eMedicine Specialties > Sports Medicine > Foot and Ankle

Plantar Fasciitis: Follow-up

Author: Craig C Young, MD, Professor, Departments of Orthopedic Surgery and Community and Family Medicine, Medical Director of Sports Medicine, Sports Medicine Fellowship Director, Medical College of Wisconsin
Contributor Information and Disclosures

Updated: Jan 18, 2008

Follow-up

Return to Play

Athletes with plantar fasciitis may return to activities as limited by their symptoms. The physician might need to plan a strict activities regimen because many athletes tend to ignore pain during activity. Generally, athletes should start at 50% of their usual distance or time with a gradual increase of activity by approximately 10% per week.

Complications

In rare cases, the plantar fascia may rupture spontaneously. The risk of such a rupture is greatly increased by a history of treatment with a corticosteroid injection.27

Long-term sequelae of rupture occur in approximately 50% of the patients who have a plantar fascia rupture.27,28 Moreover, longitudinal arch strain accounts for over 50% of the chronic complications of plantar fascia rupture.27,28

Prevention

Instruct athletes with plantar fasciitis to warm up sufficiently before initiating activity, continue stretching programs, and ice down after activity. Make sure that they wear appropriate shoes and change to a new pair every 250-500 miles (400-800 km).7 Alternating between 2 pairs of shoes seems to help some athletes by allowing the cushioning in the shoes to recover more completely between runs.

Prognosis

Plantar fasciitis can be a frustrating problem for many athletes because of its slow resolution; however, this condition is often resolved in most patients with conservative treatment.19,43 Athletes should be cautioned not to expect overnight resolution, especially if they have more chronic pain or if they continue their activities.19

Education

Educate athletes about the importance of foot and calf strengthening and stretching, appropriate training volume and intensity, and appropriate shoe selection and rotation to decrease the risk of future injury.

Miscellaneous

Medicolegal Pitfalls

  • In cases of plantar fasciitis that do not have an adequate response to appropriate treatment, a plain radiograph is mandatory to ensure that a tumor or fracture has not been missed.
 


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Multimedia: Plantar Fasciitis
References
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References

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Further Reading

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Keywords

heel spurs, heel pain, inflammation of the plantar fascia, calcaneal pain

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Contributor Information and Disclosures

Author

Craig C Young, MD, Professor, Departments of Orthopedic Surgery and Community and Family Medicine, Medical Director of Sports Medicine, Sports Medicine Fellowship Director, Medical College of Wisconsin
Craig C Young, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Family Physicians, American College of Sports Medicine, American Medical Society for Sports Medicine, Phi Beta Kappa, and Wilderness Medical Society
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Medical Editor

Joseph P Garry, MD, Director of Sports Medicine and Sports Medicine Fellowship, Associate Professor of Family Medicine and Exercise and Sport Science, Department of Family Medicine, East Carolina University Brody School of Medicine
Joseph P Garry, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Family Physicians, American College of Sports Medicine, American Heart Association, American Medical Society for Sports Medicine, North American Primary Care Research Group, and North Carolina Medical Society
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Pharmacy Editor

Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD, Senior Pharmacy Editor, eMedicine
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Managing Editor

Russell D White, MD, Professor of Medicine, Department of Community and Family Medicine, University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine, Truman Medical Center Lakewood
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

CME Editor

Jon B Whitehurst, MD, Clinical Instructor of Surgery, University of Illinois College of Medicine; Partner and Executive Board Member, Rockford Orthopedic Associates; Orthopedic Chairman, Rockford Memorial Hospital
Jon B Whitehurst, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine, and Arthroscopy Association of North America
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Craig C Young, MD, Professor, Departments of Orthopedic Surgery and Community and Family Medicine, Medical Director of Sports Medicine, Sports Medicine Fellowship Director, Medical College of Wisconsin
Craig C Young, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Family Physicians, American College of Sports Medicine, American Medical Society for Sports Medicine, Phi Beta Kappa, and Wilderness Medical Society
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

 
 
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