Treatment Options

There are two objectives in treating plantar fasciitis: alleviate the symptoms (pain and inflammation) and correct the underlying deformity (excessive tension on the plantar fascia). Conservative therapies can meet both objectives. Surgery is usually warranted only after conservative therapies have failed over a period of 6 months or more. Without response to conservative measures, a doctor is more likely to question his/her original diagnosis than schedule your trip to the operating room. There are many different causes of heel pain and perhaps your pain might be caused, at least in part, by another condition (such as nerve entrapment, muscle strain, bursitis, arthritis, or stress fracture of the calcaneus).