New York Giants Quarterback Eli Manning has Plantar Fasciitis

While looking at my Fantasy Football homepage this morning I noticed that New York Giants Quarterback Eli Manning has been diagnosed with Plantar Fasciitis. Plantar Fasciitis is a very common disorder that we see in our office every day. It is an inflamation ("itis") of a thick ligament on the bottom of your foot (plantar fascia). Many people associate the problem with a "heel spur". While the two conditions are related it is the inflamation of the ligament that hurts people and not the spur itself. Eli's plantar fasciitis was diagnosed with an MRI. Here in our office we use a quicker and cheaper ultrasound rather than the costly and time consuming MRI. Treatment for plantar fasciitis can include stretching, physical therapy, orthotics, and cortisone injections. Ninety percent of people with plantar fasciitis get better with a combination of these therapies and only 10% go on to need surgery. Heel pain can be caused by several other things such as infection, a stress fracture, neuropathy, or an entrapped nerve and therefore you should always consult with a podiatrist if you have any pain in your feet or ankles. Nathan T. Penney, D.P.M. Associate, American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons