Plantar fasciitis is essentially an overuse injury. The plantar fascia runs from your heel bone to your toes, supporting your arch. If it’s overstretched or overworked, it can develop microtears and inflammation, usually where it attaches to the heel. The result: heel pain that can be quite intense. You might notice it when you stand after sleeping or long rests (the fascia tightens up when you’re off your feet, then protests when stretched upon standing). The pain often eases as you warm up and move around, but it might return after long periods of standing or at day’s end. Common factors that lead to plantar fasciitis:
Overuse & Activity: Runners are prime candidates (all those miles add up). Sports like basketball, tennis, or dance that involve jumping or sudden moves can strain the fascia. Soldiers and Marines who march or run with heavy gear also experience this frequently.
Foot Structure: Flat feet (fallen arches) or very high arches can both predispose you. Flat feet mean the fascia stretches more with each step; high arches mean it’s under tension constantly.
Improper Footwear: Shoes with poor arch support or thin soles (unsupportive flats, flip-flops) make your fascia work overtime. Likewise, old, worn-out running shoes or boots without good cushioning can contribute.
Standing Jobs: If you stand for hours on hard surfaces (teachers, cashiers, factory workers), your fascia takes a beating.
Tight Calf Muscles: Equally important, tight Achilles tendons or calves can tug on the fascia. This is common – many people don’t realize their calf flexibility (or lack thereof) is hurting their heels.
The condition is very common – it’s estimated 2 million Americans are treated for plantar fasciitis every year. It can become chronic if not addressed properly. Some people also develop a heel spur (a small bone spur on the heel) as a result of long-standing fascia tension, but the spur itself usually isn’t the cause of pain (the fascia inflammation is).

Dr. Patish is an expert in diagnosing and treating plantar fasciitis and other causes of heel pain. When you come in, we first confirm the diagnosis (examining your foot, checking for tenderness at the heel, and assessing your foot mechanics). Once we know it’s plantar fasciitis, we implement a stepwise treatment plan – from conservative measures to advanced therapies – all tailored to get you better as quickly as possible. Here’s what that entails:

Immediate Relief Measures

• Rest & Activity Modification: We’ll advise on how to reduce strain on your heel. If you’re a runner, we might suggest cross-training (like swimming or cycling) for a couple of weeks, or at least cutting back on mileage. If your job involves a lot of standing, short rest breaks or a cushioned mat can help. Don’t worry, most people don’t have to completely stop activity – just tweak it to avoid making the injury worse while we treat it.
• Icing and Anti-inflammatories: Simple yet effective – icing your heel (15-20 minutes, 2-3 times a day, especially after activity) helps reduce pain and inflammation. Over-the-counter NSAIDs (like ibuprofen) can help in the short term to calm inflammation. We’ll guide you on proper use.
• Stretching & Night Splints: One of the key treatments is improving flexibility of the plantar fascia and calf. Dr. Patish or our physical therapist will teach you stretching exercises for your calf and arch. A classic one: the runner’s calf stretch against the wall, or using a towel to pull your foot towards you to stretch the arch (especially before getting out of bed). Many patients benefit from a night splint – a device you wear while sleeping that keeps your foot in a gentle stretch (so the fascia doesn’t contract overnight). It can make those first morning steps much less painful.
• Supportive Taping or Bracing: We can tape your foot (athletic taping technique) to support the arch and take pressure off the fascia during the day. There are also lightweight braces or sleeves that provide compression and support. These little aids can significantly reduce pain during activity.

Custom Orthotics and Proper Footwear

Supporting the arch is crucial in plantar fasciitis recovery. We often prescribe custom orthotic inserts specifically made for your feet. These orthotics will have proper arch support and cushioning at the heel to reduce impact. By supporting the arch, the orthotic lessens the pull on the plantar fascia with each step. This not only relieves pain but can help the fascia heal by preventing further microtears. Our custom orthotics are molded to your foot – we might use a 3D scan or cast – ensuring a perfect fit. They’re endorsed by top athletes and even the US military for their effectiveness in preventing and treating injuries. (In fact, studies in military recruits showed orthotics reduced foot pain and injury intensity, helping recruits stay on duty with less downtime.)

We’ll also talk shoes: you may need to temporarily or permanently switch to more supportive shoes (for instance, a stiff-soled walking shoe or a running shoe with good arch support and shock absorption). If you live in sandals or flip-flops, we’ll guide you to better alternatives (there are sandals with arch support too!). Proper footwear plus orthotics is a foundation for both treating and preventing plantar fasciitis.

Physical Therapy and H-Wave

For many patients, physical therapy (PT) accelerates recovery. PT will focus on stretching the fascia and Achilles, strengthening the foot muscles, and improving balance and gait. Therapists might do hands-on massage to the calf and foot (feels great, and breaks up fascia adhesions). They’ll ensure you’re doing exercises correctly like calf stretches, picking up marbles with your toes (to strengthen foot intrinsic muscles), and maybe exercises like single-leg balance to stabilize ankle and foot function.

We often incorporate H-Wave therapy (mentioned on our Pain Treatment page) or therapeutic laser during PT sessions to further reduce pain and inflammation. H-Wave, in particular, can stimulate healing blood flow to the plantar fascia and give pain relief without injections or meds.

