Plantar Fasciitis Leads Tiger Woods to Depart the Masters. A Doctor Explains the Foot Condition

It’s a common foot condition that can happen to anyone, even professional golfer Tiger Woods.

Woods, 47, withdrew from the 2023 Masters Tournament Saturday, tweeting, “I am disappointed to have to WD this morning due to reaggravating my plantar fasciitis.”

Plantar fasciitis is something that one in 10 Americans experience, and it can be extremely painful.

“It’s a stabbing pain. People usually limp when they come into the office if they’ve left it untreated,” said Dr. Lillian Mentzelopoulos, a foot & ankle specialist with Edward-Elmhurst Health.

That stabbing pain is the main way to diagnose the foot condition - something that can happen to anyone.

“It’s usually an overuse type of injury where the plantar fascia, which is thick ligament, a band that starts from your heel bone and extends to your toes, becomes inflamed,” Mentzelopoulos said.

People who have had plantar fasciitis before can see it flare up in the spring, when many change their footwear to sandals or go barefoot more often.

“Make sure you have sandals that do have arch support Don’t walk barefoot. Do a lot of stretching, icing,” Mentzelopoulos said.

If you’re experiencing foot pain, the doctor also recommends you examine your shoes for signs of wear and tear.

“If you see that your shoe kind of starts to cave in more on the inside, then that’s probably a good time for you to switch your shoes and get new ones. We usually recommend every three months you rotate your shoes, especially if you’re a runner,” Mentzelopoulos said.

People with severe cases of plantar fasciitis could need to wear a walking boot for several weeks to help alleviate the pain.

“It does limit some of the pressure and motion. We will use it with arch support sometimes and in conjunction with a cortisone shot as well,” Mentzelopoulos said.

Over-the-counter inserts for your shoes or custom orthotics from a podiatrist can also help, but continued use is key.

“Once your pain goes away, I would highly recommend you continue using the inserts, just so you don’t have recurring episodes of plantar fasciitis,” Mentzelopoulos said.