What is the plantar fascia?
The plantar fascia is layer of connective tissue that originates at the heel bone (calcaneus) and extends towards your toes. The plantar fascia is important for maintaining the stability of the foot arch.
What is plantar fasciitis?
Plantar fasciitis is inflammation of the plantar fascia through repetitive micro trauma that causes tears and may lead to thickening.
How to diagnose plantar fasciitis?
Plantar fascitiis is a clinical diagnosis with tenderness to palpation of the medial calcaneal tubercle, pain with the first step in the mornings and a tight achilles tendon.
How to treat plantar fasciitis conservatively?
Supportive athletic shoes, inserts/ custom orthotics, physical therapy involving stretching the achilles tendon and plantar fascia, NSAIDs, ice, steroid/amniotic/PRP injections, extracorporeal shock wave.
How to surgically treat plantar fasciitis?
There are minimally invasive surgeries that do not involve cutting the plantar fascia such as tenex and the traditional plantar fasciotomy which can be done open or endoscopically. Many times your surgeon will choose to lengthen your achilles tendon as well.
Video of endoscopic plantar fasciotomy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTLBoxeZoR