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Harvard Medical School

Plantar Fasciitis

Treatment

Most doctors recommend an initial six- to eight-week program of conservative treatment, including:

• Rest, balanced with stretching exercises to lengthen the heel cord and plantar fascia

• Ice massage to the bottom of the foot after activities that trigger heel pain

• Avoidance of walking barefoot or wearing slippers or sandals that provide little arch support

• A temporary switch to swimming and/or bicycling instead of sports that involve running and jumping

• Shoes with soft heels and insoles

• Taping the bottom of the injured foot

• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin and other brand names), or acetaminophen (Tylenol) for pain

• Physical therapy using ultrasound, electrical stimulation with corticosteroids or massage techniques

If this conservative treatment does not help, your doctor may recommend that you wear a night splint for six to eight weeks. While you sleep, the night splint will keep your foot in a neutral or slightly flexed (bent) position to help maintain the normal stretch of the plantar fascia and heel cord.

If the night splint doesn't work, your doctor may inject corticosteroid medication into the painful area or place your foot in a short leg cast for one to three months.

Shock wave therapy, in which focused sound energy is applied to the sore heel, may be recommended for plantar fasciitis. The shock waves are intended to irritate or injure the plantar fascia to promote healing. The overall benefit of this approach is uncertain. Other therapies that have been tried include radiation therapy and botulinum toxin injections. But their effectiveness is unclear.

If all else fails, your doctor may suggest surgery. But this is rare, and surgery is not always successful.