A broken bone rarely gives a warning. It usually happens in a moment—a fall from a bike, a slip on the stairs, a bad landing while playing, or a hard knock during an accident. One second you’re fine, and the next, there’s sharp pain, quick swelling, and sometimes the limb just doesn’t look straight anymore.
There is a very specific way patients walk into my exam room when they have plantar fasciitis: they limp on their tiptoes or avoid putting weight on their heel entirely. They all say the same thing: “Doctor, that first step…