Plantar fasciitis - Symptoms, Causes, Images, and Treatment Options

Diseases

Highlights & Basics

Key Highlights

Plantar fasciitis is one of the most common causes of heel and foot pain in adults. Most commonly affects people between 40 and 60 years of age with overweight or obesity. Also occurs in up to 21% of athletes and runners.
Diagnosis is usually based on a thorough history and physical examination. There is no laboratory test that can confirm or rule out the diagnosis.
Plain film x-rays are of little benefit in typical cases, although they may be helpful in ruling out other pathology.
Infracalcaneal spurring is found in only 39% to 50% of cases.
Nonsurgical treatment is the standard of care for acute heel pain, although 10% of cases are recalcitrant and unresponsive to nonsurgical care after 12 months. In recalcitrant cases, surgery has been shown to be generally effective.

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History & Exam
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Definition

Epidemiology

Etiology

Pathophysiology

Citations

Key Articles

Schneider HP, Baca JM, Carpenter BB, et al. American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons clinical consensus statement: diagnosis and treatment of adult acquired infracalcaneal heel pain. J Foot Ankle Surg. 2018 Mar-Apr;57(2):370-81.[Abstract][Full Text]
Rhim HC, Kwon J, Park J, et al. A systematic review of systematic reviews on the epidemiology, evaluation, and treatment of plantar fasciitis. Life (Basel). 2021 Nov 24;11(12).[Abstract][Full Text]
Koc TA Jr, Bise CG, Neville C, et al. Heel pain - plantar fasciitis: revision 2023. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2023 Dec;53(12):CPG1-39.[Abstract][Full Text]
American College of Radiology. ACR appropriateness criteria: chronic foot pain. 2020 [internet publication].[Full Text]

Referenced Articles

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