Are you suffering from heel pain in the morning when you get out of bed or after sitting at your desk? Are you not walking your dog because your foot hurts? Every day with heel pain is a lost opportunity to exercise and enjoy your favorite hobbies. Don't let your neighbor's painful experience with cortisone injections stop you from feeling better. At Lighthouse Foot and Ankle, it's our goal to get you back to doing the things you love as quickly as possible. When done with ultrasound guidance for plantar fasciitis, a cortisone injection is a valuable tool to get your back on your feet fast.
Who is the Best Candidate for a Steroid Injection?
In our experience, the BEST candidates for a steroid injection are
patients with heel pain less than 6 months
point tenderness at the inside of the heel
no previous history of steroid injections in the area
not diabetic
have thickened plantar fascia over 4mm on ultrasound
Before you and your doctor decide if an injection will work for you, it's essential to understand the benefits, limitations, and risks.
What Are the Benefits of a Cortisone Shot?
A Cortisone is a type of steroid that provides a potent anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving effect at the injection site, reducing swelling, stiffness, and pain.
Works rapidly - improvement within a couple of hours to a few days
Relief for 3 months or longer
May only need one injection
Works well for new heel pain present for less than 6 months
Works directly at the site of pain
Patients return to activities quickly
What Are the Limitations of a Cortisone Shot?
It does not address the underlying cause; it eliminates symptoms, and the heel pain may return.
Need to be used with other treatments like stretching, night splints, orthotics, and proper shoes.
Injections are mild to moderately painful
Not for folks with a phobia of needles
Not indicated for chronic conditions or 6 months
What Are the Risks of a Cortisone Shot?
A single cortisone shot is relatively safe, especially if you haven't had a cortisone injection recently. Multiple cortisone injections in the heel over a relatively short period increase risk for
Plantar fascia rupture or tear
Loss of fat pad and cushioning
Skin atrophy
Elevated blood sugar. We use caution with our diabetics because cortisone will elevate blood sugars.
Are there Alternatives to Cortisone?
If you would like to avoid the pain of an injection, we offer laser and shockwave therapy as an alternative. These modalities address the inflammation and pain accelerating the healing process naturally. Laser and shockwave therapy typically require a treatment course of 4-6 sessions over 2-4 weeks to achieve maximum effectiveness. The benefit of an ultrasound-guided cortisone shot is it may only require a single injection for relief.
At Lighthouse Foot and Ankle, we do not offer cookie-cutter treatment protocols, and we make our recommendations based on your exam and goals to help you arrive at a decision that makes the best sense for you.
If you or someone you know has heel pain, Dr. Michele Kurlanski is here to help. We can evaluate your feet and make recommendations on proper treatment. Call us today at (207) 774-0028 to schedule your next appointment at our location in Scarborough, Maine!
