Plantar fasciitis is irritation of the thick band of tissue running along the sole of the foot from heel to toes. Its signature is sharp heel pain on the first steps in the morning or after sitting, easing as you move and returning after rest. The tissue has poor blood supply, which is why it is slow to settle and why it so often drags on for months.
The Pattern
- Sharp heel pain on the first steps of the day
- Pain returning after sitting, then easing as you walk
- Worse after standing all day, not during
- Tenderness at the front of the heel bone
- A tight calf and Achilles on the same side
The morning pattern is diagnostic. The fascia tightens overnight, and the first steps stretch it abruptly.
Why It Is Rarely Just the Foot
Plantar fasciitis is usually a load problem arriving at the foot from somewhere else. Collapsing arches change how force travels. A tight calf pulls on the heel continuously. An uneven pelvis loads one leg harder than the other, year after year.
Treating only the heel — rolling a ball on it, cortisone, a night splint — addresses the place that hurts rather than the reason it is being overloaded. That is why it so often comes back.
How Dr. Hansen Treats It
The exam looks at the foot and at what is above it: ankle and calf mobility, knee and hip mechanics, pelvic alignment, and how you actually stand and walk.
SoftWave therapy is particularly well suited to this. It is FDA-cleared shockwave treatment that triggers the body's repair response in exactly the kind of poorly-vascularised tissue that struggles to heal alone — five to ten minute sessions, no drugs, no needles, no downtime.
Where the arch is the underlying driver, custom orthotics address it properly rather than the off-the-shelf inserts that rarely match a real foot. And where the pelvis or spine is feeding the problem, chiropractic care handles that end.
Before You Consider a Cortisone Injection
Cortisone can reduce inflammation short term. It does not change the mechanics causing it, and repeated injections into the plantar fascia carry their own risks. Trying to fix the load first is the more durable order to do this in.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does plantar fasciitis take to heal?
It varies with how long it has been present and what is driving it. It is a slow-healing tissue, so honest timelines are weeks to months rather than days — but treatment aimed at the cause shortens it considerably.
Do I need custom orthotics or will store-bought work?
Off-the-shelf inserts support a generic arch. If your mechanics are what is driving the problem, they are unlikely to be enough. Dr. Hansen will tell you whether your feet actually need custom.
Is SoftWave therapy painful on the heel?
Most people describe firm tapping rather than pain. Sessions are short and you walk straight out afterward.
Should I stop running?
Not necessarily, but the volume and surface may need to change while it settles. That is worth planning with someone who has examined the foot rather than guessing.
Last reviewed 2026-09-10 by Hansen Chiropractic. This page is general information, not medical advice. Individual results vary.
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