Plantar fasciitis is pain in the heel or arch of the foot. It is caused by irritation of the plantar fascia, the band of tissue that goes from the heel to the ball of the foot. This common condition takes time to heal, and non-surgical treatments should always be considered first.
With this in mind, the American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society has worked with Consumer Reports Health to produce a patient handout explaining why conservative treatment of plantar fasciitis, which can include a stretching program, is the best approach.
The plantar fasciitis handout follows a 2014 effort to release a list of five tests/procedures that are commonly ordered for foot and ankle conditions but not always necessary. The effort was part of the Choosing Wisely campaign, an initiative of the ABIM Foundation designed to advance medical professionalism in clinical practice.
Building off of the AOFAS Choosing Wisely point "Don't perform surgery for plantar fasciitis before trying six months of non-operative care," the AOFAS worked closely with a Consumer Reports writing team to produce the two-page PDF. The handout resides both on FootCareMD.org, the Society's patient education website, and at ConsumerHealthChoices.org. Later this summer it will also be available in Spanish.
Review the handout to learn what orthopaedic foot and ankle specialists recommend when treating plantar fasciitis and why surgery should never be a first-line treatment.
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