How to cure plantar fasciitis?

Written by Wang Cheng Lin
Orthopedics
Updated on September 10, 2024
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In clinical practice, there are currently two methods for treating plantar fasciitis. The first method is the most commonly seen conservative treatment, such as using rest, wearing orthotic shoes, and utilizing acupuncture, massage, electrotherapy, magnetotherapy, and local infiltration therapy to alleviate the symptoms of foot pain caused by the plantar fascia while walking. However, if conservative treatment does not yield results after six months or if the pain intensifies and severely affects weight-bearing walking, then it may become necessary to proceed with the second method of treatment, which is surgical intervention. The goals of surgical treatment include, firstly, loosening the plantar fascia and, secondly, removing bone spurs, as a significant number of patients with plantar fasciitis also develop bone spurs. Therefore, along with loosening the fascia, it is necessary to excise the bone spurs to relieve the symptoms of foot pain.

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Written by Lv Yao
Orthopedics
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What department should I go to for plantar fasciitis?

Plantar fasciitis refers to the aseptic inflammatory reaction of the plantar fascia caused by prolonged exercise or activity, which results in pain and restricted movement. If plantar fasciitis occurs, it is recommended to seek treatment in the orthopedics department of a formal hospital. Based on the symptoms, an appropriate treatment method should be chosen. Initially, it is important to rest and avoid excessive activities. Additionally, the application of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can help relieve symptoms and reduce inflammation, facilitating the restoration of walking and functional abilities.

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Written by Wang Cheng Lin
Orthopedics
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How is plantar fasciitis treated?

The treatment of plantar fasciitis currently is divided into two methods in clinical practice. The first method is conservative treatment, which includes rest, avoiding strenuous exertion and excessive weight-bearing walking. It can be managed with physical therapy, massage, acupuncture, physiotherapy, and local block injections. If conservative treatments do not improve the condition or even if the pain progressively worsens over more than half a year, severely affecting daily life, surgical treatment may be necessary. The objectives of surgical treatment are firstly to release the plantar fascia and secondly to remove bone, as a significant portion of patients with plantar fasciitis also have heel spurs; therefore, the surgical procedure involves the removal of these bone spurs to alleviate the pain.

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Written by Wang Cheng Lin
Orthopedics
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Is physical therapy useful for plantar fasciitis?

Physical therapy for plantar fasciitis is quite effective. It can reduce local inflammatory reactions and increase local blood circulation, thereby promoting the recovery of the plantar fascia and alleviating pain. Generally, there are many types of physical therapy; currently, the most modern and commonly used is extracorporeal shock wave therapy, which has better effects than previous methods like electrotherapy and magnetic therapy. In addition to this type of therapy, local application of injections can also be used. Blocking injections can provide immediate pain relief, but their use is limited to once or twice a month at most, as excessive use can damage the plantar fascia and exacerbate pain.

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Written by Wang Cheng Lin
Orthopedics
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How should plantar fasciitis be treated?

For the treatment of plantar fasciitis, there are currently two approaches used in clinical practice: The first is conservative treatment, which mainly includes rest, local injections, electrotherapy, magnet therapy, and the use of topical non-steroidal anti-inflammatory and analgesic plasters, as well as plasters that activate blood circulation and remove blood stasis to alleviate pain in the sole of the foot. Additionally, foot muscle stretching exercises can be performed at home to help relieve the symptoms of plantar fascia pain. However, if conservative treatment is ineffective for over six months, or if the pain worsens progressively and severely affects your daily weight-bearing activities, then surgical treatment may be necessary. The goals of surgical treatment are to release the plantar fascia, reduce chronic inflammation in the area, and possibly remove heel spurs, thereby alleviating the pain in the sole of the foot.

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Written by Wang Cheng Lin
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How to completely cure plantar fasciitis?

Plantar fasciitis clinically has no method that can achieve a radical cure. Only through surgical treatment can the recurrence rate be reduced, but it cannot be completely cured. Of course, the effects of surgical treatment are definitely more significant than conservative treatment. The first step in surgical treatment is to release the plantar fascia, and the second step is to remove bone spurs, as a significant portion of patients with plantar fasciitis have concurrent bone spurs. Of course, during the surgical process, it is necessary to remove bone spurs. The third step involves drilling into the heel bone to decompress it, as some patients also suffer from high pressure in the heel bone. Therefore, the surgery aims to decompress the heel bone by drilling, thus further alleviating pain in the heel and foot. However, if rest is maintained post-surgery, and strenuous activities are avoided, it can significantly reduce the chances of recurrence of fasciitis, but surgical treatment is not a cure-all method.