Cortisone Injections Are One of Many Options for Plantar Fasciitis Treatment

If Plantar Fasciitis Is Keeping You Off Your Feet, Our Caldwell Podiatrists Could Help You Move Past Pain Faster than You Expect

Plantar fasciitis is an overuse injury that affects the thick band of fiber connecting your heel with the ball of your foot and toes. However, the prevalence of this condition doesn’t mean it’s easy to recognize or to diagnose. Many of its early-warning symptoms are so vague that they’re often dismissed or blamed on another preexisting injury. Your feet deserve better than uncertainty. The professionals at Rocky Mountain Foot & Ankle will help you identify the source of chronic discomfort and explore various solutions, such as cortisone injections, that work best for your body and lifestyle.

Plantar Fasciitis: a Common Condition With Big Risks

According to UC Davis Health, plantar fasciitis is the primary cause of heel pain in adults, affecting 1 in 10 people at some point. Although there’s not a definitive reason why, women are more prone to the condition than men.

Signs You Might Have Plantar Fasciitis

One of the odd things about this condition is that you can experience various symptoms for a long time, and often inconsistently. Many of our patients at Rocky Mountain Foot & Ankle report:

Heel pain

Pain in and around the arch of the foot

Regular, recurring, or intermittent stiffness

Pain that can manifest as a dull ache or a sharp, stabbing sensation

Discomfort that diminishes after waking up or exercising

Plantar fasciitis is usually worse in the morning, but symptoms can flare up at almost any point during the day.

What Happens if You Ignore Symptoms?

While some people eventually recover from plantar fasciitis without treatment, unassisted recovery times are often lengthy, with pain sometimes persisting for more than a year. In certain cases, plantar fasciitis can even increase an individual’s risk of developing more serious complications, including tissue death, adult flat feet, and joint problems.

How Podiatrists Diagnose and Treat Plantar Fasciitis

Remember: foot pain is never normal. If you notice any of the symptoms above, it’s time for a professional examination by one of our foot health specialists at Rocky Mountain Foot & Ankle. Here’s what to expect.

Plantar Fasciitis Tests

Even though this condition is common, diagnosing it isn’t always easy. Before prescribing medication or administering a cortisone injection, one of our podiatrists will:

Ask questions about your health history.
Review your medical records.
Perform a physical examination.
Assess your range of motion.
Use special tools and instruments to measure your gait.

You might also be asked to take a medical imaging test—such as an X-ray or an MRI—to rule out a stress fracture, or if you were diagnosed with plantar fasciitis in the past, or if your body hasn’t responded to treatments that typically have a high rate of success.

Common Plantar Fasciitis Treatments

Your podiatrist will recommend options for plantar fasciitis treatment that take into account your lifestyle, employment, and overall physical well-being. Most of our patients experience significant benefits through a combination of the following:

Over-the-counter and prescription-grade anti-inflammatory medication
Icing more frequently to further reduce inflammation
More comfortable footwear or, in some cases, custom orthotics
Temporary immobilization, such as night splints or strapping
Special stretching exercises or, if necessary, physical therapy
Platelet-rich plasma therapy, sometimes referred to as PRP

Cortisone, a type of steroid that can reduce both inflammation and pain, isn’t what most podiatrists use to treat mild to moderate cases of plantar fasciitis. But it might be the advised course of treatment when damaged tissue won’t heal and symptoms refuse to fade.

Rocky Mountain Foot & Ankle Offers Plantar Fasciitis Cortisone Shots in Caldwell—But an Injection Isn’t Always Ideal

Podiatrists, doctors, and other medical professionals sometimes use cortisone to suppress symptoms that keep getting worse or don’t go away. The cortisone used to treat foot injuries and abnormalities is a synthetic version of the same hormone your adrenal glands produce to reduce mental stress and physical inflammation. It’s safe, cost-effective, and can be administered within a matter of minutes. Many people who receive injections notice their pain subsiding quickly, and their symptoms occasionally disappear less than a month after their first appointment.

However, if taken too frequently or without a thorough assessment of your health history and risk factors, cortisone can trigger problems that can cause elevated blood pressure, short-term tissue damage, and nerve dysfunction. The results of some scientific studies also indicate that, while cortisone is an effective tool for managing plantar fasciitis-related pain, its benefits can fade within a year.

Trust the entire team at our Meridian and Caldwell clinics to provide you with knowledgeable and experienced patient-focused care that includes a variety of surgical and non-surgical options for your plantar fasciitis relief.