Types of Plantar Fasciitis Surgery

Plantar fasciitis is one of the primary causes of heel pain, sometimes referred to as heel spurs. The condition occurs when the thick, fibrous band of tissue on the bottom of the foot, the plantar fascia, becomes swollen and inflamed. The often intense pain associated with plantar fasciitis is usually most severe first thing in the morning, before your foot has a chance to loosen up. Invasive therapy is not normally necessary, but there are surgical treatment options.

Causes

• According to mdguidelines.com, approximately 10 percent of the U.S. population will suffer from plantar fasciitis. The cause of the condition is not known, but it most frequently occurs in runners, people who are overweight and women who are pregnant. Occupations that require standing for long periods can also lead to planter fasciitis.

  Twice as many women as men develop the condition; frequently changing from high heels to flats may be a cause.

Diagnosis

• Your doctor will conduct a physical exam to note specific areas of tenderness and swelling. If plantar fasciitis is diagnosed in both feet (bilateral), blood tests may be performed to determine whether you suffer from primary conditions, such as systemic inflammatory diseases, a large group of rare conditions that may involve all organs including the heart.

Shock Wave Stimulation

• If you have chronic plantar fasciitis, you might consider extracorporeal shock wave therapy. This involves pointing sound waves at the area of heel pain to promote healing. The potential downside is that this may cause bruising, swelling, pain and numbness. In addition, this treatment is not always helpful.

Surgery

• Surgery is rarely necessary to treat plantar fasciitis, but when it is, several procedures are available.

  According to CMP Medica, procedures include removal of a heel spur, complete or partial release of the plantar fascia (form of connective tissue), osteotomy (surgical sectioning) of the calcaneus (heel bone) and drilling of the calcaneus.

Schon/Baxter Procedure

• The Schön or Baxter procedure requires the cutting of the tight fascia to relieve tension.

  A study published in the December 2003 issue of Techniques in Foot Ankle Surgery, of 33 patients who had the procedure, 82 percent were satisfied with the results.

DuVries Technique

• The DuVries technique involves an incision in the heel spur and removing the plantar fascia. Some patients will experience numbness along the incision that may persist for several months following surgery.

  Side effects can also include a weakening of the arch in your foot.

Planter Fasioctomy

• A plantar fasciotomy involves the use of an endoscope (a long, thin instrument used for minor surgery). This procedure allows direct visualization of the plantar fascia in an area that is not likely to come into direct contact with nerve tissue.