Recovery Time for Plantar Fasciitis: How Long Does it Last?

What is the recovery time for plantar fasciitis? This is one of the most common questions that people who have been diagnosed with this condition have been asking for some time.

And it’s completely understandable! Knowing the healing time provides reassurance and allows you to envision a period in your life when you won’t be bothered by this inflammation of the plantar fascia.

👉 In this article, I provide you with the figures on the healing time for plantar fasciitis. These figures are derived from:

• my research and in-depth readings of internationally published studies on the natural progression and prognosis of plantar fasciitis (all references at the end of the article);
• my experience as a physiotherapist since 2009.

🤔 Any lingering questions? Comments? Feel free to leave a comment at the end of the article!

Happy reading!

Difference with heel spur?

What is the difference between plantar fasciitis and a heel spur? In addition to plantar fasciitis, you may also have a heel spur, which is a bony protrusion at the heel.

Rest assured that having a heel spur does not prolong the healing time of plantar fasciitis. The average healing time for plantar fasciitis remains the same, whether you have a heel spur or not.

This blog post discusses the recovery time of plantar fasciitis, with or without an associated heel spur.

Why is it important to know the healing time for plantar fasciitis?

Plantar fasciitis is one of those issues that many people have never heard of until they experience it themselves. The pain and discomfort can be worrisome, even if they are not necessarily severe or debilitating.

So, the question arises: When will we finally be free from this? We want to have an idea of the healing timeline, of when we will regain our pre-existing life without this discomfort or pain.

We wonder when we can resume activities like hiking or running without the fear of experiencing pain after a certain amount of time or the following day. When can we return to work without being hindered by plantar fasciitis?

👉 These are the two main reasons why it is valuable to know the typical healing time of plantar fasciitis:

• To find reassurance that it is a problem that will eventually disappear.
• To have a timeframe in mind, from which we can hope for partial or complete healing.

Knowing the healing time can provide reassurance that plantar fasciitis is a condition that can be overcome, and it allows for better planning and anticipation of recovery.

How to determine the recovery time for plantar fasciitis?

While browsing the internet, you may have come across information stating that the average recovery time for plantar fasciitis is often reported as 6 to 8 weeks. It could have been mentioned by your physiotherapist or doctor as well.

However, there is a problem: Where do these figures come from? If they are solely based on the clinician’s experience, they may not be representative of the entire population of individuals with plantar fasciitis. Typically, physiotherapists or doctors only see a specific group of people:

• Those who are bothered enough by the condition to seek medical attention.
• Those who visit their general practitioner or physiotherapist (rather than directly consulting a sports physician, rheumatologist, or surgeon, which is sometimes the case).

👉 That’s why I sought to gather data from international studies that followed individuals over several years, including those who did not initially have plantar fasciitis. This approach provides a more precise and reliable understanding of the healing time for plantar fasciitis.

You may have also asked your family and friends about their experiences when you received a diagnosis of plantar fasciitis. While their experiences can be interesting to know, keep in mind that they may not necessarily reflect the average experiences of individuals with plantar fasciitis.

The most reliable way to determine the healing time for plantar fasciitis is to rely on studies published in the international scientific literature.

What is the average recovery time for plantar fasciitis?

Know that plantar fasciitis is a common condition: approximately 10% of people will experience it in their lifetime. Among runners, the prevalence is around 22%.

Therefore, we have sufficient data on this condition. Dozens of studies are published each year. However, due to methodological reasons, accurately evaluating the average healing time of plantar fasciitis is challenging.

👉 Here is an overview of the average recovery time observed in various studies that follow individuals diagnosed with plantar fasciitis at some point:

Study	Number of Participants	Healing Time
Hansen 2018	174	▶️ 20% completely healed after 1 year of symptoms
		▶️ 50% after 5 years
		▶️ 45% after 10 years
Wolgin 1994	100	▶️ 82% completely healed after 4 years
		▶️ 82% waited around 6 months before seeking help
Buchanan 2020	?	▶️ 75% completely healed within 1 year maximum
		▶️ Few weeks to few months to heal even with treatment
Shea 2002	?	▶️ Rarely improvement in less than 8 weeks
		▶️ 70% see improvement by regularly stretching in 8-10 weeks
		▶️ 85-90% show improvement within 6 months

These numbers mostly refer to the complete healing of plantar fasciitis, meaning the total disappearance of symptoms such as pain, discomfort, and inflammation observed in imaging.

ℹ️ It is possible to experience faster symptom improvement. It is important to remain optimistic and consider these numbers as the worst-case scenario. Some physiotherapists and doctors have observed faster recovery in some individuals.

The recovery time for plantar fasciitis ranges from a few weeks to a few months. Between 20% and 75% of individuals are symptom-free within a maximum of one year. However, symptoms may decrease or disappear in a few weeks for certain individuals. Stay optimistic! 🙂

Having plantar fasciitis for a year is not uncommon. Although it can be bothersome, it is not necessarily a sign of a more serious condition.

How long does a heel spur last?

