If you’ve ever taken that first step out of bed in the morning and felt a sharp, stabbing pain shoot through your heel, the answer might be Plantar Fasciitis Embolization for your chronic heel pain. And if you’ve been dealing with it for months, or years, you’ve probably also learned the frustrating truth. This condition can be remarkably stubborn.

Stretching helps a little. Rest helps temporarily. Cortisone injections may provide short-term relief before the pain comes back. And surgery carries risks and recovery time that many patients are simply not willing to accept.

At Ozark Regional Vein & Artery Center in Rogers, AR, we now offer an emerging minimally invasive option for patients with chronic, treatment-resistant plantar fasciitis: plantar fasciitis embolization for chronic heel pain

It’s an approach rooted in the same expertise we bring to every procedure we perform and results are genuinely encouraging.

What Is Plantar Fasciitis — and Why Does It Become Chronic?

The plantar fascia is a thick band of connective tissue that runs along the bottom of your foot. This connects your heel bone (calcaneus) to your toes. It acts as a natural shock absorber, supporting the arch and helping distribute the forces of standing, walking, and running.

Plantar fasciitis — despite its name — is not primarily an inflammatory condition. It’s a degenerative process: the result of repetitive microtrauma at the point where the fascia attaches to the heel bone. Over time, those repeated small injuries accumulate faster than the tissue can repair itself, leading to chronic pain.

According to NIH/NCBI StatPearls, plantar fasciitis is the most common cause of heel pain presenting in the outpatient setting, accounting for approximately 1 million patient visits annually in the United States. It affects about 10% of the general population over a lifetime, with 83% of those patients being active working adults between the ages of 25 and 65. Peak incidence falls between 40 and 60 years of age.

Most patients improve with conservative treatment over several months. But for a significant subset — those whose pain has persisted beyond six months despite consistent conservative care — the standard toolkit stops working. These are the patients who end up considering cortisone injections that last less and less time, or who are referred for procedures they’d rather avoid.

This is precisely the patient population that plantar fasciitis embolization was designed to help.

Why Does Chronic Plantar Fasciitis Resist Treatment?

Understanding why some cases of plantar fasciitis become chronic requires a closer look at what’s happening at the tissue level. This is where the rationale for embolization becomes clear.

In chronic plantar fasciitis, the body’s repeated attempts to heal microtrauma trigger a process called neovascularization — the growth of new, abnormal blood vessels into and around the degenerated tissue. These neovessels aren’t normal, healthy vessels. They’re disorganized, fragile, and often accompanied by nerve fibers that carry pain signals.

This abnormal vascular network is one of the primary drivers of chronic pain in recalcitrant plantar fasciitis. It’s also why rest and stretching have limited impact once the condition reaches this stage. You’re no longer dealing with simple overuse injury. You’re dealing with a pathological change in the tissue’s vascular architecture.

Embolization addresses exactly this mechanism.

What Is Plantar Fasciitis Embolization?

Plantar fasciitis embolization — formally called transarterial microembolization (TAME) or transarterial embolization (TAE) — is a minimally invasive, catheter-based procedure performed by an interventional radiologist that targets and reduces blood flow to the abnormal neovessels driving chronic plantar fasciitis pain.

The procedure uses the same foundational approach as other embolization procedures performed at Ozark Regional Vein & Artery Center — including Genicular Artery Embolization for knee pain and Hemorrhoid Artery Embolization— applied specifically to the medial calcaneal artery and its branches that supply the plantar fascia.

By selectively reducing blood flow to these abnormal vessels, the procedure calms the inflammatory and pain-signaling activity they drive — without cutting into the foot, without general anesthesia, and without the recovery demands of surgery.

How the Procedure Works

Before the procedure: Patients undergo a thorough evaluation including clinical examination and ultrasound or other imaging to confirm plantar fasciitis and assess the vascularity of the affected tissue. Candidates are typically those who have had persistent symptoms for six months or more despite consistent conservative treatment.

During the procedure: Using real-time X-ray guidance (fluoroscopy) and ultrasound, a very small catheter is introduced through a tiny access point — typically at the wrist or upper thigh — and carefully navigated through the arterial system to the medial calcaneal artery and its branches supplying the plantar fascia. Tiny embolic particles are then delivered through the catheter to selectively reduce blood flow to the abnormal neovascular tissue, while preserving normal circulation to the surrounding healthy structures.

After the procedure: Patients are typically discharged the same day. There is no surgical incision in the foot itself, no stitches, and no cast or immobilization required. Most patients return to light activity within a few days.

What Does the Research Show?

Plantar fasciitis embolization is an emerging treatment — meaning it has a growing and consistently promising body of clinical evidence, but is not yet as extensively studied as some more established interventions.

Here is what the current research shows:

A 2024 study published in the Journal of Vascular and Interventional Radiology evaluated transarterial microembolization in 24 patients with plantar heel pain. The results were notable: median FAOS (Foot and Ankle Outcome Score) pain scores improved by 54.5% at one month and 70.5% at six months. Functional scores in daily living and sports improved between 67.4% and 100% at both follow-up points. Quality-of-life scores improved 100% at one month and 152% at six months. No adverse events occurred.

A study published in the European Journal of Radiology (2025) on superselective embolization of the medial calcaneal artery reported that mean pain scores (VAS) fell from 7.3 at baseline to 1.3 at six months — a nearly 82% reduction — with all procedures technically successful and no major or minor complications reported.

A 2024 abstract published in JVIR evaluating medial calcaneal artery embolization with Embozene microspheres confirmed the procedure to be safe and effective in chronic plantar fasciitis with durability of success at one year— an important finding, as short-lived relief is one of the primary concerns with non-surgical interventions.

