Plantar Fascitis
Toetal Podiatry
Podiatry & Foot and Ankle Surgery located in Financial District, New York, NY
About 1 in 10 Americans experience the sharp heel pain of plantar fasciitis — and many suffer unnecessarily for far too long. The vast majority of plantar fasciitis cases improve with expert care like custom foot orthotics, injections, regenerative medicine, or minimally invasive surgery, which are just a few of the cutting-edge options at Toetal Podiatry in the Financial District of Manhattan, New York City. Dedicated podiatrists Yekaterina Grauer, DPM, and Vera Malezhik, DPM, always have an ultimate goal of a quick return to function and minimal immobilization. Book your appointment with online scheduling or call the office today.
Plantar Fasciitis Q&A
What is plantar fasciitis?
Plantar fasciitis is a very common cause of heel pain. This condition occurs in your plantar fascia, the long, fibrous ligament that starts at your calcaneus (heel bone). The plantar fascia covers your foot’s sole, moving through your arch and then branching off to each toe.
The plantar fascia grows overwhelmed with excessive stress, which leads to inflammation and small tears in the tissue. If you don’t get treatment, the tears don’t have time to heal, and this leads to scar tissue buildup that aggravates your symptoms.
Usually, the most obvious sign of plantar fasciitis is stabbing heel-area pain when you first start walking each morning. The pain generally eases while you’re physically active, but it can rapidly resume after any lengthy period of rest.
What triggers plantar fasciitis?
The cause is often uncertain, but some factors increase your susceptibility, including:
- Being obese
- Being on your feet for long periods
- Increasing your exercise routine or starting a new routine
- Regularly participating in sports that stress your heel, like distance running
- Having high foot arches, flat feet, or other biomechanical irregularities
Any other cause of regular heel stress can potentially increase your risk for plantar fasciitis, too.
How is plantar fasciitis diagnosed?
Your Toetal Podiatry doctor examines your foot to check for tenderness, limited upward mobility, pain when you flex, and other clinical signs of plantar fasciitis. To confirm your diagnosis, the team uses the in-house X-rays and ultrasound.
How do you treat plantar fasciitis?
Plantar fasciitis treatment can include:
Custom devices
Custom foot orthotics and other types of durable medical equipment and customized bracing are often a vital component of your treatment. These devices help lengthen your plantar fascia while encouraging your recovery in the comfort of your own home.
Exercise program
A personalized exercise program is an important part of treatment. Your Toetal Podiatry doctor teaches you specific exercises that enhance your recovery and speed up your rehabilitation.
Injections
Injections for plantar fasciitis can include biologics treatments like platelet-rich plasma (PRP). These injections place natural growth factors around your injured plantar fascia to encourage its rapid regrowth.
Minimally invasive procedures
Your doctor can perform an in-office procedure like Topaz®, a radiofrequency treatment that breaks up scar tissue, improves circulation, and launches internal healing.
In the Tenex® procedure, your doctor uses ultrasound to locate scar tissue on your plantar fascia. Then, they use advanced surgical techniques to remove the pain-causing tissue.
The Toetal Podiatry team understands the difficulties that plantar fasciitis imposes upon your life. They tailor a recovery program that’s ideal for your specific pathology and lifestyle.
Book your appointment by calling Toetal Podiatry or clicking the online scheduler now.