Plantar Fasciitis
Plantar Fasciitis Treatment That Finds the Root Cause
That first step out of bed feels like stepping on a nail. A long walk, a day on your feet, or a morning run leaves your heel throbbing for hours. Stretching, inserts, and new shoes help a little, then the pain comes right back. Dr. Ilana Etelzon finds what is keeping your heel from healing and treats that, so you can walk, run, and stand comfortably again.
Double Board-Certified
Regenexx-Certified Provider
Ultrasound & X-Ray Guided
4 Offices in NY & NJ
Why it still hurts
Plantar fasciitis is usually wear, with little true inflammation
The plantar fascia is a thick band of tissue that runs from your heel bone to your toes and supports the arch of your foot. Plantar fasciitis is one of the most common causes of heel pain in adults, especially between 40 and 60. Most cases improve within a year, yet many people stay stuck with heel pain far longer.
Long-lasting heel pain is usually a breakdown of the fascia where it attaches to the heel, with little true inflammation. That is why anti-inflammatory pills and cortisone often fade. Lasting relief comes from finding why the tissue keeps getting overloaded, such as tight calves, a changing arch, worn heel padding, or a nerve that is pinched near the heel, and treating that.
Pain that keeps coming back has a reason. Finding it comes first.
The root causes
Six things that drive plantar fasciitis
Most stubborn heel pain has more than one of these at work at the same time. That is why stretching alone rarely settles it, and why your plan should match your own mix.
1
A worn plantar fascia
Repeated strain thickens and weakens the fascia where it meets the heel, and the body stops repairing it on its own.
2
Tight calves and Achilles
A tight calf pulls on the heel and keeps the fascia under constant tension with every step.
3
Changes in the arch
A flattening or very high arch shifts how load travels through the foot and strains the fascia.
4
Thinning heel fat pad
The natural cushion under the heel bone thins with age, so the heel absorbs less shock.
5
A pinched nerve near the heel
A small nerve along the inside of the heel can get trapped and cause burning pain that looks like plantar fasciitis.
6
Sudden changes in activity
A new running plan, hard floors at work, or worn-out shoes can push the fascia past what it can handle.
Step one: Reveal
How Dr. Etelzon finds what is driving your heel pain
Your first visit is built around one question: what is keeping this heel from healing? Dr. Etelzon answers it with the same careful steps every time.
- Your storyWhen it started, when it hurts most, your shoes and activities, what you have tried, and what you want to get back to.
- A hands-on examShe checks the fascia, your calf and ankle flexibility, your arch, the heel pad, and the nerves around the heel.
- Ultrasound in the roomIn-office ultrasound measures the thickness of the fascia and shows tears or other damage in real time.
- Your imaging, read closelyShe reviews any X-rays or MRIs and matches what they show to what she finds on exam.
You leave knowing which drivers are at work in your heel and what each part of your plan is for.
Reveal
Find every driver
Diagnose all the sources of pain before treating any of them.
Repair
Treat the tissue
Image-guided regenerative care aimed at the damaged structures.
Restore
Rebuild control
Strength and movement work so the area holds up under load.
Renew
Get back to life
Return to your activities and stay there.
Step two: Repair
Treatment matched to what is actually wrong
Once the drivers are clear, Dr. Etelzon chooses treatments that aim at them directly. Injections are placed under ultrasound guidance, so they reach the exact damaged area of the fascia.
Shockwave Therapy
Acoustic waves that restart healing in a worn fascia. Shockwave is one of the best-studied treatments for chronic heel pain.
Learn about shockwave therapy ›PRP Injections
Concentrated platelets from your own blood, placed into the damaged part of the fascia to help it repair.
Learn about PRP injections ›Tenotomy
A minimally invasive procedure that clears out damaged tissue through a tiny opening, for fascia that has not responded to other care.
Learn about TenJet ›MLS Laser Therapy
A focused laser that calms pain in the heel. It is often paired with shockwave or injections.
Learn about MLS laser therapy ›Regenexx Protocols
Dr. Etelzon is a certified Regenexx provider, so your injections follow tested, standardized protocols used across a national network of physicians.
Learn about Regenexx ›Strength and Movement Plan
Calf, foot, and arch work, plus practical shoe and activity changes, so the fascia stays healthy once it heals.
See our regenerative procedures ›Where cortisone fits
Cortisone can quiet heel pain for a short time, and it has a place. Its relief tends to fade, and repeated shots can weaken the fascia and thin the heel pad, so Dr. Etelzon uses it sparingly. A randomized trial in the American Journal of Sports Medicine found PRP gave longer-lasting relief than cortisone for many patients with chronic heel pain.
Every stage
What can help, from new heel pain to chronic
Plantar fasciitis changes over time. How long it has lasted guides the plan, and your drivers decide it.
Under 3 months
New heel pain
Stretching, supportive shoes, and load changes often settle new heel pain. Laser therapy can speed things along.
3 to 12 months
Lingering heel pain
The fascia has started to break down. Shockwave and PRP aim at the damaged tissue and help it heal.
Over 12 months
Chronic heel pain
Long-standing thickening or tears in the fascia. PRP, shockwave, or tenotomy can still help many patients avoid surgery.
An honest note. Heel pain that has lasted for years takes time to heal. Most patients notice steady improvement over weeks to months, with the plan adjusted along the way.
Results
Outcomes tracked across the Regenexx network
Regenexx collects patient-reported outcomes from certified clinics across the country. Explore the live results below.
Like all medical procedures, regenerative procedures have a success and failure rate. Individual results vary.
Step four: Renew
Back on your feet, all day
Patients come to us wanting specific things back: a morning run, a weekend hike, a full day on their feet at work, a walk on the beach without the limp. That is what we treat toward.
Back to running
Long hikes again
Your first visit
What to expect, and what it costs
Your first visit is a consultation with Dr. Etelzon: your history, a hands-on exam, ultrasound, and a review of your imaging. Bring any foot X-rays or MRIs you have. If treatment makes sense, you leave with a written plan and a clear price before anything is scheduled.
Most regenerative procedures, including PRP and bone marrow concentrate, are not covered by insurance. Many patients use HSA or FSA funds, and monthly financing is available. See our payment and financing options.
Find us
Plantar fasciitis treatment across New York and New Jersey
Dr. Etelzon and her team treat heel and foot pain at four offices, so care is close to where you live and work.
New York
Brooklyn
2577 East 17th Street, 1st Floor Unit 18B, Brooklyn, NY 11235Brooklyn office › New JerseyClifton
1111 Paulison Ave, Unit 2, Clifton, NJ 07011Clifton office › New JerseyNewark
73-75 Ferry St, Newark, NJ 07105Newark office › New JerseyPerth Amboy
345 State St, Unit B, Perth Amboy, NJ 08861Perth Amboy office ›Call 1 (844) 959-7246 to reach any office.
Keep reading
More on heel and foot pain
References
- Gollwitzer H, et al. Clinically relevant effectiveness of focused extracorporeal shock wave therapy in the treatment of chronic plantar fasciitis: a randomized, controlled multicenter study. Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery. 2015;97(9):701-708.
- Peerbooms JC, et al. Positive effect of platelet-rich plasma on pain in plantar fasciitis: a double-blind multicenter randomized controlled trial. American Journal of Sports Medicine. 2019;47(13):3238-3246.
Find out what is driving your heel pain
One visit, a clear answer, and a plan built around your feet and the life you want back. This is where the trying stops.