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Rhode Island Foot and Ankle - Center for Heel Pain
1591 Cranston St Cranston, RI 02920(401) 946-9933
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Heel Pain (Plantar Fasciitis)

Our team of specialists and staff believe that informed patients are better equipped to make decisions regarding their health and well being. For your personal use, we have created an extensive patient library covering an array of educational topics. Browse through these diagnoses and treatments to learn more about topics of interest to you. Or, for a more comprehensive search of our entire Web site, enter your term(s) in the search bar provided.

As always, you can contact our office to answer any questions or concerns.

  • Posterior Tibial Tendon Dysfunction (PTTD)
  • Accessory Navicular Syndrome
  • Common Disorders of the Achilles Tendon
  • Achilles Tendon Rupture
  • Diabetic Complications and Amputation Prevention
  • Ankle Arthritis
  • Ankle Fractures
  • Chronic Ankle Instability
  • Ankle Pain
  • Ankle Sprain
  • Arch Pain
  • Arch Supports
  • Athlete's Foot
  • Baseball Injuries to the Foot and Ankle
  • Basketball Injuries to the Foot and Ankle
  • Soft Tissue Biopsy
  • Black Toenails
  • Bone Healing
  • Bone Infection
  • Bone Tumors in the Foot
  • Brachymetararsia
  • Bunions (Hallux Abducto Valgus)
  • Bursitis
  • Calcaneal Apophysitis (Sever's Disease)
  • Fractures of the Calcaneus (Heel Bone Fractures)
  • Calf Pain
  • Callus
  • Capsulitis of the Second Toe
  • Cavus Foot (High-Arched Foot)
  • Charcot Foot
  • Clubfoot
  • Cold Feet
  • Compartment Syndrome
  • Contact Dermatitis
  • Corns
  • Cracked Heels
  • Crutch Use
  • Custom Orthotic Devices
  • Cyst-Ganglion
  • Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)
  • Dermatitis
  • Diabetic Complications and Amputation Prevention
  • Diabetic Foot Care Guidelines
  • Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy
  • Diabetic Shoes
  • Drop Foot
  • Dry Heels
  • DVT (Deep Vein Thrombosis)
  • Eczema of the Foot
  • Equinus
  • Extra Bones
  • Fallen Arches
  • Field Hockey Injuries to the Foot and Ankle
  • Fifth Metatarsal Fracture
  • Flatfoot-Adult Acquired
  • Flatfoot-Flexible
  • Flatfoot-Pediatric
  • Flexible Flatfoot
  • Foot Arthritis
  • Foot Bumps
  • Foot Drop
  • Foot Fracture
  • Foot Lumps
  • Foot Odor
  • Foot Rash
  • Football Injuries to the Foot and Ankle
  • Fracture-Ankle
  • Fracture-Foot
  • Fractures of the Calcaneus (Heel Bone Fractures)
  • Fractures of the Fifth Metatarsal
  • Fracture-Toe
  • Frostbite
  • Fungal Nails
  • Ganglion Cyst
  • Gangrene
  • Golf Injuries to the Foot and Ankle
  • Gout
  • Haglund's Deformity
  • Hallux Rigidus
  • Hammertoes
  • Heel Bone Fractures
  • Heel Cracks
  • Heel Fissures
  • Heel Pain (Plantar Fasciitis)
  • High-Arched Foot
  • Inflammation: Actue
  • Ingrown Toenails
  • Instructions for Using Crutches
  • Intermetatarsal Neuroma
  • Intoeing
  • Joint Pain in the Foot
  • Joint Swelling in the Foot
  • Jones Fracture
  • Lacrosse Injuries to the Foot and Ankle
  • Lisfranc Injuries
  • Lumps
  • Malignant Melanoma of the Foot
  • MRSA Infection of the Foot
  • Orthotics
  • Os Trigonum Syndrome
  • Osteoporosis
  • Osteoarthritis of the Foot and Ankle
  • Osteomyelitis (Bone Infection)
  • Osteopenia
  • P.A.D. (Peripheral Arterial Disease)
  • Pediatric Flatfoot
  • Peripheral Arterial Disease (P.A.D.)
  • Peripheral Neuropathy: Diabetic
  • Peroneal Tendon Injuries
  • Pigeon-toes
  • Plantar Fasciitis
  • Plantar Fibroma
  • Plantar Wart (Verruca Plantaris)
  • Posterior Tibial Tendon Dysfunction (PTTD)
  • Pump Bump (Hallux Rigidus)
  • Puncture Wounds
  • Rash
  • Raynauds Phenomenon
  • Restless Legs
  • Rheumatoid Arthritis in the Foot and Ankle
  • R.I.C.E Protocol
  • Rugby Injuries to the Foot and Ankle
  • Running and Track Injuries to the Foot and Ankle
  • Running Injuries
  • Sesamoid Injuries in the Foot
  • Shin Splints
  • Shoe Inserts
  • Skin Cancer of the Foot and Ankle
  • Smelly Feet
  • Soccer Injuries to the Foot and Ankle
  • Soft Tissue Biopsy
  • Softball Injuries to the Foot and Ankle
  • Sports Injuries to the Foot and Ankle
  • Staph Infections of the Foot
  • Stress Fracture in the Foot
  • Sweaty Feet
  • Swollen Ankles
  • Swollen Feet
  • Synovitis
  • Tailor's Bunion
  • Talar Dome Lesion
  • Tarsal Coalition
  • Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome
  • Tennis Injuries to the Foot and Ankle
  • Thick Toenails
  • Tingly Feet
  • Tired Feet
  • Toe and Metatarsal Fractures (Broken Toes)
  • Toe Walking
  • Turf Toe
  • Ulcers/Wounds
  • Varicose Veins
  • Volleyball Injuries to the Foot and Ankle
  • Warts
  • Weak Ankles
  • Webbed Toes
  • White Toenails
  • Wounds/Ulcers
  • Wounds-Puncture
  • Yellow Toenails

