What are the healing stages of plantar fasciitis?

The form and function of the resultant Achilles tendon tissue are still inferior to uninjured tendons after a year. The healing process can be predicted and is usually separated into three stages: (1) inflammation, (2) proliferation/repair, and (3) remodeling. However I’ll be quick to mention that most Achilles tendon injuries are non-inflammatory.

While a detailed discussion of the etiology and symptoms of Achilles tendinopathy is beyond the scope of this answer, it’s worth noting that conservative treatments such as reduced activity, cryotherapy, eccentric loading, deep friction massage, custom insoles, and therapeutic ultrasound produce good to excellent results in up to 89 percent of cases.

In proliferation, tendon tissue is replaced by fibroblasts, myofibroblasts, and endothelial cells, resulting in granulation, which improves tendon-bone adhesion. In remodeling, scar tissue matures and takes four to twenty-six weeks depending on level of injury. The immature collagen is replaced by mature collagen, which aids in the creation of dense connective tissue, allowing the tendon to integrate with the bone and heal completely.

According to research, balance between activity and rest have the best outcomes. This means don’t rest or be active too much; rest when activity aggravates the fascial pain. For this reason, just make sure you have your protective and cushioning orthotics on when active to avoid further injury.

While there is no specific stage of recovery from plantar fasciitis, there will be an observable decline in symptoms tolet you know healing is taking place. You can expect to experience;

• lesser pain in the morning
• pain that is limited to the heel
• improvement in range of motion

On average, healing takes between six to eighteen months.