Wrong Diagnoses of Plantar Fasciitis

Struggling With Plantar Fasciitis That Won’t Heal?

If you’ve been battling plantar fascia pain (often called plantar fasciitis), you know how stubborn it can be. From the stabbing heel pain in the morning to the ache after walking or standing too long, it can feel like nothing you try really works.

This blog series aims to help you figure reasons why it's not getting better.. 

Wrong Diagnoses of Plantar Fasciitis!

Let’s kick this off with a plot twist worthy of a medical mystery show:
One of the biggest reasons plantar fasciitis doesn’t get better is because… it’s not actually plantar fasciitis.

Yep. Sometimes the plantar fascia is as innocent as a bystander in a crime movie—standing there quietly while everyone blames it for the chaos.

Recently, I had a client who was absolutely convinced she had plantar fasciitis. She’d Googled it. Her doctor confirmed it. She even bought my course, ready to go all-in.

Then she walked into the clinic.

Within 10 seconds, I knew something didn’t add up. Her pain wasn’t in the classic plantar fascia zone at all—it was right at the base of her Achilles tendon. The tendon was tender, swollen, and visibly irritated. This wasn’t plantar fasciitis.

This was insertional Achilles tendinopathy, an entirely different beast.

And this happens FAR more often than you’d think.

Heel pain gets tossed into the “plantar fasciitis” bucket the way every headache gets blamed on dehydration. It’s the go-to diagnosis—but not always the right one.

Not all heel pain is plantar fasciitis - Other Conditions to Rule Out 

If your symptoms aren’t improving, it’s worth checking whether something else is actually going on. Conditions that can look suspiciously like plantar fasciitis include:

• Heel spurs

• Achilles tendonitis

• Tarsal tunnel syndrome

• Stress fractures

• Bursitis

• Neuropathy

• Rheumatoid arthritis

• Fat pad atrophy

Think of heel pain like car trouble: if the engine light comes on, you don’t replace the tires. Pain in the heel can come from different “parts” of the foot, and each one needs the right approach.

If your pain isn’t classic plantar fascia pain—especially if it’s not worst in the morning or after rest—it may be time to get a second look and a proper assessment.

Because treating the wrong thing is the fastest way to stay stuck.