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, rarely, a cyst.

Because there are several potential causes, it is important to have heel pain properly diagnosed. A foot and ankle surgeon is able to distinguish between all the possibilities and determine the underlying source of your heel pain.

Heel PainWhat Is Plantar Fasciitis?
Plantar fasciitis is an inflammation of the band of tissue (the plantar fascia) that extends from the heel to the toes. In this condition, the fascia first becomes irritated and then inflamed, resulting in heel pain.

Causes
The most common cause of plantar fasciitis relates to faulty structure of the foot. For example, 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 and can also lead to plantar fasciitis. This is particularly evident when one’s job requires long hours on the feet. Obesity may also contribute to plantar fasciitis.

Symptoms
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, the foot and ankle surgeon 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 or other imaging modalities may be used to distinguish the different types of heel pain. Sometimes heel spurs are found in patients with plantar fasciitis, but these are rarely a source of pain. When they are present, the condition may be diagnosed as plantar fasciitis/heel spur syndrome.

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

  • Stretching exercises. Exercises that stretch out the calf muscles help ease pain and assist with recovery.
  • Avoid going barefoot. When you walk without shoes, you put undue strain and stress on your plantar fascia.
  • Ice. Putting an ice pack on your heel for 20 minutes several times a day helps reduce inflammation. Place a thin towel between the ice and your heel; do not apply ice directly to the skin.
  • Limit activities. Cut down on extended physical activities to give your heel a rest.
  • Shoe modifications. Wearing supportive shoes that have good arch support and a slightly raised heel reduces stress on the plantar fascia.
  • Medications. Oral nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen, may be recommended to reduce pain and inflammation.

If you still have pain after several weeks, see your foot and ankle surgeon, who may add one or more of these treatment approaches:

  • Padding and strapping. Placing pads in the shoe softens the impact of walking. Strapping helps support the foot and reduce strain on the fascia.
  • Orthotic devices. Custom orthotic devices that fit into your shoe help correct the underlying structural abnormalities causing the plantar fasciitis.
  • Injection therapy. In some cases, corticosteroid injections are used to help reduce the inflammation and relieve pain.
  • Removable walking cast. A removable walking cast may be used to keep your foot immobile for a few weeks to allow it to rest and heal.
  • Night splint. 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.
  • Physical therapy. Exercises and other physical therapy measures may be used to help provide relief.

When Is Surgery Needed?
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. Your foot and ankle surgeon 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. Wearing supportive shoes, stretching, and using custom orthotic devices are the mainstay of long-term treatment for plantar fasciitis.


