Lakes Foot & Ankle Associates / Lakes SurgiCare Center - Southeast Michigan's ONLY JCAHO Accredited Podiatrist Practice.

PATHOLOGY: Heel & Arch Pain — Plantar Fasciitis and Heel Spur Syndrome

PLANTAR FASCIITIS

The most common cause of heel and arch pain is a condition called plantar fasciitis. This is an inflammation of a thick band of tissue that runs along the arch of your feet from your heel to your toes, and aids in stabilization of your arch during walking and running. Symptoms involve two areas -- the arch, and more commonly, the inside heel area. Severe pain can be present, especially in the morning on arising. Common symptoms of plantar fasciitis include:

Pain in the morning when you first get out of bed
Pain and stiffness when you start to walk after sitting for a while
Increasing pain in your heel or arch towards the end of the day
Tired feet at the end of the day

Other causes of heel and arch pain include arthritis, infection, fractures and sprains, or even certain systemic diseases. Because of the multiple possible causes you should see your podiatrist for a thorough evaluation if you are experiencing heel or arch pain.

WHAT CAUSES PLANTAR FASCIITIS?
Heel and arch pain is usually the result of faulty biomechanics (walking gait abnormalities) that place too much stress on the heel bone and the soft tissues that attach to it. This increased stress causes local inflammation and pain.

The most common cause of this increased stress is a condition known as "over-pronation", which means that your feet roll inward too much when you walk. As they roll inward the arch of the foot flattens and the arch lengthens. When the arch lengthens there is increased tension on the plantar fascia.

HOW IS PLANTAR FASCIITIS TREATED?
At Lakes Foot & Ankle Associates we are specialists in the treatment of plantar fasciitis and other causes of arch and heel pain. It is the most common complaint of clinic patients and we find that well over 99% of the time it responds well to our specialized treatment program. Surgery is almost never required.

Our treatment program focuses on two main areas:

We want to relieve your pain and get you back participating fully in the activities you enjoy. To this end, we try to relieve the inflammation which is causing your pain. This may involve exercises, physical therapy, anti-inflammatory medications, OTC arch supports, custom orthotics, or a combination of therapies.
More importantly, we will find the underlying cause and devise a personalized treatment plan to not only relieve your pain in the short run, but also prevent it from reoccurring. We will evaluate your feet, walking pattern (gait), shoes, activities, exercise methods, and other relevant information and then devise your treatment plan.

CUSTOM ORTHOTICS

In more difficult cases of plantar fasciitis you may have custom functional orthotics prescribed for you. Research indicates that in cases of mechanically induced heel and arch pain which does not initially respond to treatment, the most effective treatment is quality prescription orthotics.

Orthotics for plantar fasciitis are prescribed specifically to help take tension off of the plantar fascia. In order to ensure best outcomes we first perform a detailed examination, often including computerized gait analysis, of how you walk and how your big toe joint works. A mold of your foot is then taken in a very specific position and the orthotic devices are prescribed in a manner to ensure best function of your feet.

We take great pride in providing our patients with the best possible orthoses for their particular problem. The quality of orthotic devices varies considerably and depends on many factors. We guarantee our patients that their orthoses are the finest quality and are biomechanically accurate.

Non-invasive treatment for persistent heel pain?

We are also utilizing exciting new treatment modalities for chronic fasciitis including Platelet rich plasma injections and the Topaz procedure. Both of these methods are minimally invasive, have very little debilitation, and help the body “heal thyself”. Any of our Doctors would be happy to teach you more about these treatment methods.

Is Surgery Ever Necessary?

There are rare cases of plantar fasciitis which do not respond to conservative treatment. If surgery should be necessary, we will provide you with comprehensive, state-of-the-art care.

You should, however, always give conservative treatment at least 6 months to work. Conservative treatment should include several of the following: physical therapy, anti-inflammatory medications, exercises, shoe recommendations, prefabricated arch supports and quality prescription orthotics.