Heel Pain Syndrome and Plantar Fasciosis (Fasciitis)

What is Heel Pain Syndrome and Plantar Fasciosis (Fasciitis)?

It is often described by those suffering as the feeling of walking on a pebble. Pain is typically worse in the morning or after periods of inactivity or not standing. As the condition gets worse, pain may be felt even when not placing weight on the affected foot.

What causes it?

Heel pain may be caused by many things, ranging from simple mechanical plantar fasciitis (fasciosis) to complex metabolic diseases such as Reiter’s syndrome. Most heel pain is related to the plantar fascia, but many times the patient is diagnosed incorrectly, or has additional masked symptoms such as a nerve entrapment. Heel pain is thought to affect more than 2 million Americans every year and is the cause of more visits to a doctor than any other foot condition.

How is it diagnosed?

In order to correctly diagnose the actual cause of heel pain syndrome, several things are used to assure the best treatment outcome for the patient. X-rays are usually one of these. Diagnostic musculoskeletal ultrasounds (DUS), neurosensory testing by a foot specialist with the Pressure Specified Sensory Device (PSSD), and MRIs may also be used. Once an accurate diagnosis has been reached, a customized treatment plan will be developed for and given to each individual patient. Dr. Barrett has been a pioneer in this type of diagnostic work and assessment, which is currently not widely available. What this means for the patient is that he or she will no longer be categorized as just having plantar fasciitis and subjected to long periods of failed conservative care. Once the actual degree of degeneration in the tissue of the plantar fascia is known, the optimal form of treatment can be started. Most cases of plantar fasciitis (fasciosis) can be treated successfully without surgery.