Endoscopic Plantar Fasciitis to Relieve Chronic Heel Pain
Heel pain from plantar fasciitis can make the smallest of movements difficult and interfere with your daily activities. When it’s chronic, the constant pain can lead you to give up your favorite activities and even affect your mental health. While 85-90% of patients with plantar fasciitis typically respond to conservative treatment measures, there are some who require surgical solutions to achieve relief. Our podiatrists at Precision Foot and Ankle Centers are highly trained in Endoscopic Plantar Fasciotomy, a minimally invasive surgical procedure that helps reduce tension and inflammation to relieve heel pain.
The first step
When you come in to see us about heel pain, our podiatrists use a step-wise pain protocol, which may include conservative therapies like icing, stretching, medication, custom orthotics, night splints, and physical therapy. For persistent heel pain that doesn’t respond to these conservative treatments, they may recommend Endoscopic Plantar Fasciotomy (EDF).
What is Endoscopic Plantar Fasciotomy?
During EDF, small incisions on the inner and outer heel are used to temporarily insert a tube-like instrument underneath the plantar fascia. Small surgical instruments are inserted into the tube to create a small horizontal incision (about one third width) across the plantar fascia. The instruments and tube are removed, leaving only 2 small incisions. When the plantar fascia is cut, the tension that exacerbated heel pain and inflammation are reduced, providing relief. Patients are able to bear weight within 24 hours, and experience fewer complications and less pain compared to traditional surgeries.
Get the foot care you deserve
EPF reports high success rates and is therefore an optimal surgical treatment for patients with persistent heel pain. If you have questions about the procedure, recovery, or want to know if this surgery is for you, consult with our expert board-certified podiatrists at Precision Foot and Ankle Centers. With years of experience and access to advanced technologies, our foot doctors provide high-quality care to patients in the LA County area. Whether it’s heel pain, a sports injury, bunions, or toenail problem, we can help you get back to healthy, happy feet! Contact our offices in Los Angeles, Torrance, and San Pedro, CA to schedule an appointment today!