PRP Injections for Plantar Fasciitis
Ultrasound-Guided Injection for Heel Pain

Plantar fasciitis is the most common cause of heel pain. It is an irritation of the plantar fascia, the thick band of tissue that runs along the sole of the foot, connecting the heel bone to the toes and supporting the arch. When this tissue is overloaded it becomes inflamed and thickened, particularly where it attaches to the heel.

It is often linked to standing or walking for long periods, a sudden increase in running or exercise, tight calf muscles, unsupportive footwear, or a higher body weight. It is most common in people aged 40 to 60, though it can affect anyone.

While plantar fasciitis frequently settles with conservative measures, it can persist for many months or longer, which is why patients whose pain has not improved with rest, stretching and orthotics often seek a targeted injection to break the cycle.

The hallmark symptom is heel pain that is worst with your first steps, when you get out of bed in the morning, or after sitting for a while. The pain often eases as you warm up but can return after long periods on your feet.

Typical signs include:

• Sharp or stabbing pain under the heel or along the arch.
• Pain that is worst on the first steps in the morning.
• Increased pain after, rather than during exercise.
• Tenderness when pressing on the inner part of the heel.

Because other problems, such as a heel-pad bruise or a stress fracture or nerve entrapment can feel similar, an ultrasound assessment is used to confirm the diagnosis before any treatment.

At the Harley Street Ultrasound Group, your appointment begins with a diagnostic ultrasound assessment, performed by your specialist consultant doctor. Ultrasound shows the plantar fascia in real time and is used to confirm plantar fasciitis and, just as importantly, to rule out other causes of heel pain such as a stress fracture, fat-pad atrophy or nerve entrapment, which can feel similar but need different treatment.

A healthy plantar fascia is usually less than around 4 mm thick; in plantar fasciitis it is typically thickened. Ultrasound lets your consultant measure the fascia thickness and identify the area of inflammation precisely, which both confirms the diagnosis and pinpoints exactly where the injection should be placed.

Because the same ultrasound is then used to guide the injection, your consultant can place the needle directly into the affected fascia under real-time, ensuring placement is accurate. If the assessment shows a different treatment would serve you better, your consultant will tell you on the day. See “What if I don’t need an injection?” below.

A PRP injection uses platelet-rich plasma prepared from a small sample of your own blood, taken at the start of your appointment. The sample is spun in a centrifuge to concentrate the platelets, which carry natural growth factors, and the concentrated plasma is then injected directly into the damaged area of the plantar fascia.

Rather than simply calming inflammation, PRP aims to stimulate your body’s own repair process in the fascia, which is why it is often considered for persistent plantar fasciitis that has not settled with conservative care. If a steroid (cortisone) injection is more appropriate for you, your consultant will say so at your assessment.

Because the procedure is performed under real-time ultrasound, your consultant can ensure the injection reaches the exact location and confirm the medication is going precisely to where it is needed. This precision is what makes the treatment both effective and safe, avoiding nearby nerves and blood vessels.

The heel is a sensitive area, so we take care to keep you comfortable. Local anaesthetic is used, so you typically feel a small sting as it goes in, followed by a brief sensation of pressure as the injection is given. This is normal and settles quickly.

The appointment usually takes around 20–30 minutes from assessment to completion:

• Your consultant scans the heel to confirm the diagnosis.
• The skin is cleaned and local anaesthetic is applied.
• The injection is delivered under live ultrasound guidance.
• You rest briefly and are given aftercare guidance before you leave.

There is no general anaesthetic and no overnight stay. It is sensible to keep walking to a minimum for the rest of the day, so arranging a lift home is a good idea.

Your injection is performed by a consultant specialist doctor, not a physiotherapist, nurse or GP. This matters, as the majority of MSK injections in the UK are delivered by non-consultant practitioners, often without ultrasound image guidance.

At the Harley Street Ultrasound Group, you receive both the clinical judgement of a senior specialist and the precision of real-time ultrasound examination in a single appointment. Your consultant assesses the foot, confirms the source of pain, performs the procedure and explains your aftercare personally.

We will never give you an injection you do not need. If, after your ultrasound assessment, your consultant decides an injection is not the right treatment for you, the procedure simply won’t go ahead. You will be charged at our standard diagnostic ultrasound rate, not the full treatment price.

This is a deliberate commitment to clinical integrity. Some providers treat every appointment as a guaranteed procedure; we don’t. You can book knowing that you will receive a genuine specialist assessment first, and that treatment only proceeds when a senior clinician believes it is genuinely warranted.

If an injection isn’t appropriate, your consultant will explain why and set out the alternatives. This may include physiotherapy, a different injection, such as PRP, or onward referral, meaning you still leave with a clear plan.

With a steroid injection, many patients notice improved comfort within a few days to two weeks, as the anaesthetic wears off and the steroid takes effect. With PRP, relief tends to build more gradually over several weeks as the healing response develops.

Ultrasound-guided injections have a good success rate for relieving plantar fasciitis pain that has not responded to conservative care, and for many people a single treatment gives lasting relief. Results vary with how long the problem has been present and with individual factors; some patients benefit from a repeat injection or a combined approach with physiotherapy. Your consultant will give you a realistic picture based on your own assessment.

There is no significant downtime, but it helps to rest the foot and limit standing or walking for the first 24–48 hours to let the injection settle. Some mild soreness around the heel for a day or two is normal.

Long-term results depend heavily on aftercare. Your consultant will recommend:

• Calf and plantar-fascia stretching, the single most important habit for lasting relief.
• Supportive footwear and orthotics, to offload the fascia and prevent recurrence.
• A gradual return to activity, with running and high-impact exercise reintroduced slowly.

You will receive clear written aftercare guidance, and our team remains available if you have any questions as you recover.

First-line treatment for plantar fasciitis is always conservative: rest, calf and fascia stretching, supportive footwear and orthotics. An injection is considered when this hasn’t resolved the pain. It is a more targeted, faster option than continued conservative care, and far less invasive than surgery.

When an injection is right for you, your consultant will discuss the two main options:

• A steroid (cortisone) injection reduces inflammation quickly and is the usual choice for fast relief of severe pain. If you specifically want a cortisone injection for the foot, see our dedicated steroid injection (foot) page.
• A PRP injection uses your own platelets to encourage longer-term healing, often considered for persistent cases or where a steroid is best avoided.

Both are delivered under ultrasound by a consultant specialist. Your consultant will recommend the option best suited to your diagnosis and circumstances.

An ultrasound-guided PRP injection for plantar fasciitis at The Harley Street Ultrasound Group is £545, all fees inclusive. There are no extra charges for the consultant assessment, the diagnostic ultrasound, the procedure itself, or your written report.

What’s included in the price:

• Consultant specialist assessment and diagnostic ultrasound
• Blood sample, PRP preparation and ultrasound-guided injection into the plantar fascia
• Local anaesthetic and all consumables
• Written report and tailored aftercare guidance

There is no referral required and no waiting lists. Importantly, if your consultant assesses you and decides an injection is not clinically appropriate, you will only be charged at our standard diagnostic ultrasound rate, not the procedure price. We accept self-pay and most major UK private health insurers; please confirm cover with your insurer before booking.

Coming to us privately does not affect your NHS care. Our goal is to get you answers and treatment quickly, without the long waits often involved in accessing injection therapy on the NHS.

You are seen by a consultant specialist who can assess, diagnose and, where appropriate, treat your plantar fasciitis in a single visit. Your report and images can be shared securely with your NHS GP or any specialist, and if your situation needs onward NHS care your consultant will write to your GP accordingly.

We don’t want you waiting months in pain when effective treatment is available now.