Hey Andrea Unfortunately you’re right, a plantar fasciotomy cannot be physically reversed. Once the plantar fascia is surgically cut or partially released, the tissue fibers separate, and the original structure cannot be sewn back together or restored to its original state. Instead of a structural reversal, managing the complications or "reversing" the negative side effects of a plantar fasciotomy relies on structural support, physical rehabilitation and or revisional procedures. They say treatment focuses on stabilizing the foot eg - custom orthotics to support your arch that’s collapsing. Cutting the fascia can cause the medial longitudinal arch to drop or flatten. Custom orthotics provide the external mechanical support that the severed ligament can no longer supply. You may need them for a very long time. Physical Therapy: you may need specialized exercise that focus on strengthening the intrinsic muscles of the foot and the posterior tibial tendon to pick up the slack for the weakened arch. Releasing too much of the fascia often shifts excess weight to the outside of the foot (the lateral column). Podiatric physical therapy or specialized footwear modifications are used to re-distribute this pressure. This Reversal surgery. I think they might be referring to - Revisional Surgery: In cases where severe pain persists due to aggressive scar tissue formation or an incomplete initial release, a specialist may perform a revision surgery to clean up scar tissue rather than recreate the ligament. That’s the definition above ⬆️. That’s how to treat what has happened. But I would continue down the path you are doing with the other podiatrist etc. I’m sorry I can’t support you further on the legal side of things.
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Thank you for letting me in the group.
Thank you for letting me in the group. I had a plantar fasciatomy on Oct 7th 2025 and developed numbness and pain at 2 weeks postop. It has been 11 months and NOTHING has been done to address this. I injured my foot at Easter last year in 2025. Took several months to get in to see podiatrist in July 2025. He sent me for an MRI which took over a month to get in August, follow up appointment with him was in September and surgery scheduled for October 7th 2025 after he said I had a high grade tear. I had five post-op appointments between October 7th and January 2nd 2026 2 weeks after the surgery I started having numbness and pain in my toes and inner foot. During those five visits he continued to push things off. In January he ordered an EMG which took two full months to get done because of the backlog. After that was done, a few weeks later I had a tele visit appt with him and he ordered blood work because he was trying to say that I was diabetic or had an autoimmune disorder... causing what the EMG said was a small fiber neuropathy in the opposite foot that I had surgery on. Opposite foot! When the labs came back normal, he ordered another MRI. That took 2 months to schedule. When the appointment time came up I had an emergency that I had to deal with at home and I had to cancel it. When I was able to reschedule it, it wasn't scheduled until July 2026. I saw him a month later on August 25th. Nothing has been done at all to this point. He suggested PT, which I indicated should have been scheduled 11 months ago. Then he said he could do a steroid injection. I told him a steroid injection isn't going to last, it is only temporary, it is not going to resolve the problem and steroids cause pretty bad side effects with me which I told him about multiple times. He lastly said that he could do a reversal of the surgery but it would have to do an open incision of my foot. It's my understanding that you cannot do a reverse surgery on a plantar fasciotomy. That's like putting the genie back in the bottle, you cannot un- stretch the fascia. So then he ordered yet ANOTHER MRI, of my ankle this time. I told him to send to a smaller facility that could get me in sooner than 2 months. I called my insurance company today 9/4 to find out if they had received any sort of authorization requests from the facility that would be doing the MRI, because I had not received a phone call since I left his office on the 25th of August to schedule it. Mind you, I expressed to him during this appointment the need for urgency because of the fact this has drug on for so long without any sort of resolution for 11 months! The MRI that was done in July has shown a Morton's neuroma, multiple fluid filled pockets between my toes, arthritis, and a ganglion cyst on the outer part of my foot near my ankle. I did go for a second opinion in February 2026 but the doctor did not seem to want to step on the toes of the Doctor who did my procedure. I got the impression that he was not able or willing to help. It is my understanding that you cannot reverse a plantar fasciotomy. You cannot unstretch the fascia and my foot is flattening out and my Arch is collapsing which I think is causing these issues. I now have yet another appointment scheduled with a third podiatrist in 2 weeks. I'm ready to call an attorney because this doctor has not done anything and I mean anything to help me. What would you do? Suggestions are greatly appreciated. I cannot take off for several months and be off of my foot because I have animals I have to take care of and I do not have anyone that can help me two times a day for several months during recovery. I already went through it once with the first procedure and it was absolutely torture. I messed my backup using an all terrain knee scooter and caused the bursitis in my hip to flare up so bad that I could barely walk with crutches.
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thank you for responding. I think my tendon was overstretched. It was not surgically cut. I think he over stretched it and I think he knows he did it which is why he has been screwing around and wasting my time with all of these tests that are taking way too long to get done. I will say that the second opinion podiatrist that I saw, he said that he did not feel that orthotics would help my foot based on the EMG and examination he did on my foot. He did say for me to look into physical therapy when I saw him in Feb, but now being 11 months post-op, the damage is already been done. I guess I have to question if it's going to be a waste of my time or not. As far as the pain and numbness, it is worse at night because my foot is pointed towards the bottom of the bed no matter which position I am laying in. I do not know why it is worse at night, but clearly being in that position with my toes pointed toward the bottom of the bed, my foot throbs all night long. I have noticed that certain shoes make my foot hurt worse during the day and I have gotten rid of those. I cannot walk barefooted without feeling like I'm walking on rocks. My foot also turns out towards the outer part towards the right when I'm walking it sort of rolls outward. I'm hoping that this other podiatrist can do something because it is just progressively getting worse. I did not have any problems with my foot other than a previous heel spur probably 15 or 20 years ago. Now I am having numerous issues with this foot and I'm really looking at calling a lawyer
you won’t be wasting your time strengthening. You can only get benefits from that. The key would be to make sure you get the right kind of strengthening.
This is so horrible that you are experiencing this! I hate this for you My doctor advised he rarely ever recommends surgery for this reason. The things you describe are some of the same things he told me that 50% of surgery patients experience. I hope you find some relief soon 🥰😢 I’d do third opinion and see An orthopedic specialist who specializes in feet. Try to limit discussion about the other doctor and see what he says overall about your situation. I wouldn’t trust any of this to a podiatrist
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