Plantar Fasciitis Q & A

What is the cause of plantar fasciitis?

Plantar fasciitis is the medical term for chronic inflammation of your plantar fascia, the long band of fibrous connective tissues that connects your heel bone — the largest bone in your foot — to your toes. You can develop plantar fasciitis due to:

• Pregnancy
• Being overweight
• Having flat feet or high arches
• Working on your feet for long hours
• Participating in long-distance running, ballet dancing, or ballistic jumping sports

You’re also more likely to struggle with plantar fasciitis if you’re over age 40. This is just a result of the shock-absorbing abilities of your plantar fascia wearing down with age.

How is plantar fasciitis diagnosed?

At Bregman Foot-Ankle & Nerve Center, you undergo a comprehensive diagnostic evaluation to confirm a plantar fasciitis diagnosis and rule out any other problems (like stress fractures). Your dedicated podiatrist evaluates your feet and may even take in-office X-rays or use a state-of-the-art diagnostic ultrasound to make the exact diagnosis on the spot.

It’s important to let your podiatrist know about all of the symptoms you’ve been experiencing. What makes plantar fasciitis pain so unique is that it tends to flare up first thing in the morning or after you’ve been sitting for hours. Those first few steps can cause severe stabbing pains.

The discomfort you feel with plantar fasciitis is likely going to be along the bottom of your foot closer to your heel. You might even find that your plantar fasciitis pain is worse after an intense workout session or sporting activity. The team at Bregman Foot-Ankle & Nerve Center will listen to you and your symptoms which helps them efficiently diagnose you and design your treatment plan. Other issues may also be contributing as well, and this is a complex heel pain which Dr. Bregman is one of the top physicians in the country on treating this debilitating condition.

Can plantar fasciitis be treated?

Not only can the team at Bregman Foot-Ankle & Nerve Center treat any current foot and heel pain you’re experiencing, but they can also provide a plantar fasciitis care package to prevent future flare-ups or decrease the severity of ongoing discomfort. Your plantar fasciitis treatment plan may include:

• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
• Extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) state-of-the-art machine in-office
• Amniotic or stem cell injections and newer exosomes
• Corticosteroid injections
• Custom orthotics

Since the team at Bregman Foot-Ankle & Nerve Center specializes in regenerative treatment solutions, they can even harvest stem cells from your own bone marrow or use cryopreserved donor umbilical stem cells and now exosome injections. These injections can help decrease pain and inflammation over time and cure the problem. The injections are usually not covered by insurance.

Dr. Bregman even spends time educating you on daily exercises and stretches you can do to strengthen your plantar fascia once the pain has been eradicated. As a last resort, if conservative therapies aren’t enough, you might qualify for minimally invasive endoscopic surgery to release your plantar fascia, which has a 90% success rate.

Schedule your plantar fasciitis evaluation at Bregman Foot-Ankle & Nerve Center today. Click on the online booking feature, or call to speak with a team member.

* Individual results may vary.