How long should you rest for plantar fasciitis?

Written by Guan Jing Tao

Orthopedics

Updated on January 24, 2025

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For an initial episode of plantar fasciitis, it is recommended to rest for at least two to four weeks, avoid exposure to cold and weight-bearing activities, and perform local physical therapies such as heat therapy, physiotherapy, and acupuncture. If there is no significant improvement after about a week of treatment, it is advisable to visit a hospital for further consultation. If necessary, pain point block treatment may be administered once a week, with a total of two to four sessions constituting a treatment course, which can also yield good therapeutic effects. If there is still no significant improvement, it is suggested to conduct a local radiographic examination to ascertain any abnormal bone changes, and based on the results, further guidance and treatment will be provided.

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Written by Wang Cheng Lin

Orthopedics

37sec

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Can you still exercise with plantar fasciitis?

Patients with plantar fasciitis can exercise, but there are definite restrictions on the type of exercise. For instance, it is best to avoid weight-bearing exercises such as running, weightlifting, or mountain climbing. For patients with plantar fasciitis, we recommend swimming because it involves limb, muscle, and fascia activities in a non-weight-bearing situation, which is greatly beneficial and not harmful to the fascia. Swimming is our recommended approach, as it can also appropriately stretch the plantar fascia during the process, thereby helping to alleviate foot pain.

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Written by Wang Cheng Lin

Orthopedics

57sec

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How should plantar fasciitis be treated?

For the treatment of plantar fasciitis, there are currently two approaches used in clinical practice: The first is conservative treatment, which mainly includes rest, local injections, electrotherapy, magnet therapy, and the use of topical non-steroidal anti-inflammatory and analgesic plasters, as well as plasters that activate blood circulation and remove blood stasis to alleviate pain in the sole of the foot. Additionally, foot muscle stretching exercises can be performed at home to help relieve the symptoms of plantar fascia pain. However, if conservative treatment is ineffective for over six months, or if the pain worsens progressively and severely affects your daily weight-bearing activities, then surgical treatment may be necessary. The goals of surgical treatment are to release the plantar fascia, reduce chronic inflammation in the area, and possibly remove heel spurs, thereby alleviating the pain in the sole of the foot.

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Written by Wang Cheng Lin

Orthopedics

55sec

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Can you run with plantar fasciitis?

Patients with plantar fasciitis should absolutely avoid running, as running can increase the pressure on the sole of the foot, leading to a worsening of the symptoms of plantar fasciitis. If you want to exercise while suffering from plantar fasciitis, it is recommended to go swimming, as swimming does not put pressure on the feet. Additionally, swimming can provide proper stretching of the plantar fascia, which can help alleviate pain symptoms and aid in the treatment of plantar fasciitis. Currently, there are two main clinical treatments: the first is conservative treatment, such as rest, massage, acupuncture, and injection therapy to alleviate local pain. If these treatments are ineffective or if the pain gradually worsens, surgical treatment may be necessary. The goals of surgery are to release the plantar fascia and to remove bone spurs to help relieve pain.

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Written by Wang Cheng Lin

Orthopedics

54sec

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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 Cheng Bin

Orthopedics

1min

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Causes of Plantar Fasciitis

The main causes of plantar fasciitis are usually due to local trauma, prolonged overexertion, chronic irritation, or exposure to cold, which can lead to aseptic inflammation of the plantar fascia, resulting in plantar fasciitis. This causes pain symptoms, and in severe cases, it may affect the patient's ability to walk and engage in normal activities. Patients with plantar fasciitis must pay attention to rest and protection for a recent period of time, try to minimize local irritation, and absolutely avoid exposure to cold. Persist in actively applying warm compresses to the area every day, use topical ointments that activate blood circulation and remove blood stasis, and take oral non-steroidal anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving drugs along with drugs that promote blood circulation and remove stasis. With consistent treatment, recovery will gradually occur.