Plantar fasciitis: How to recognise and treat pain in the foot

Plantar fasciitis is a common and painful condition of the foot that affects an estimated 1 in 10 adults in the UK.

Here, renowned consultant orthopaedic foot and ankle surgeon, Mr Haroon Majeed, provides an expert insight into plantar fasciitis. The Manchester-based specialist discusses causes, symptoms, treatment and more.

What is plantar fasciitis?

Plantar fasciitis is essentially an inflammation in the fascia of the foot that runs from the heel and then progresses towards the toes. Plantar fasciitis is a very common condition and the most common cause of heel pain. Symptoms can be disabling.

What are the main causes?

The causes of plantar fasciitis can be multifactorial. Sometimes, there isn't an obvious cause.

However, there are certain associated factors linked to the condition.

These mainly include:

• Overuse of the fascia. For example, in people who are very keen runners
• High-impact loading activities
• Being overweight

Who is most at risk?

People who are most at risk of developing plantar fasciitis include:

• People who don’t wear appropriately-fitted shoes with hard insoles
• People who are overweight
• People who are on their feet for most of the day. For example, labourers who are involved in repetitive, heavy-impact loading activities during which they have to stand or walk for a prolonged time on hard surfaces

How can untreated plantar fasciitis affect one's quality of life?

Plantar fasciitis isn’t a serious condition. In the majority of people, plantar fasciitis is self-limiting, meaning that even if it’s left untreated the condition will gradually subside after 18 to 24 months’ time.

However, during this period, plantar fasciitis can affect quality of life and make daily life miserable by causing persistent pain.

Is surgery required to treat it? If so, when?

Treatment of plantar fasciitis is primarily non-surgical. The only option I offer as a surgeon for plantar fasciitis is a PRP injection, but this is only as a very last resort, once all the first-line non-surgical modalities have failed.

Recently, there has been an increasing trend involving the release of the calf muscles to help relieve the symptoms of plantar fasciitis. Besides this, however, surgery has a very limited role in the current practice.

Mr Haroon Majeed is a highly respected consultant orthopaedic foot and ankle surgeon with over a decade of experience.

If you require expert treatment and management for plantar fasciitis, don’t hesitate to book an appointment with Mr Majeed via his Top Doctors profile today.