I have already discussed the difference between plantar fasciitis and a heel spur.

Studies that follow individuals with or without a heel spur in addition to plantar fasciitis show that the healing time is not longer.

The recovery time of a heel spur is generally a few weeks to a few months. Between 20% and 75% of people have no symptoms one year after onset.

What is the healing time for a plantar fascia tear?

A plantar fascia tear or rupture is another form of injury to the tissue under the foot. In this case, the fascia fibers are torn either completely or partially, rather than just being inflamed.

The diagnosis is often made through an MRI.

Plantar fascia rupture mainly affects:

• Individuals around 40 years of age on average.
• Highly active or even professional athletes.

Unlike plantar fasciitis, the treatment for a plantar fascia rupture often involves immobilization in an orthopedic boot (also known as a walking boot).

The immobilization typically lasts for an average of 3 weeks. However, walking is often allowed with weight-bearing on the boot if the pain is tolerable.

Since a rupture is rarer than inflammation, precise data on recovery time are not available.

It is reasonable to assume that the healing time for a plantar fascia rupture is at least a few weeks. This allows the fibers to heal and the pain to subside. It may take longer if there was initially plantar fasciitis.

Source: Debus 2020

How to speed up the healing time for plantar fasciitis?

How can you accelerate the recovery time for plantar fasciitis? This raises the question of effective treatments for plantar fasciitis.

Here is an overview of effective and simple measures you can take:

• Identify activities that trigger or worsen the pain and reduce their frequency, duration, and intensity.
• Find the level of activity that does not exacerbate the pain during or after the activity, and gradually increase it.
• Wear comfortable shoes.
• Consider using store-bought insoles with adequate heel cushioning, without being too rigid, if your shoes are not comfortable enough.
• Perform daily stretches for the plantar fascia, holding each stretch for a few seconds.

I encourage you to read the detailed blog post on the treatment of Plantar Fasciitis for more information (coming soon in English).

Here are some examples of affordable insoles that may be suitable, available at any sports store or on Amazon.

The best way to accelerate the recovery time for Plantar Fasciitis is to identify and reduce demanding activities, wear comfortable shoes (or use insoles), and consider performing stretches for the plantar fascia.

How long is the recommended time off work for plantar fasciitis?

Taking time off from work does not depend on your specific condition, but rather on the physical or mental difficulties one faces in performing your job.

Based on my experience, it is relatively rare to take time off from work due to plantar fasciitis, especially if one has a sedentary job.

Some professions require prolonged standing (such as waiters/waitresses, salespersons) or extensive walking (for example, working in a drive-through). In such cases, taking time off from work may be justified.

The duration of a work absence due to plantar fasciitis typically ranges from a few days to a few weeks. This allows for partial rest to provide some relief from the pain.

There is no specific maximum duration for work absence due to plantar fasciitis, or any other illness for that matter.

Ideally, you should gradually resume work activities that have been identified as exacerbating your pain or consider finding more suitable footwear.

Working out with plantar fasciitis: is it possible?

There is no absolute contraindication to participating in any sport when dealing with plantar fasciitis. There is no evidence to suggest that completely stopping physical activities (such as walking, running, hiking, soccer, etc.) accelerates the healing process.

Physical activities and sports, on the contrary, have beneficial effects on various aspects of physical and mental health. It would be a shame to give them up unless they are detrimental!

⚠️ However, it is important to identify the appropriate level of activity. What constitutes a good level of activity? Here are some guidelines to help define it:

• The pain is tolerable during the activity. It does not increase compared to rest or only slightly. It stops or rapidly decreases after the activity.
• The next day, the pain is either absent or minimal. It does not worsen over time.

If you rate your pain between 0 and 2/10 during physical activity or sports, you can continue. If it is much stronger (between 5 and 10), you should reduce the intensity, frequency, and/or duration.

💡 Physical therapists can help you identify the appropriate level of physical activity and provide personalized advice to optimize the management of your plantar fasciitis.

You can still engage in working out and sports even with plantar fasciitis. It depends on the intensity, frequency, and duration.

Plantar fasciitis that doesn’t heal, nothing works: what should I do?

I understand that you may feel a bit frustrated that there is no “miracle treatment” to cure plantar fasciitis or even reliably relieve the pain.

I notice that some people accept that there is no cure for the common cold, but only things to alleviate the symptoms (and sometimes nothing works or only provides short-term relief).

I feel that for tendon, muscle, or joint pain, these accepting individuals are even rarer.

It is very difficult to accept that we have limited reliable means to alleviate bothersome pain. We are often constantly searching for another healthcare professional or treatment that we may have missed… This quest can last for a very long time—years or even decades.

With my patients, I simply encourage them to let time take its course. To have confidence that symptoms fluctuate and that things can improve within a few days or weeks. To remain as active as possible, considering their current abilities.

I also refer them to advice on managing chronic pain (coming soon in English).

When facing plantar fasciitis that doesn’t seem to heal, be reassured by the fact that regardless of what we do, plantar fasciitis tends to improve over time for a significant portion of those who suffer from it.