Do you need to take an X-ray for plantar fasciitis?

Written by Wang Cheng Lin
Orthopedics
Updated on September 19, 2024
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Patients with plantar fasciitis need to have imaging done, as many people with plantar fasciitis also develop heel spurs. Therefore, imaging can be used to check if the patient has heel spurs. In addition to imaging, it is also necessary to perform color ultrasound or MRI. These examinations can reveal local edema in the plantar fascia, indicating some damage to the plantar fascia, and even the presence of aseptic inflammation. It is also necessary to combine the patient's medical history, physical examination, and clinical signs to diagnose plantar fasciitis comprehensively. However, imaging is a very necessary part of the examination process.

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Written by Wang Cheng Lin
Orthopedics
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How long does it take to recover from plantar fasciitis?

For the disease of plantar fasciitis, if treated under normal conventional methods, the recovery time is generally around four to six weeks. However, during the treatment period, it is crucial to strictly follow the treatment principles, such as prohibiting excessive weight-bearing walking, strenuous exercise, and overworking. At the same time, some physical therapy methods should be coordinated, such as massage, acupuncture, electrotherapy, and magnetotherapy. In more severe cases, occlusion methods can be used to alleviate local pain. Generally, the time frame is four to six weeks. If the results from regular conservative treatment are not satisfactory, surgical treatment may be required later on.

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Written by Wang Cheng Lin
Orthopedics
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Which department should I register for plantar fasciitis?

To register for plantar fasciitis at a hospital, you need to visit two departments. The first is the orthopedics department, where the primary goal is to determine the cause of your plantar fasciitis. Firstly, it is necessary to check for the presence of heel spurs by taking an X-ray of the foot. Secondly, an MRI of the foot may be required to ascertain whether there is significant congestion and edema in your plantar fascia. As for treatment, you can seek help from the pain management department. The pain management department can provide local physical therapy and local blockade treatment to alleviate your pain. If this pain does not improve or worsens after more than six months of conservative treatment, severely affecting your daily life, you might need to return to the orthopedics department for surgical treatment. The surgery involves loosening the plantar fascia to help relieve the pain.

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Written by Wang Cheng Lin
Orthopedics
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How to cure plantar fasciitis?

In clinical practice, there are currently two methods for treating plantar fasciitis. The first method is the most commonly seen conservative treatment, such as using rest, wearing orthotic shoes, and utilizing acupuncture, massage, electrotherapy, magnetotherapy, and local infiltration therapy to alleviate the symptoms of foot pain caused by the plantar fascia while walking. However, if conservative treatment does not yield results after six months or if the pain intensifies and severely affects weight-bearing walking, then it may become necessary to proceed with the second method of treatment, which is surgical intervention. The goals of surgical treatment include, firstly, loosening the plantar fascia and, secondly, removing bone spurs, as a significant number of patients with plantar fasciitis also develop bone spurs. Therefore, along with loosening the fascia, it is necessary to excise the bone spurs to relieve the symptoms of foot pain.

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Written by Su Zhen Bo
Orthopedics
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How to determine if it is plantar fasciitis?

Plantar fasciitis is a type of aseptic inflammation. In diagnosis, there is usually a history of chronic strain in the plantar area, or frequent exposure to cold. Patients may feel stabbing pain in the plantar area, swelling in the plantar muscles and fascia tissues, widespread tenderness, and some exhibit definite tender points, affecting normal plantar activity. There is fascial tissue adhesion; when touching the plantar area, the skin may also feel hard and tight. Ultrasonography and MRI can be conducted, and combined with physical examination, a definitive diagnosis can be made. In treatment, conservative methods are used. Often soaking feet in warm water, applying external ointments that invigorate blood circulation and reduce stasis, performing acupuncture and moxibustion, strengthening exercises for the plantar muscle tissues, and taking oral nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory and analgesic drugs.

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Written by Wang Fei
Orthopedics
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The difference between Achilles tendinitis and plantar fasciitis

Plantar fasciitis and metatarsal tendinitis, these two diseases are essentially the same type of disease clinically. In professional clinical terms, it is called metatarsal tendinitis, commonly known as plantar fasciitis. The anatomical location is mainly on the sole of the foot, extending from the 1-5 metatarsophalangeal joints to the position of the calcaneal tubercle. Our soles have a very thick layer, resembling a tendon sheath, which is a very important structure that supports the arch and normal walking. Plantar fasciitis and metatarsal tendinitis essentially occur in the same location, with only a difference in terminology.