Advanced Regenerative Treatments: PRP and Umbilical Cord-Derived Injectables

If conservative measures aren’t giving sufficient relief, or if you have a stubborn chronic case (say, 6+ months of pain that just won’t fully resolve), this is where our clinic really stands out. We offer advanced regenerative therapies that very few clinics in our area do, effectively harnessing your body’s healing power or the power of regenerative tissue to cure plantar fasciitis:

• Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) Injections: PRP is a cutting-edge treatment that uses your own blood’s platelets, concentrated to a potent serum, to heal injuries. We perform a simple blood draw from your arm, then spin it in a centrifuge to isolate the platelets (which carry numerous growth factors). This concentrated PRP is then injected into the damaged portion of your plantar fascia under ultrasound guidance. The growth factors released by platelets can dramatically speed up tissue repair – it’s like calling in the body’s repair crew and giving them extra tools. PRP has been used in sports medicine for years (pro athletes have used it for tendon injuries and fasciitis to get back in the game faster) and studies show it can significantly reduce pain and improve function in plantar fasciitis, often with just one or two injections over a few weeks. It’s natural and safe – you’re using your own cells, so there’s no risk of rejection. After a PRP injection, over the course of several weeks, patients often notice steady improvement in pain and a return to activities they thought were long gone. We particularly recommend PRP for runners eager to resume training or anyone looking to heal without surgery.
• Human Umbilical Cord-Derived Injectables: This is a truly advanced regenerative option we offer for tough heel pain cases. These injectables are derived from Wharton’s jelly of the umbilical cord or amniotic membrane (donated ethically from healthy births, processed and FDA-regulated). They are rich in growth factors, collagen, and extracellular matrix components that help repair tissue and reduce inflammation. Essentially, they provide a high concentration of the biological building blocks needed for healing. Research and clinical experience are showing impressive outcomes: for example, studies found that injections of amniotic/umbilical tissue reduced pain and improved function in osteoarthritis and plantar fasciitis cases. When injected into the plantar fascia, these injectables can help regenerate the damaged fibers, providing a scaffold for new tissue growth and calming the chronic inflammation. Patients often feel a significant reduction in pain as soon as a few weeks after the injection, with continued improvement as the fascia heals over the next few months. This treatment is particularly beneficial for long-term sufferers who have tried everything else. It’s like a turbo-boost to your body’s healing capacity. Dr. Patish is one of the few in the region trained in these regenerative medicine techniques – bringing big-city sports medicine innovation right here to our community!
• Corticosteroid Injections: For completeness, we mention steroid injections. Yes, they are a traditional and wonderful first line injection option for plantar fasciitis to reduce inflammation and pain. If you’re in excruciating pain and need quick relief to even participate in therapy, a steroid shot can help. We sometimes do a steroid first to calm things, then follow with PRP to heal – a one-two approach.

Other Modalities and Last Resorts

We truly aim to heal plantar fasciitis without surgery (and in over 95% of cases, we succeed with the above measures). Most patients respond well before needing anything more invasive. But for the rare cases that do not improve, we have further steps:

• Minimally Invasive Plantar Fasciotomy: This is the surgical last resort – but fear not, it’s not a big open surgery anymore. We perform a minimally invasive plantar fasciotomy, percutaneously, to release a portion of the fascia. It’s done through a 2 or 3 tiny incisions (about 0.3 cm or less) using special instruments. This procedure has a 95% success rate in resolving plantar fasciitis that hasn’t responded to anything else. Because it’s minimally invasive, recovery is quick – patients walk (in a surgical boot) the same day and return to comfortable shoes in a few weeks. Scarring is minimal, and complications are rare. Essentially, it permanently relieves the tension on the fascia. We have a whole page on this (see Minimally Invasive Plantar Fasciotomy page) if you’re interested. But again, that’s usually unnecessary once our comprehensive non-surgical plan does its job!

At our clinic, we’ve treated hundreds of cases of plantar fasciitis – from the mild to the “I’ve had this for 7 years and nothing helps” cases. Our extensive experience means we can often tell pretty quickly which treatments will likely benefit you most. We combine therapies for synergy: for example, you might get a custom orthotic and start stretches and night splints (to address causes) while also doing a couple of H-Wave sessions for pain relief, and then if needed, proceed to a PRP injection (to fix the tissue damage). This layered approach addresses both symptom and cause, which is why our patients get lasting results.

We also emphasize patient education: we’ll teach you the do’s and don’ts for your heels. Little things – like not walking barefoot on hard floors first thing in the morning, or doing a quick calf stretch routine daily – can make a world of difference. We want you to not only get better but stay better for the long haul.

If you’re an athlete, we’ll coordinate with your training – maybe alter your regimen temporarily and then ramp you back up safely. If you’re in a job that’s hard on your feet, we’ll problem-solve with you (perhaps different boots, or cushioned insoles, or adjusting your workstation). Dr. Patish’s approach is truly holistic and personalized.

Imagine: waking up, stepping down, and no sharp pain. Walking through Costco or playing 18 holes of golf without thinking about your heels. We’ve seen grandparents able to pick up their grandkids again without that wince, and marathoners shave times off their runs once the pain was gone. That’s what we want for you.

Don’t let heel pain hobble you. The sooner we start treatment; the sooner you’ll get relief – and waiting can make it more chronic. So, let’s get you on the road to recovery today.

Step into Relief – Contact Us: Book an appointment via phone or text to get a thorough evaluation of your heel pain. We also offer easy online scheduling or email consultations if you have questions. When you visit us, you’ll get a comprehensive exam and we’ll explain all your options (no jargon, just clear information – maybe even a quick sketch of your foot to show what’s up). We’ll answer every question (yes, including “How soon can I run?”). Our goal is your goal: pain-free, happy feet. Don’t spend another day dreading your first step in the morning – reach out to our team and let us help you heal your heel with the best of modern podiatry and a caring touch. Relief is around the corner (or arch)!