Latest Treatment Options for Heel Pain

/
32745571_S_heel Pain_Feet_Hand.jpg

At Texas Foot Specialists, we see many patients who come to us complaining of heel pain. Most often, the discomfort is a result of an inflammation of the plantar fascia—the long band of tissue that runs along the bottom of your foot from your heel bone to your toes. Other symptoms of this condition include:

  • Pain that is worse at the beginning of the day when you first get out of bed

  • Swelling at the bottom of the heel

  • Pain that worsens over time

It’s estimated that 1 in 10 people will have this condition during their lifetime. Below are some of the most effective treatment options for plantar fasciitis:

Shockwave Therapy—sound waves applied to the skin slightly damage the tissue in order to stimulate the body’s natural repair process. This helps relieve pain and heal the plantar fascia. There is no downtime required for this treatment, but it can take 3-6 months to see results.  

Injection Therapy—injections of growth factor and platelet-rich plasma (PRP) accelerate the body’s healing response to repair the injured plantar fascia.

Ultrasonic Treatment—a small incision is made in the heel and a probe is used to direct ultrasonic energy to the plantar fascia and break down bad tissue to help healing occur. You may need to wear a boot for up to 2 weeks after the procedure and improvement should be evident in 3-6 months.

Surgery—a plantar fasciotomy is a minimally invasive procedure where the foot and ankle surgeon makes a small incision through the heel and attempts to lengthen the damaged tendon, thereby relieving some of the tension. Recovery takes 6-10 weeks.

If you have symptoms of plantar fasciitis, the first step is to make an appointment at our Pasadena (281) 991-0600, Sugar Land (281) 242-4448 or Houston (713) 664-6677 office. Our podiatrists, Dr. Gregory Mangum and Dr. Bruce Miller, will examine your heel and foot and determine the correct treatment for your heel pain.