Plantar Fasciitis Surgery

Are you thinking about having plantar fasciitis surgery because your heel pain is already keeping you from having a productive and meaningful life? Then you’re in the right place at the right time! That’s because this article will talk about some of the most important things you need to know about undergoing the knife to deal with plantar fasciitis.

Make sure that you check out the entirety of this article. By the time you reach its end, we hope that you have a better idea on whether or not plantar fasciitis surgery is right for you.

Not Everyone Needs to Get Surgery

not everyone needs surgeryPlantar fasciitis is a very common foot condition, but getting it treated with surgery is not that common. As a matter of fact, health authorities say that only about 5% of people with plantar fasciitis will need surgery.

Your doctor may recommend you to undergo the knife after giving all kinds of conservative treatments for it a try for a while and still the pain is keeping you from carrying out your everyday activities without much trouble. It is recommended for you to try non-surgical solutions for plantar fasciitis for not less than 6 months before considering surgery. Some common examples of conservative treatments for it are:

  • Rest
  • Ice or heat
  • Stretching exercises
  • Orthotics or shoe inserts
  • Night splints
  • Anti-inflammatory drugs
  • Steroid injections

You may also need to have surgery for plantar fasciitis if your heel pain bugs you one more time after 6 to 12 months of trying some of the above mentioned non-surgical solutions for plantar fasciitis.

Important Considerations to Bear in Mind

rheumatoid arthritisUndergoing the knife seems like the ultimate solution for heel pain brought about plantar fasciitis. However, believe it or not doctors say that even after having surgery it is possible for your heel pain to still exist. What’s more, in rare cases pain due to the foot condition may worsen after surgery.

When thinking about undergoing plantar fasciitis surgery, there are some important matters that should be taken into consideration. Some of them include:

  • Age. Recovering from plantar fasciitis surgery is longer the older the person is. For several weeks or a few months he or she may have to momentarily avoid doing some physical activities.
  • Recovery time. Undergoing the knife is not an option for someone who cannot give up doing some everyday duties and responsibilities as plantar fasciitis surgery recovery time can be anywhere from 3 to 5 weeks.
  • Plantar fasciitis surgery cost isn’t cheap. One who is about to undergo it should be able to shell out $10,000 or sometimes even more, depending on certain factors such as insurance coverage, surgeon’s fees, medical facility where the surgery will be performed, and follow up care costs.
  • Risks and complications. Just like any other surgical procedure out there, plantar fasciitis surgery comes with certain risks and complications that a doctor should carefully discuss with his or her patient.

It’s a good idea to talk with your doctor about the pros and cons of having surgery for plantar fasciitis before you make your final decision so you won’t regret your choice later on.

Different Plantar Fasciitis Surgery Types

While the patient with plantar fasciitis is on the operating table, the primary goal of the surgeon is to release tension of the plantar fascia, which is a band of tissue that connects the heel bone to the toes. Needless to say, it’s a problematic plantar fascia that is causing heel pain in the presence of plantar fasciitis.

Are you aware that there are different types of plantar fasciitis surgery? That is why if you try to check out pictures of plantar fasciitis surgery on the web, you are likely to see procedures that look different from each other.

Fasciotomy is the name of plantar fasciitis surgery that is commonly being performed. It actually comes in two types, and they are open plantar fasciotomy and endoscopic plantar fasciotomy. The latter is relatively new and also the one that’s preferred more these days because of the fact that it helps to reduce surgical dissection and shorten recovery period due to the use of cameras (endoscopes) and other delicate surgical instruments.

The type of plantar fasciitis surgery that’s right for you will be according to a few factors such as the severity of your foot condition as well as your current lifestyle and health condition. Your doctor will inform you why a particular type of surgery suits you and the rest don’t.

Just Before You Go

Undergoing the knife may or may not be necessary in order to deal with your plantar fasciitis and the heel pain that it brings with it. It all depends on whether or not your foot condition and its symptoms respond to some conservative treatments for plantar fasciitis.

It’s a good idea for you to try non-surgical treatments for plantar fasciitis for at least 6 months before you ask your doctor about having surgery. There is a possibility that your heel pain can be reduced significantly by following some of the conservative treatments for plantar fasciitis. And just in case you are regarded as a candidate for plantar fasciitis surgery, make sure that you bear in mind that undergoing the knife may not completely deal with your heel pain.