With Facebook, Twitter and blogging, the latter seems the easiest to create a portal for patient and staff communication. I've been in practice for more than three decades. There was a time when surgically removing a heel spur was the reasonable path of treatment. For heel spur syndrome/"plantar fasciitis", where a patient has pain on the bottom of the heel upon arising out of bed or a chair, conservative therapy is exhausted for three months. Even when surgery is contemplated, the fascia which pulls and precipitates the spur is addressed by a lengthening procedure leaving the spur alone. We use an algorithmic guide for patients with plantar fasciitis/heel spur syndrome. The first visit is usually conservative where taping, stretching, ice, gait training and oral anti-inflammatories are prescribed. Depending if the condition is more acute and inflamed, or chronic, the course of treatment is affected as well. Any comments, questions or feedback are welcome....
