Dr. Parul K. Patel, D.P.M.
We see plenty of patients at the clinic who complain of heel pain, and one common reason is plantar fasciitis. Now the condition seems to have gone viral. Suddenly there are a host of celebrities— including President Obama and Peyton Manning— who are suffering from this nagging pain.
We don’t know about President Obama’s history, but professional athletes are prone to plantar fasciitis due to the repetitive pounding and stress that occurs on the basketball court, gridiron and baseball field.
While plantar fasciitis is one of the top five foot and ankle injuries in professional sports, ordinary folks are also at risk.
One of our patients (we’ll call him James) had been limping around for six months before he appeared at our Dallas clinic. By that time, unfortunately, the condition was quite severe. It was a few months before James could return to the game he loves (tennis).
Plantar fasciitis goes by many names, including tennis heel, jogger’s heel, or policeman’s heel. What all of these names have in common is the word ‘heel’. Typically, patients first notice an aching pain in the heel area.
Many patients try to tough it out when they start feeling heel pain. This can lead to more damage and a longer recovery time. It’s best to call the clinic so we can get started on reducing the inflammation that is the source of the pain, and get you back on your (pain-free) feet again.
While various factors are suspected to play a role in the development of plantar fasciitis, there’s no single source. The plantar fascia is a band of tough tissue that runs down the underside of the foot. The ligament helps absorb the weight of the body and puts a spring in your step. When the plantar fascia is sprained or torn, inflammation occurs as the body tries to protect its wounded foot soldier. The inflammation and irritated nerves produce pain.
If conservative treatment isn’t effective, we may recommend surgery. Plantar fascia release is the usual surgical treatment. Up to 90% of patients say they are pleased with the results of surgical release. The success rate higher if the condition isn’t allowed to linger too long.
As we told James, the strategy is to reduce inflammation and irritation so the fascia can heal. We take a multi-pronged approach, applying a mix of conservative therapies to learn which are most effective for a particular patient.
To provide you with the best care possible, we ask that you make every effort to keep your scheduled appointments and arrive on time.
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