What To Expect If You Need Surgery For Your Plantar Fasciitis
by Charlie Berry
Plantar fasciitis is a common foot condition that can be quite painful. In many cases, the heel pain goes away with treatments such as rest, wearing orthotics, or shockwave therapy. If you have a severe case of plantar fasciitis, your podiatrist might recommend surgery. Here's a look at having plantar fasciitis surgery for pain relief and healing.
When Surgery Might Be Recommended
Your podiatrist will probably try different types of treatments, and if your heel pain doesn't get better after several months, they might consider surgery. Plantar fasciitis often takes time to heal, so your podiatrist may not rush into surgery.
If your pain is so severe that treatments don't help and you have difficulty walking, or if you're an athlete and the pain keeps you from playing sports, the doctor may send you to a podiatric surgeon for treatment.
How Plantar Fasciitis Surgery Is Done
Surgery for plantar fasciitis is often done as an outpatient, and you may or may not need general anesthesia. You'll at least need your heel numbed and you'll probably have some sort of sedation.
The surgery releases part of your fascia from your heel, and there are two ways to go about it. One is with an open incision along the back of your heel and the other is an endoscopic procedure that requires two smaller incisions along the sides of your heel. Your podiatric surgeon may choose the endoscopic procedure since it has a quicker recovery time.
During either type of surgery, the podiatric surgeon visualizes the inside of your heel area and the plantar fascia. They make an incision that cuts part of the fascia to release it so it isn't so tight. The tight fascia is what causes so much pain when you walk.
The cut fascia becomes longer, and when your foot heals the fascia stays in the lengthened position. When the fascia is surgically lengthened, you should have less pain right away. In addition to operating on the fascia, the podiatric surgeon may need to release trapped nerves or remove bone spurs on your heel.
What Recovery Involves
When the surgery is complete, the podiatric surgeon closes the incision with stitches and wraps your foot. You might leave the clinic with a hard or soft cast on your foot. You won't be able to bear weight right away, so you'll need a knee walker, crutches, wheelchair, or some other form of aid to help you walk.
You might have pain for several days and need pain medication. You'll also need to limit activity until your foot has started to heal, and you might even need physical therapy to help you heal properly. Recovery from an endoscopic procedure might take several weeks, and recovery from an open surgery might take several months.
For more information, contact a local podiatric surgeon.
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About Me
I used to be skeptical about chiropractic healing. However, that was before I tried it for myself. I was in an accident that did serious damage to my back. I followed all of the doctor’s recommendations, did my physical therapy, and still didn’t feel any better. That was when I finally decided to try going to my friend’s chiropractor. It was such a relief when I finally started to feel better thanks to the great chiropractic care I received. That’s when I decided to start researching chiropractic care and how it could be used to treat different conditions. This blog contains the results of that research. If you’re looking for a way to feel better, you too may benefit from chiropractic healing. These articles will help you learn how.