MD Podiatrists Discuss Plantar Fasciitis

You should not wake up and dread taking your first step of the day. If you do, there’s a pretty good chance you have plantar fasciitis. “Feeling pain when you take your first step in the morning is a hallmark sign of plantar fasciitis,” says Dan Michaels, DPM. “Patients tend to ignore it because it usually goes away once you start moving, but it can advance to pain after activity, during activity, or all the time.”

If you address symptoms as soon as you feel them, plantar fasciitis is relatively easy to deal with — and conservative treatments like stretching, icing, and massaging work 90% of the time, says Dr. Michaels, DPM. If you suspect you have plantar fasciitis, first consult your podiatrist to rule out other issues, like nerve damage, stress fractures, bursas, and bone spurs.