title: Clinical presentation and self-reported patterns of pain and function in patients with plantar heel pain.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Plantar heel pain is a common disorder of the foot. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between duration of symptoms in plantar fasciitis patients and demographic factors, the intensity and location of pain, extent of previous treatment, and self-reported pain and function.
  
  
  METHODS
  The charts of patients presenting with plantar heel pain between June 2008 and October 2010 were reviewed retrospectively and 182 patients with a primary diagnosis of plantar fasciitis were identified. Patients with symptoms less than 6 months were identified as acute and patients with symptoms greater than or equal to 6 months were defined as having chronic symptoms. Comparisons based on duration of symptoms were performed for age, gender, body mass index (BMI), comorbidities, pain location and intensity, and a functional score measured by the Foot and Ankle Ability Measure (FAAM).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The two groups were similar in age, BMI, gender, and comorbidities. Pain severity, as measured by a visual analog scale, was not statistically significant between the two groups (6.6 and 6.2). The acute and chronic groups of patients reported similar levels of function on both the activity of daily living (62 and 65) and sports (47 and 45) subscales of the FAAM. Patients in the chronic group were more likely to have seen more providers and tried more treatment options for this condition.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  As plantar fasciitis symptoms extend beyond 6 months, patients do not experience increasing pain intensity or functional limitation. No specific risk factors have been identified to indicate a risk of developing chronic symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA. kleins@wustl.edu
authors.forename: Sandra E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Klein
authors.forename: Ann Marie
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Dale
authors.forename: Marcie Harris
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Hayes
authors.forename: Jeffrey E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: Jeremy J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: McCormick
authors.forename: Brad A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Racette
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D036981:Fasciitis, Plantar / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006365:Heel; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000503:physiopathology; D010147:Pain Measurement; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012189:Retrospective Studies