Doctors' Answers to "Frequently Asked Questions" - Plantar Fascitis


These comments are made for the purpose of discussion and should NOT be used as recommendations for or against therapies or other treatments. An individual patient is always advised to consult their own physician.

Plantar Fascitis
Question: I am a 32 year old male, 6'2" 135 lbs, and a non-smoker. I was "diagnosed" with plantar fascitis in my right foot in 1995. The injured foot has been stretched, shot with cortisone, and has worn viscoheel cup supports with little or no affect. I have had numerous x-rays to produce the "picture inside". My current PCP has prescribed relafen to see if the pain is caused by inflammation of the affected muscle. Are there any other non-invasive techniques to ensure that the problem has been diagnosed properly? I have been given differing opinions from PCP's and specialists for effective measures for dealing with the pain (i.e. icing, yes or no. Stretching, yes or no. Ibuprofen, yes or no). Do I just need to experiment with each and chose what works best for me? I've read material on relafen and it appears to be a potent arthritic drug. Are there more specific, less risky anti inflammatory drugs?

Answer: Sounds like they have done the works. The only other idea is to ensure that there is no component of gout or pseudogout at the beginning of the inflammation. However, this is unlikely at your age.
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Last modified August 8, 1997