Problemas de Pie en Español

• Artritis Reumatoide en el Pie y Tobillo
• Biopsia de Tejida Blando
• Buniones (Juanete)
• Coalición Tarsal
• Complicaciones Diabéticas y Prevención de Amputaciones
• Curación de Los Huesos
• Dedo Cruzado
• Dedo en Martillo
• Deformidad de Haglund
• Diabeticas: Estatisticas Alarmantes
• Disfunción de Tendón Tibial Posterior
• Dolor de Talón
• Dolor de Talón Infantil
• Ejercicios de Elongación
• El Dolor Crónico de Tobillo Lateral
• Enfermedad Vascular Periferica (PAD)
• Equinismo
• Esguince de Tobillo
• Fibroma Plantar
• Fractura de Estrés
• Fracturas de Los Dedos Del Pie
• Fracturas de Tobillo
• Fracturas del Calcáneo (Fracturas del Hueso del Talón)
• Fracturas del Quinto Metatarsiano
• Gota
• Hallux Rigidus
• Heridas Por Punción
• Inestabilidad Crónica de Tobillo
• Inicio de Drenaje Siguiendo Los Pasos de Absceso Infectado
• Inflamación Aguda
• Instrucciones par el Cuidado de Heridas
• Instrucciones Para Muletas
• Juanetes de Sastre
• Lesión del Domo Talar
• Lesiones de Lisfranc
• Lesiones del Tendón Peroneo
• Lesiones en un Hueso Sesamoideo del Pie
• Melanoma Maligno del Pie
• Necesito un Examen Para PAD?
• Neuroma de Morton
• Neuropatía Diabética Periférica
• Osteoartritis del Pie y el Tobillo
• Pie Cavo (Pie de Arco Alto)
• Pie de Atleta
• Pie de Charcot
• Pie Diabético
• Pie Plano Flexible
• Pie Plano Pediátrico
• Que Usted Espera con el Tratamiento de Acido par Alas Verrugas
• Que Usted Espera Por Las Inyecciones de Esteriodes
• Quiste de Ganglio
• Ruptura del Tendón de Aquiles
• Síndrome del Hueso Trigono
• Síndrome del Navicular Accesorio
• Síndrome del Túnel Tarsiano
• Tendinitis de Aquiles
• Terapia con Onda de Choque Extracorporea (ESWT)
• Trastornos Comunes del Tendón de Aquiles
• Trombosis Venosa Profunda
• Uña Encarnada del Dedo del Pie
• Uña Infectada Por Hongos
• Verruga Plantar (Verruca Plantaris)

Heel Pain or Plantar Fasciitis

Heel pain is most often caused by plantar fasciitis--a condition that is sometimes also called heel spur syndrome when a spur is present. Heel pain may also be due to other causes, such as a stress fracture, tendonitis, arthritis, nerve irritation, or a cyst. Because there are several potential causes, it is important to have heel pain properly diagnosed. Dr. Matthew Neuhaus is best trained to distinguish between all the possibilities and determine the underlying source of your heel pain.

Causes of Plantar Fasciitis

The most common cause of plantar fasciitis relates to faulty structure of the foot. People who have problems with their arches, either overly flat feet or high-arched feet are more prone to developing plantar fasciitis. Wearing non-supportive footwear on hard, flat surfaces puts abnormal strain on the plantar fascia which is particularly evident when a person's job requires long hours on their feet. Obesity also contributes to plantar fasciitis.

The symptoms of plantar fasciitis are:

• Pain on the bottom of the heel
   
• Pain that is usually worse upon arising
   
• Pain that increases over a period of months
   

People with plantar fasciitis often describe the pain as worse when they get up in the morning or after they've been sitting for long periods of time. After a few minutes of walking the pain decreases, because walking stretches the fascia. For some people the pain subsides but returns after spending long periods of time on their feet.

Diagnosis

To arrive at a diagnosis, Dr. Matthew Neuhaus will obtain your medical history and examine your foot. Throughout this process the surgeon rules out all the possible causes for your heel pain other than plantar fasciitis. In addition, diagnostic imaging studies such as x-rays, a bone scan, or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may be used to distinguish the different types of heel pain. Sometimes heel spurs are found in patients with plantar fasciitis, but these are a rare source of pain. When they are present, the condition may be diagnosed as plantar fasciitis or heel spur syndrome.

Treatment Options

Treatment of plantar fasciitis begins with first-line strategies, which you can begin at home:

• Exercises that stretch out the calf muscles help ease pain and assist with recovery. The following video or the handout can show you some of the basic stretching exercise Dr. Neuhaus commonly prescribes.
• Walking without shoes, undue strain and stress is put on your plantar fascia.
• Putting an ice pack on your heel for 10 minutes several times a day helps reduce inflammation in the heel of your foot.
• Cut down on extended physical activities to give your heel a rest.
• Wearing supportive shoes that have good arch support and a slightly raised heel reduces stress on the plantar fascia. Your shoes should provide a comfortable environment for the foot and modifications are needed.The video, The Perfect Shoe Selection by Dr. Neuhaus, helps inform our patients on determining the correct shoe.
• Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen, may help reduce pain and inflammation.
• Extra pounds put extra stress on your plantar fascia.
   

If you still have pain after several weeks, see Dr. Matthew Neuhaus, who may add one or more of these approaches:

• Placing pads in the shoe softens the impact of walking. Also, strapping helps support the foot and reduce strain on the fascia.
• Custom orthotic devices that fit into your shoe help correct the underlying structural abnormalities causing the plantar fasciitis.
• In some cases, corticosteroid injections are used to help reduce the inflammation and relieve pain.
• A removable walking cast may be used to keep your foot immobile for a few weeks to allow it to rest and heal.
• Wearing a night splint allows you to maintain an extended stretch of the plantar fascia while sleeping. This may help reduce the morning pain experienced by some patients.
• Exercises and other physical therapy measures may be used to help provide relief. Although most patients with plantar fasciitis respond to non-surgical treatment, a small percentage of patients may require surgery. If, after several months of non-surgical treatment, you continue to have heel pain, surgery will be considered. Dr. Matthew Neuhaus will discuss the surgical options with you and determine which approach would be most beneficial for you.

Long-term Care

No matter what kind of treatment you undergo for plantar fasciitis, the underlying causes that led to this condition may remain. Therefore, you will need to continue with preventive measures. If you are overweight, it is important to reach and maintain an ideal weight. For all patients, wearing supportive shoes and using custom orthotic devices are the mainstay of long-term treatment for plantar fasciitis.