Amanda Wilde (Host): Plantar fasciitis is common, it's painful, and it affects every step you take. We'll talk about what causes it, how to treat it, and explore prevention strategies with Dr. Eric Rindlisbacher, podiatrist at Woodlawn Health.

This is Woodlawn Health DocTalk, a podcast from Woodlawn Health. I'm Amanda Wilde. Dr. Rindlisbacher, welcome back to the podcast.

Dr. Eric Rindlisbacher: Thanks, Amanda. It's good to be here.

Host: Plantar fasciitis, it comes on so quickly and it lasts so long. Let's talk first about what causes plantar fasciitis.

Dr. Eric Rindlisbacher: So, plantar fasciitis is caused by a number of things. Most commonly, it actually ends up being like a breakdown in shoewear. People who have been walking, same shoes, not replacing them over time, ends up being the number one cause of having issues with plantar fasciitis.

Host: Wow. I really wouldn't have guessed that. I would have guessed it was overextending while running and things like that. What symptoms would make us laypeople aware that we may have plantar fasciitis?

Dr. Eric Rindlisbacher: The number one is that first step out of bed in the morning. You stand up and you just feel almost like a hot poker going in your heel. You take the first few steps, you're limping. And then, from there, you know, it tends to calm down through the day, it still can be very irritating, but that's what you're looking for for plantar fasciitis.

Host: And sometimes, it goes away on its own. And sometimes, it doesn't. And as I mentioned earlier, it can last a really long time. So, when should you see a doctor?

Dr. Eric Rindlisbacher: I tell my patients 75% of the time plantar fasciitis is going to go away on its own within a year. The problem is no one wants to wait a year, because it's painful. So looking at it, from my perspective, if it's bothering you enough and it's not going away, and you haven't done a few of the things that I think we'll talk about, the treatments you can do on your own, it's worth getting it looked at. Because with treatment, 95% of the time, you can get it to go away pretty quickly.

Host: Well, that was my next question. What is the treatment for plantar fasciitis?

Dr. Eric Rindlisbacher: Like I alluded to initially, first thing first is a good pair of shoes. A good pair of a stiff sole type of tennis or running shoe, is always what I look for. Because if you have foot pain, you need some more control. And then, from there, there's a whole other bunch of varieties, but the big thing is stretching. Stretching your calves and stretching the bottom of your foot. Stretching them out, that's going to help get you more motion in your plantar fascia. It may be a little painful at first. But if you do it long-term, that's the ticket to get it to go away for good.

Host: So, good shoes and regular stretching are your two main treatments for this annoying condition.

Dr. Eric Rindlisbacher: Absolutely. It seems super simple, but very few people do it.

Host: Right. And you can show us exactly what kind of stretching and things we should be doing. I was wondering if there are ways to prevent getting plantar fasciitis in the first place, and I have a feeling you're going to tell me the same things as the treatment, good shoes and stretching.

Dr. Eric Rindlisbacher: So, I'll see it happen a lot, especially with runners. Like my sister-in-law the other day called me and she says, "Why does my heel hurt so bad?" And I said, "Well, you've been training for a marathon." I said, "When's the last time you changed your shoes?" She thought for a minute, she said, "Oh, probably about five months ago." And I said, "You know, shoes are like tires on a car. They wear out. And when they wear out. It's not going to work as well." And so, you've got to be changing them regularly. You've got to be stretching your calf. That whole backside of your leg is tied directly into your heel. And the more you stretch that calf, the better you're going to feel.

Host: So, always keep an eye on your feet.

Dr. Eric Rindlisbacher: Absolutely.

Host: Thank you, doctor.

Dr. Eric Rindlisbacher: Thank you. I appreciate it.

Host: Dr. Rindlisbacher is a podiatrist and podiatric surgeon with Woodlawn Health.

Amanda Wilde (Host): want to find out more information.

Visit Woodlawn Health's website@woodlawnhealth.org or call 5 7 4 2 2 3 9 3 9 3 to schedule an appointment. And thanks for listening to Woodlawn Health Doc Talk, a podcast by Woodlawn Hospital.