A 2024 study published in the British Journal of Radiology reviewed 10 patients treated with transcatheter arterial embolization for chronic plantar fasciitis refractory to conservative therapy for at least three months — including anti-inflammatory drugs, stretching, cortisone injections, and physical therapy — and concluded that embolization warrants serious consideration before surgical options are pursued.

Across these studies, the consistent findings are clear. Meaningful pain reduction, functional improvement, and results that hold up at follow-up intervals of up to one year and beyond.

How Does Plantar Fasciitis Embolization Compare to Other Treatments?

Treatment	Invasiveness	Recovery	Evidence Level	Duration of Relief
Rest, ice, stretching	None	Ongoing	Well-established	Variable
Physical therapy	None	Ongoing	Well-established	Variable
Orthotics / heel cups	None	None	Moderate	Variable
Cortisone injections	Minimal	Minimal	Established	Weeks to months
PRP injections	Minimal	Minimal	Emerging	Variable
Shockwave therapy (ESWT)	None	Minimal	Established	Months to long-term
Plantar fasciitis embolization	Minimally invasive	Days	Emerging, promising	12+ months in studies
Plantar fascia surgery	Surgical	Weeks to months	Established	Long-term

Embolization sits in a uniquely valuable position in this continuum. More intervention than injections, far less than surgery, with evidence for relief in patients for whom everything else has failed.

Who Is a Candidate?

Plantar fasciitis embolization is designed for patients who:

Have chronic plantar fasciitis with symptoms persisting for six months or more
Have already pursued conservative treatments — stretching, physical therapy, orthotics, anti-inflammatory medications, and/or cortisone injections — without adequate or lasting relief
Are seeking a non-surgical option before considering plantar fascia release or other operative procedures
Do not have active infection, blood clotting disorders, significant peripheral vascular disease, or neuropathy affecting the foot
Have imaging (ultrasound or MRI) confirming plantar fasciitis with evidence of tissue changes consistent with chronic degeneration

It is generally not appropriate for patients with early, mild plantar fasciitis who have not yet exhausted conservative options — this is a procedure for patients who have genuinely been through the standard treatment pathway without success.

A consultation with our interventional radiology team will include a review of your imaging, treatment history, and overall health to determine whether you’re an appropriate candidate.

Why Ozark Regional Vein & Artery Center for This Procedure

Plantar fasciitis embolization is an interventional radiology procedure — not a podiatric or orthopedic surgery. It requires the same specialized expertise in catheter-based, image-guided procedures that our team applies every day to a broad range of vascular and interventional treatments.

Our physicians — Dr. Haney and Dr. Stout — bring a combined team of over 600 years of specialized vascular and endovascular experience to every patient we treat. Dr. Stout is the area’s only board-certified vascular and endovascular surgeon. We have performed embolization procedures for knee osteoarthritis (GAE), hemorrhoids, uterine fibroids, and a range of other conditions using the same foundational catheter-based approach now being applied to plantar fasciitis.

This isn’t a procedure we’re experimenting with. It’s an extension of the interventional radiology expertise we’ve built over decades — applied to a condition that causes genuine suffering for millions of people who have run out of conventional options.

We also believe in transparency: we will give you an honest assessment of whether this procedure is likely to help you specifically, and we’ll make sure you understand the current state of the evidence so you can make an informed decision.

Schedule a Consultation for Chronic Heel Pain

If you’ve been battling plantar fasciitis for months without lasting relief, plantar fasciitis embolization may be worth a serious conversation.

Ozark Regional Vein & Artery Center is located at 5433 W. Walsh Lane, Suite A, Rogers, AR 72758 (off exit 83 from I-49 in Pinnacle Point).
Call us at (479) 777-8014 or schedule your consultation online. You can also use our Virtual Vein & Artery Screening Tool to help assess whether our services may be right for your condition.

We serve patients from Rogers, Bentonville, Springdale, Fayetteville, and throughout Northwest Arkansas and the surrounding region.

This blog is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Plantar fasciitis embolization is an emerging procedure with a growing evidence base. Please consult with a qualified specialist to determine whether this treatment is appropriate for your individual condition.

Frequently Asked Questions About Plantar Fasciitis Embolization

How long does the procedure take?
The procedure typically takes one to two hours and is performed on an outpatient basis. Most patients go home the same day.

Is it painful?
The procedure is performed under local anesthesia and light sedation. Most patients report minimal discomfort. Some temporary soreness at the access site and in the heel area is normal in the days following treatment.

How soon will I notice results?
Some patients notice improvement within the first few weeks as the inflammatory response calms. More significant improvement typically develops over four to eight weeks, with continued improvement over three to six months.

Are results permanent?
Current studies show durable results at one-year follow-up, with some patients maintaining improvement beyond that. The long-term durability data is still developing as this is an emerging procedure. We will discuss realistic expectations at your consultation.

Is this covered by insurance?
Coverage for plantar fasciitis embolization varies and is currently limited, as it is considered an emerging procedure. Our team will help you understand your coverage options and discuss transparent pricing before any procedure is scheduled.

What’s the difference between this and a cortisone injection?
A cortisone injection delivers anti-inflammatory medication directly to the area to temporarily reduce inflammation — it does not address the abnormal blood vessels driving the chronic condition. Embolization targets those abnormal vessels at their source, addressing the chronic pain rather than masking it temporarily.

Can both feet be treated?
Bilateral plantar fasciitis is common, and both feet can potentially be treated — either in a single session or in staged procedures. This will be assessed and planned individually at your consultation.

Sources Referenced in This Article

< Previous Post View All Posts Next Post >

Plantar Fasciitis Embolization: An Option for Chronic Heel Pain