Patient Education

Patient Education Menu
  • Posterior Tibial Tendon Dysfunction (PTTD)
  • Accessory Navicular Syndrome
  • Common Disorders of the Achilles Tendon
  • Achilles Tendon Rupture
  • Diabetic Complications and Amputation Prevention
  • Ankle Arthritis
  • Ankle Fractures
  • Chronic Ankle Instability
  • Ankle Pain
  • Ankle Sprain
  • Arch Pain
  • Arch Supports
  • Athlete's Foot
  • Baseball Injuries to the Foot and Ankle
  • Basketball Injuries to the Foot and Ankle
  • Soft Tissue Biopsy
  • Black Toenails
  • Bone Healing
  • Bone Infection
  • Bone Tumors in the Foot
  • Brachymetararsia
  • Bunions (Hallux Abducto Valgus)
  • Bursitis
  • Calcaneal Apophysitis (Sever's Disease)
  • Fractures of the Calcaneus (Heel Bone Fractures)
  • Calf Pain
  • Callus
  • Capsulitis of the Second Toe
  • Cavus Foot (High-Arched Foot)
  • Charcot Foot
  • Clubfoot
  • Cold Feet
  • Compartment Syndrome
  • Contact Dermatitis
  • Corns
  • Cracked Heels
  • Crutch Use
  • Custom Orthotic Devices
  • Cyst-Ganglion
  • Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)
  • Dermatitis
  • Diabetic Complications and Amputation Prevention
  • Diabetic Foot Care Guidelines
  • Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy
  • Diabetic Shoes
  • Drop Foot
  • Dry Heels
  • DVT (Deep Vein Thrombosis)
  • Eczema of the Foot
  • Equinus
  • Extra Bones
  • Fallen Arches
  • Field Hockey Injuries to the Foot and Ankle
  • Fifth Metatarsal Fracture
  • Flatfoot-Adult Acquired
  • Flatfoot-Flexible
  • Flatfoot-Pediatric
  • Flexible Flatfoot
  • Foot Arthritis
  • Foot Bumps
  • Foot Drop
  • Foot Fracture
  • Foot Lumps
  • Foot Odor
  • Foot Rash
  • Football Injuries to the Foot and Ankle
  • Fracture-Ankle
  • Fracture-Foot
  • Fractures of the Calcaneus (Heel Bone Fractures)
  • Fractures of the Fifth Metatarsal
  • Fracture-Toe
  • Frostbite
  • Fungal Nails
  • Ganglion Cyst
  • Gangrene
  • Golf Injuries to the Foot and Ankle
  • Gout
  • Haglund's Deformity
  • Hallux Rigidus
  • Hammertoes
  • Heel Bone Fractures
  • Heel Cracks
  • Heel Fissures
  • Heel Pain (Plantar Fasciitis)
  • High-Arched Foot
  • Inflammation: Actue
  • Ingrown Toenails
  • Instructions for Using Crutches
  • Intermetatarsal Neuroma
  • Intoeing
  • Joint Pain in the Foot
  • Joint Swelling in the Foot
  • Jones Fracture
  • Lacrosse Injuries to the Foot and Ankle
  • Lisfranc Injuries
  • Lumps
  • Malignant Melanoma of the Foot
  • MRSA Infection of the Foot
  • Orthotics
  • Os Trigonum Syndrome
  • Osteoporosis
  • Osteoarthritis of the Foot and Ankle
  • Osteomyelitis (Bone Infection)
  • Osteopenia
  • P.A.D. (Peripheral Arterial Disease)
  • Pediatric Flatfoot
  • Peripheral Arterial Disease (P.A.D.)
  • Peripheral Neuropathy: Diabetic
  • Peroneal Tendon Injuries
  • Pigeon-toes
  • Plantar Fasciitis
  • Plantar Fibroma
  • Plantar Wart (Verruca Plantaris)
  • Posterior Tibial Tendon Dysfunction (PTTD)
  • Pump Bump (Hallux Rigidus)
  • Puncture Wounds
  • Rash
  • Raynauds Phenomenon
  • Restless Legs
  • Rheumatoid Arthritis in the Foot and Ankle
  • R.I.C.E Protocol
  • Rugby Injuries to the Foot and Ankle
  • Running and Track Injuries to the Foot and Ankle
  • Running Injuries
  • Sesamoid Injuries in the Foot
  • Shin Splints
  • Shoe Inserts
  • Skin Cancer of the Foot and Ankle
  • Smelly Feet
  • Soccer Injuries to the Foot and Ankle
  • Soft Tissue Biopsy
  • Softball Injuries to the Foot and Ankle
  • Sports Injuries to the Foot and Ankle
  • Staph Infections of the Foot
  • Stress Fracture in the Foot
  • Sweaty Feet
  • Swollen Ankles
  • Swollen Feet
  • Synovitis
  • Tailor's Bunion
  • Talar Dome Lesion
  • Tarsal Coalition
  • Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome
  • Tennis Injuries to the Foot and Ankle
  • Thick Toenails
  • Tingly Feet
  • Tired Feet
  • Toe and Metatarsal Fractures (Broken Toes)
  • Toe Walking
  • Turf Toe
  • Ulcers/Wounds
  • Varicose Veins
  • Volleyball Injuries to the Foot and Ankle
  • Warts
  • Weak Ankles
  • Webbed Toes
  • White Toenails
  • Wounds/Ulcers
  • Wounds-Puncture
  • Yellow Toenails

Our Location

1591 Cranston St
Cranston, RI 02920
(401) 946-9933

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Tuesday:8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday:9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Thursday:9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday:7:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday:Closed
Sunday:Closed
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