can be difficult to apply yourself.

Some folks find that rolling something under their feet helps relax tight fascia and speeds blood flow to the area. You may have to experiment to find the size and type of roller that works best for you. Some are made of wood or other hard materials, and you can get them with various degrees of texture for more or less massage activity. You can also roll a soda pop bottle filled with frozen water and combine foot rolling and icing in one treatment.

For people who are prone to tight plantar fascia, stretching can help. Like applying kinesiology tape, this treatment is best when an expert first shows you how to do it. Some popular stretches include:

• Stretching with a towel under your foot around the toes

• Wall stretch, with one leg behind the other

• Lowering your heels while standing, with your toes on the edge of a stair

• Seated stretch by grabbing your big toe and lifting your ankle off the floor

• Towel curl using your toes to scrunch a small towel

Sometimes, the stretching exercises listed above aren’t enough to provide lasting pain relief. In that case, people resort to wearing socks with built-in splints that stretch their feet even while they sleep.

If you don’t get enough massage pressure from foot rolling, you may want to use a mechanical home foot massager or get a professional massage. If opting for the latter, make sure you inform the massage therapist about your plantar fasciitis. Even better, get a referral from an orthopedist or podiatrist, so you’re sure to see someone who knows what they’re doing and won’t make your condition worse.

When you consult a healthcare provider for your plantar fasciitis, they will often recommend a combination of the treatments listed above. They will also commonly suggest taking NSAIDs (non-prescription anti-inflammatory drugs), like ibuprofen or naproxen. You have to be careful with these drugs, however, because they can cause side effects that include acid reflux, high blood pressure, internal organ damage, and increased risk of cardiovascular events.

If your pain is really intense, you may get a prescription for pain medication. As well as being more expensive, these medications also have high risk profiles. They may make you too drowsy to drive or work, and they can become addictive when taken over time. Most also cause you to build a tolerance to the drug, which means you need a higher dose to get the same effect.

To improve the support of your shoes, your orthopedist or podiatrist may suggest getting a set of custom orthotics made. These inserts go inside your shoes to provide heel and arch support that’s unique to your feet. They’re recommended if you have unusual foot anatomy or one foot that’s different from another (e.g., a “fallen” arch).

Used in many areas of the body, cortisone shots can provide short-term relief from pain and swelling for about 30 to 90 days. They’re a temporary solution, though, because you can’t continue getting these shots forever. The cost can also add up, depending on your insurance.

As a last resort, surgery may be suggested to detach the plantar fascia from your heel bone, thus reducing tension on the bottom of your foot. Of course, surgery carries multiple risks, both under anesthesia and during recovery. It’s expensive, and you need to be able to take time off from work and family activities as you mend. Also, there’s no guarantee the surgery will provide complete pain relief. Studies show that the longer you’ve had plantar fasciitis, the less likely you will see total improvement in your symptoms.

The problem with many of the treatments previously discussed is that they are not always long-term solutions that address the root of your pain. They may require major life changes if you’re highly active or athletic. And some present potential secondary health dangers, such as drug side effects or surgical complications.

A better approach is to try non-surgical orthopedics, like the services offered at Core Medical & Wellness. We provide state-of-the-art alternatives for the treatment of plantar fasciitis and other conditions, including sports injuries and arthritis. Instead of putting yourself at risk with Band-Aid approaches, you may be able to stop your plantar fasciitis for good or only need treatments once every year or so.

One key treatment option in our toolbox to do this is regenerative medicine. This is particularly helpful if you have a plantar fascia tear, which many of our patients do.

Regenerative medicine uses your natural healing process for a safer option than surgery or drugs and more long-lasting pain relief than foot rolling, icing, and the like. For certain types of joint and soft tissue injuries, we often turn to platelet-rich plasma (PRP) or bone marrow concentrate (BMC) treatments.

These regenerative medicine treatments harness your own blood cells, drawn from your body, to kick-start the healing process. They promote tissue regeneration, reduced swelling, and elimination of pain. You get more long-term results because these cells keep renewing themselves, so you’re spared repeated treatments that just mask pain.

We offer other non-surgical options at Core Medical & Wellness, too. These include:

• Nerve blocks

• Radiofrequency ablation

• Joint lubrication injection

• Stem cell treatments

The best way to see if you are a good candidate for non-surgical methods and regenerative medicine treatments is to schedule an appointment with Core Medical & Wellness. Call us at 888-521-0688, or reach out online to let us know how we can help. Don’t let your plantar fasciitis get worse by using treatments that just mask your pain. Reach out today.