Objective: To educate sports medicine practitioners as to length of time for an athlete to return to activity after sustaining a rupture of the plantar fascia.
Methods: Athletic patients sustaining plantar fascia ruptures and subsequent treatment were reviewed. Diagnosis was based on clinical findings, although radiographic studies were done. Patients were treated for 2 to 3 weeks with a below-knee or high-top boot, nonweightbearing, with an additional 2 to 3 weeks of weightbearing in the boot. Patients used physical therapy.
Results: Eighteen athletes, including 6 elite athletes, were evaluated. Mean age was 40.9 +/- 13.2 years. There were 12 males and 6 females. Mean postinjury follow-up was 42 months. Duration of prior plantar fascia symptoms ranged from 0 to 52 weeks. All but 2 ruptures were of the medial portion. Four patients had injections prior to rupture. Five patients wore orthoses preinjury; 14 wore orthoses postinjury. All patients returned to activity after 2 to 26 weeks (mean, 9.1 +/- 6.0 weeks). Running athletes predominantly composed the cohort; others played tennis, volleyball, and basketball.
Conclusion: Using the treatment protocol, patients sustaining plantar fascia rupture can achieve favorable results with complete return to activity. None of the 18 patients sustained reinjury, had postinjury sequelae, or necessitated surgery, contrary to other studies.
Schaarup SO, Burgaard P, Johannsen FE. Schaarup SO, et al. J Foot Ankle Surg. 2020 Jan-Feb;59(1):195-200. doi: 10.1053/j.jfas.2019.07.018. J Foot Ankle Surg. 2020. PMID: 31882140
Christel P, Rigal S, Poux D, Roger B, Witvoët J. Christel P, et al. Rev Chir Orthop Reparatrice Appar Mot. 1993;79(3):218-25. Rev Chir Orthop Reparatrice Appar Mot. 1993. PMID: 8122010 Review. French.
Leach R, Jones R, Silva T. Leach R, et al. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 1978 Jun;60(4):537-9. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 1978. PMID: 27524
Ohora NR. Ohora NR. J Am Podiatr Med Assoc. 1994 Oct;84(10):532-3. doi: 10.7547/87507315-84-10-532. J Am Podiatr Med Assoc. 1994. PMID: 7965691 No abstract available.
Hawson ST. Hawson ST. Clin Podiatr Med Surg. 2011 Jan;28(1):189-201. doi: 10.1016/j.cpm.2010.09.005. Clin Podiatr Med Surg. 2011. PMID: 21276526 Review.
Costa D, Cruz P, Brito R, Cantista P, Rodrigues-Gomes S. Costa D, et al. Cureus. 2023 May 4;15(5):e38527. doi: 10.7759/cureus.38527. eCollection 2023 May. Cureus. 2023. PMID: 37273344 Free PMC article.
Coppola M, Sgadari A, Marasco D, Danti C, Vitale G, Smeraglia F, Balato G, Bernasconi A. Coppola M, et al. Orthop J Sports Med. 2022 Nov 28;10(11):23259671221136496. doi: 10.1177/23259671221136496. eCollection 2022 Nov. Orthop J Sports Med. 2022. PMID: 36466596 Free PMC article. Review.
Caratun R, Rutkowski NA, Finestone HM. Caratun R, et al. Can Fam Physician. 2018 Jan;64(1):e19-e22. Can Fam Physician. 2018. PMID: 29358264 Free PMC article. French. No abstract available.
Caratun R, Rutkowski NA, Finestone HM. Caratun R, et al. Can Fam Physician. 2018 Jan;64(1):44-46. Can Fam Physician. 2018. PMID: 29358253 Free PMC article. No abstract available.
Petraglia F, Ramazzina I, Costantino C. Petraglia F, et al. Muscles Ligaments Tendons J. 2017 May 10;7(1):107-118. doi: 10.11138/mltj/2017.7.1.107. eCollection 2017 Jan-Mar. Muscles Ligaments Tendons J. 2017. PMID: 28717618 Free PMC article. Review.