Current concepts review: plantar fasciitis.

Plantar fasciitis is the most common cause of inferior heel pain. It is estimated that 11% to 15% of all foot complaints requiring medical attention can be attributed to this condition.27,29 In the United States, plantar fasciitis affects two million individuals and accounts for one million outpatient visits annually.35 Plantar fasciitis is considered a self-limited condition. Symptoms resolve in 80% to 90% of cases within 10 months.10,22,26,45 However, this long interval is frustrating for both patients and clinicians. Although there are numerous reports describing operative and non-operative treatment options that claim to hasten the resolution of symptoms, few entail high-level evidence to substantiate their claims. Without high-quality data to identify which treatments are successful, the clinical decision-making in the management of this condition is at times arbitrary and anecdotal. This review summarizes the current literature and assesses pertinent data in order to provide evidence-based recommendations for the treatment of plantar fasciitis.