Plantar fasciitis is a chronic, painful condition that affects the foot, causing pain and weakness. An extremely common condition among runners, plantar fasciitis can also be due to a number of factors including obesity, improper footwear, and long periods of time spent on one's feet. At The Pain Center of Arizona, the pain experts are dedicated to educating their patients in all of the latest treatments for their condition, and, if possible, eventually offering these cutting edge treatments at the multiple Pain Center of Arizona locations.

One of the most common treatments for plantar fasciitis is a local injection of cortisone. This injection has often been seen to treat the pain of plantar fasciitis from two to six months, and controls inflammation, pain and swelling in the area of the plantar fascia. However, recently, a study has been published regarding platelet rich plasma injections for plantar fasciitis pain.

Platelet rich plasma is still a fairly new treatment, but is gaining popularity with professional athletes and is slowly making its way into mainstream medicine for the general population. Platelet rich plasma injections have shown a lot of success with professional athletes, improving healing times and helping those athletes get back to the game that much faster.

Platelet rich plasma injections require some prior preparation before the actual treatment. A sample of the patient's own blood is drawn and is then placed into a centrifuge to isolate the desired platelets from the red blood cells. Once this is prepared, the patient then receives the injection into the affected area. Studies have shown accelerated healing when platelet rich plasma injections are performed, and recovery has been stimulated in injuries that had currently shown a halt in the healing process. Platelet rich plasma helps the healing process by stimulating growth of new healthy tissue, and bringing plasma to areas that generally have low blood flow to begin with, like the plantar fascia area of the foot.

A research study was recently performed in which those plantar fasciitis who had received the platelet rich plasma injections showed a more rapid rate of healing in addition to a stronger post recovery score than those who had received a cortisone injection.

Cortisone injections are still a beneficial treatment for those with plantar fasciitis and is still preferred due to the fact that platelet rich plasma injections are not widely available and are currently not covered by insurance companies, forcing those who wish to undergo the treatment to pay cash. While cortisone will be an option at least for the foreseeable future, the pain management doctors at The Pain Center of Arizona are excited that there is a new treatment for those with plantar fasciitis pain on the horizon.

To read the research summary of the clinical trial involving plantar fasciitis and platelet rich plasma injections, click here

If you suffer from chronic pain due to any condition or injury, find hope at The Pain Center of Arizona! Our dedicated team of board certified pain management physicians will work with you to treat your pain, increase your functionality and quality of life, and get you back into life! We have locations across Arizona, including Phoenix, Anthem, Surprise, Mesa, Gilbert, Deer Valley, Paradise Valley and the Biltmore area. We take multiple insurance plans; click here to see if we take yours! To make an appointment and take the first step toward getting back into life, call us today at 1-888-PAINCENTER. We hope to see you soon!

The advice and information contained in this article is for educational purposes only, and is not intended to replace or counter a physician’s advice or judgment. Please always consult your physician before taking any advice learned here or in any other educational medical material.

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