Plantar Fasciitis Treatments (CPB 0235, reviewed 2026-04-27)
Aetna considers combined steroid/anesthetic injection medically necessary for the treatment of plantar fascia when conservative treatments (such as stretching exercises, over-the-counter silicone heel shoe inserts, and 2 to 3 weeks of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) have failed. Endoscopic plantar fasciotomy is considered medically necessary as an alternative to conventional open plantar fasciotomy for members with intractable plantar fasciitis or heel spur syndrome who have failed a 6-month trial of conservative therapy. Aetna considers a list of other approaches experimental, investigational or unproven for plantar fasciitis, including extracorporeal shock-wave therapy (ESWT), botulinum toxin, dry needling, Graston technique, low-level laser therapy, platelet-rich plasma and hyaluronic acid.