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Plantar Fasciitis Specialist

Reconstructive Foot & Ankle Institute, LLC Daniel D. Michaels, DPM, MS, DABFAS Our Services Plantar Fasciitis
Daniel D. Michaels, DPM, MS, DABFAS - - Podiatrist

Reconstructive Foot & Ankle Institute, LLC

Daniel D. Michaels, DPM, MS, DABFAS

Podiatrist located in Hagerstown, MD & Frederick, MD

Does your day begin with stabbing pain in your heels when you take your first steps? Odds are that you have plantar fasciitis, and the good news is that Reconstructive Foot & Ankle Institute features a center of excellence for heel pain. Led by Daniel Michaels, DPM, MS, DABFAS, the team helps patients in Hagerstown and Frederick, Maryland, find both short- and long-term relief from plantar fasciitis. To learn more, call or use the online scheduling tool to set up an appointment.

Plantar Fasciitis Q & A

What is plantar fasciitis?

Plantar fasciitis stems from inflammation in your plantar fascia, which is a large band of tissue that runs from your heel, across the bottom of your foot, to the base of your toes. This tissue is strung extremely taut to provide support for your arches. When it’s inflamed, it can cause stabbing pain in your heel or along your foot, especially when you take your first steps in the morning or after a prolonged period of inactivity.

Here’s why it happens. As your foot flattens out, the distance from the front of your foot to the back grows longer, which causes your plantar fascia to pull on the heel, causing pain. Heel spurs can also form in response to this pulling, but they generally don’t cause any pain. As well,  bursitis may develop if a swollen plantar fascia presses against your plantar bursa.

What causes plantar fasciitis?

The immediate cause of plantar fasciitis is inflammation in your plantar fascia, which is usually caused by tiny tears in the tissue that develop over time due to:

  • Spending extended periods on your feet
  • Activities that place stress on your plantar fascia, such as running
  • Obesity
  • Structure of your feet, namely high or low arches
  • Age: Plantar fasciitis typically strikes people between 40 and 60

The best way to find out what’s behind your heel pain is to get in to see Dr. Michaels for a comprehensive analysis.

How is plantar fasciitis treated?

During your visit with Dr. Michaels, he reviews your symptoms and usually takes X-rays of your feet to rule out other problems. If he determines that plantar fasciitis is behind your discomfort, he works with you to find both immediate and long-term relief of your foot pain. At the practice’s center of excellence for heel pain, the doctor has a number of noninvasive tools at his fingertips, including:

  • Heel cups
  • Foot strapping
  • Anti-inflammatory medications
  • TheraBand® elastic stretch devices
  • Roll-on pain relievers
  • Night splints
  • Air heels
  • Corticosteroid injections
  • Extracorporeal shock wave therapy

The goal behind many of these therapies is to keep your plantar fascia in a stretched position, preventing it from tightening as well as reducing inflammation.

To find relief from plantar fasciitis pain, call Reconstructive Foot & Ankle Institute or request an appointment using the online booking tool.

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