What Is Plantar Fasciitis?
The plantar fascia is a thick band of tissue that runs along the bottom of your foot, connecting your heel to your toes and supporting the arch. When it is overloaded, small tears and inflammation develop where it attaches to the heel bone. The result is that stabbing pain, typically worst with the first steps in the morning or after sitting for a while.
Heel spurs often show up on X-rays alongside plantar fasciitis. In most cases the spur is not the source of the pain. The inflamed fascia is. That is why treating the tissue, not the spur, produces lasting relief.
How We Treat Heel Pain
Targeted stretching and strengthening for the plantar fascia and calf relieves tension where the fascia attaches to the heel. We show you a simple daily routine you can do at home, and consistency here does much of the work in a typical recovery. Tight calves are one of the most common and most overlooked drivers of heel pain.
Custom orthotics support the arch and reduce the load on the fascia, correcting the mechanical patterns behind the pain rather than just cushioning it. Because we design and 3D print them in our office, they are made to your exact foot, not pulled off a shelf. For many patients this is the single most effective conservative treatment.
Simple footwear changes and activity modification take pressure off the heel while it heals. We will look at the shoes you spend the most time in and flag the ones working against you. You usually do not have to stop the activities you love, just adjust how and how often for a while.
Night splints hold the fascia in a gentle stretch overnight so it does not tighten while you sleep, which is what makes those first morning steps so painful. Combined with taping, icing, and anti-inflammatory measures, these supportive steps calm the inflammation between visits. We recommend them selectively, based on your symptoms.
Tenex for Chronic Heel Pain
For chronic plantar fasciitis that has not responded to months of conservative care, you do not have to choose between more waiting and open surgery. Tenex is a minimally invasive ultrasonic procedure that removes degenerative tissue through an opening smaller than most injections.
Biologic therapies deliver concentrated growth factors to stimulate tissue repair. Both are performed without a traditional incision, with far shorter recovery than surgical options.
Plantar Fasciitis FAQ
Plantar fasciitis develops when the thick band of tissue along the bottom of your foot, the plantar fascia, is overloaded and develops small tears and inflammation where it attaches to the heel. Common contributors include tight calves, flat feet or high arches, unsupportive footwear, and a sudden increase in activity.
Overnight the fascia shortens and tightens while your foot is at rest. Those first steps suddenly stretch the irritated tissue, which is why the sharp morning pain is so characteristic and usually eases after a few minutes of walking.
It sometimes resolves on its own, but that can take six months to a year, and untreated cases often become chronic and much harder to fix. Starting treatment early usually means a faster and more complete recovery.
Most cases respond to conservative care: targeted stretching, custom orthotics, footwear changes, night splints, and activity modification. For chronic cases that do not respond, minimally invasive options like Tenex can remove or repair the degenerated tissue.
Most patients do not. Minimally invasive treatments such as Tenex have made traditional open heel surgery rare. We always start with the least invasive approach that is likely to work and only discuss surgery when it is truly warranted.
Usually not. Heel spurs often show up on X-rays alongside plantar fasciitis, but the spur is rarely the source of the pain and rarely needs to be removed. Once the fascia heals, the pain typically resolves even though the spur remains.
Gentle calf and foot stretching, supportive shoes, and easing off high-impact activity can all help. If pain persists beyond a couple of weeks, an evaluation will pinpoint the cause and keep it from becoming a chronic problem.
Take the Next Step Toward Heel Pain Relief
Schedule an evaluation to determine what may be causing your plantar fasciitis or heel pain and learn which treatment options may help you move more comfortably.