Effective Treatment Options for Plantar Fasciitis

Heel pain is a common complaint at Dodson Foot Clinic in East Moline, IL, and Bettendorf, IA. Dr. Kevin Dodson evaluates and treats heel pain to keep patients on their feet. If you are limping around with pain in your heels, read more and call us today for an appointment.

Plantar Fasciitis Pain

Your plantar fascia is the thick band of tissue that runs along the base of the foot. It connects your toes to your heel bone and helps support your arch. When this becomes inflamed, it causes pain in the heel and stiffness in the area. Plantar fasciitis pain is typically at its worst when you first get up and start moving, and subsides as the foot stretches out throughout the day. But it will always return, so don't delay seeing your East Moline podiatrist.

Anyone can experience heel pain, although we see it most commonly in runners, athletes, and patients who work long hours on their feet. Too many patients continue to limp around in the morning without calling their podiatrist, but we can help treat your plantar fasciitis in East Moline, IL.

Effective Treatment Options

These are the most common recommendations we make for heel pain:

• Rest. Plantar fasciitis is an overuse injury, so resting and keeping weight off the feet gives you time to heal.
• Orthotic Inserts. Custom foot orthotics help a lot of patients with heel pain. Your podiatrist can provide shoe inserts molded to your feet that provide more support for the arch and shock absorption for the heel.
• Night Splints. These splints are worn on your feet overnight to stretch out the soles while you sleep and prevent sharp pain in the morning.

For more severe pain and swelling, your doctor may recommend corticosteroid injections or extracorporeal shockwave therapy (EWST) to help relieve pain. If your heel pain does not improve it could mean there is another cause, or you could need plantar fascia release surgery, which is rare.

Treat Your Heel Pain

Come to Dodson Foot Clinic for relief from plantar fasciitis in East Moline, IL and Bettendorf, IA. To make an appointment with Dr. Kevin Dodson, contact us in Bettendorf, IA, at (563) 355-7252, and in East Moline, IL, at (309) 755-3809.