A literature review of plantar fasciitis

• Main Author: Diamond, Jacob Bair
• Language: en_US
• Published: 2018
• Subjects: Medicine; Plantar fasciitis; Microtear
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/2144/26602

Estimates show that roughly 2 million people around the world present with chronic plantar heel pain each year, of which the number one cause is plantar fasciitis. The degree of this pain ranges from obnoxious to debilitating and often features a progressive worsening of symptoms. If mistreated or simply left untreated, it can leave athletes sidelined from their respective sports indefinitely, and anyone whose occupation requires extended weight bearing activity fighting through enormous levels of pain to perform their duties. Plantar fasciitis arises more often in certain populations than others, and the reasons behind these correlations are highlighted and explored here. This condition causes a significant amount of frustration from both patients and physicians alike, because it is difficult to diagnose as a variety of differential diagnoses cause a similar type of pain. This paper discusses the most critical signs in determining whether or not a patient is dealing with plantar fasciitis, as well as reviewing the treatment options recommended, which depend on the extent to which microtear damage has occurred. A hindrance to appropriate care for patients exists, perhaps due to inconsistencies in the understanding of plantar fasciitis and the language used to describe it. Here the ability of physicians to eliminate almost entirely the use of painful, costly procedures and help patients return to weight bearing activities pain-free is discussed.