Plantar Fasciitis
Plantar fasciitis is a very common condition. It’s also one that causes a tremendous amount of pain and can keep you away from favorite activities.
At the same time, this source of heel pain is quite treatable. We know this because we help many patients just like you find relief from the pain and get back to doing what they love.
If you suffer from plantar fasciitis, our HFAA team can help!
Why Does Your Heel Hurt So Badly?
If you have sharp, excruciating pain in your heel—and particularly if you experience it on the underside of your foot—then there’s a better-than-average chance you have plantar fasciitis.
Of course, the simple fact you have pain in your heel means the odds are decent this is what’s afflicting you. After all, plantar fasciitis is the leading source of adult heel pain.
Check out this page for more information on heel pain!
To further establish if this condition is why your heel hurts, think about when the pain is strongest. If it’s when you take the first steps of the day or following an extended period of rest, the likelihood further increases.
How Long Does Heel Pain Last?
Understandably, those who suffer from plantar fasciitis usually want to know how long it is going to last.
If you don’t treat it and continue your normal routine, it can go on indefinitely.
But if you’re smart and address the problem with an appropriate treatment plan, it will get better over time. The actual amount of time does vary:
Heel pain, whether from this condition or another one (like Achilles tendinitis, bursitis, etc.), can take anywhere from several weeks to a year-and-a-half to go away. Obviously, the higher end of the spectrum is for particularly severe and stubborn cases.
(Again, there is a fair amount of variance.)
Most patients who adhere to their treatment plans start to experience lessened pain within six months.
What Is The Fastest Way To Cure Heel Pain?
Naturally, if you suffer from plantar fasciitis, you want to find relief as soon as possible.
To start, it’s worth noting that the fastest way to overcome a condition like this is to carefully follow your treatment plan!
That said, some treatment options can lead to quicker recovery times than others. Specifically, many patients have been quite pleased with how quickly our laser therapy works.
Wait, does laser therapy really get rid of heel pain??
At the end of the day, though, the fastest remedy will depend on an array of factors. When you come see us for treatment, we will work to create a plan that gets you back to your favorite activities in the shortest possible amount of time.
What Is The Best Treatment For Plantar Fasciitis?
This is something patients often ask, but it’s kind of a tricky question. A better one is what’s the best treatment for you.
See, your treatment plan will likely be different than the one we created for the patient who had an appointment right before yours.
No matter what constitutes the best plantar fasciitis treatment for you, here’s some good news:
The condition is often successfully treated with conservative (nonsurgical) care.
Now, there are some cases where surgically detaching a severely inflamed fascia is the recommended course of action—they just tend to be rare.
(In the event we do recommend surgery, you can take comfort in the fact that our doctors are highly skilled and experienced in performing the appropriate procedures.)
Depending on what Dr. Lockwood recommends, your treatment plan might consist of:
- Rest
- Icing
- Medication
- Physical therapy
- Custom orthotics
- Laser therapy
Why Does Your Heel Hurt So Badly?
If you have sharp, excruciating pain in your heel—and particularly if you experience it on the underside of your foot—then there’s a better-than-average chance you have plantar fasciitis.
Of course, the simple fact you have pain in your heel means the odds are decent this is what’s afflicting you. After all, plantar fasciitis is the leading source of adult heel pain.
Check out this page for more information on heel pain!
To further establish if this condition is why your heel hurts, think about when the pain is strongest. If it’s when you take the first steps of the day or following an extended period of rest, the likelihood further increases.
What Is The Main Cause Of Plantar Fasciitis?
The reason why the timing of your pain is part of the diagnostic process relates directly to the main cause of the condition:
Inflammation of the plantar fascia.
Okay, so what’s that, right?
Well, this is a fibrous band of tissue spanning the length of the foot and connecting the bottom of the heel to the bottom of the front of the foot.
The fascia supports your foot arch and helps absorb some of the force of impact (when your foot lands as you take a step).
When the plantar fascia endures excessive amounts of force, tiny rips develop in the tissue.
During periods of rest—like as you sleep at night—your body goes to work, mending the damage.
But when you wake or get up and start moving around, the repair work is negated as the tissue is ripped again—which is the source of the sharp pain you feel.
That is what happens inside your body, but how did the plantar fascia become inflamed in the first place?
Put simply: overuse.
While it is possible for this to happen in a single incident, acute trauma isn’t an especially common cause of this kind of heel pain.
Get The Plantar Fasciitis Treatment You Need!
Plantar fasciitis is a painful condition; one that can keep you from your favorite activities—but that doesn’t have to be the case!
Come see us here at HFAA to have our team provide you with an expert diagnosis and results-based treatment plan!
Either give us a call at (309) 661-9975 or take advantage of our contact form and schedule your appointment today!
Pricing Information
Heel Pain
Initial Visit
- Examination and evaluation by the physician – $249.00
- X-Rays – $322.00
- Ultrasound (as needed of the soft tissues) – $138.00
- Cortisone Injection – $356.00
- Stretching Splint (to help avoid physical therapy!) – $325.00
- Custom Foot orthotics (to keep it from coming back!) – $699.00
- Ultraflex, Powerstep inserts, Theraband Kit – $99.99
Follow-up visits (Most Require 1-3 Visits)
- Examination and evaluation by
physician – $147.00 - Laser Therapy (as needed) – $699.00
- Physical Therapy (as needed) – (sent out of office)