When Should You See a Doctor for Plantar Fasciitis?

Plantar fasciitis is a tendinitis on the bottom of the foot and is among the most common, painful foot conditions. Plantar simply means bottom of the foot. Fascia is a tendon-like band that runs from the heel bone to the ball of the foot and helps to support the arch. The suffix, “-itis,” signifies inflammation. Therefore, the translation of “plantar fasciitis” is inflammation of the supporting band along the bottom of the foot.

Many patients with plantar fasciitis complain of pain beneath the heel bone or in the arch. This can occur in one or both feet and ranges from mild achiness to severe and debilitating. Plantar fasciitis is typically an overuse injury from an increase in physical activity or from jobs that require prolonged standing. Most of the patients that I treat for plantar fasciitis describe “first-step” pain on the bottom of the foot in the morning. This usually eases with activity and recurs after short intervals of rest. It is also often linked to tight calf muscles and insufficient arch support. Most of plantar fasciitis resolves uneventfully, but it some cases, it can linger, worsen and be difficult to treat.

Some people recommend seeing a doctor at the first onset of symptoms. The thought process here is that the sooner you treat something, the faster it resolves. This can certainly be true, but most plantar fasciitis is treatable with simple measures.

If you have mild plantar fasciitis, I recommend purchasing a firm over the counter arch support, performing Achilles tendon stretches for 10 minutes a day, and icing the painful area at night. I typically suggest a 3-week trial of this before calling a doctor. However, if you are limping with daily activities or if you notice swelling around the heel or arch of your foot, then I would recommend seeing a doctor sooner. Also, if you feel as though the painful symptoms are worsening quickly or are related to an injury, then you would benefit from an x-ray and more advanced treatments.

The biggest potential consequence of living with severe symptoms is the possibility of being wrong about your diagnosis. Occasionally, a patient thinks he or she has plantar fasciitis, but an x-ray reveals a stress fracture. If untreated, this can have significant long-term consequences. In addition to stress fractures, some mistake gout, Achilles tendinitis and other painful conditions for plantar fasciitis, resulting in them suffering unnecessarily while treating the wrong problem. Another reason not to wait too long to see a doctor is that when a painful condition transitions from an acute problem to a chronic problem it can become more difficult to resolve.

If you have mild symptoms that you believe are associated with plantar fasciitis, give some home remedies a try. However, if your symptoms are more severe, or if you are uncertain of their origin, schedule an appointment with a board-certified podiatrist for a complete examination. By doing so, you can not only be confident in your diagnosis, you can also ensure that you are taking the most appropriate steps to resolve your condition as quickly as possible.