plantar fasciitis

[dei8]

Hey guys,

For about the last year, I have been suffering with heel pain, also known as plantar fasciitis. I wear over the counter inserts, stretch, ice, and have had three cortisone shots. Still pain. I go to the doctor again this sat, and it seems that my next step is either surgery, or some sort of shock therapy on the foot. Has anyone gone through something like this? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[moreluck]

dei8....are you by chance a heavy guy? I had that fascitis, but it really only bothered me first out of bed in the AM. I couldn't take my first steps without pain. I could hardly walk.

Don't laugh, but losing a little weight helped along with a magnetic bracelet. (no kidding) The good kind.

I also did some exercise where I would stretch out my leg as far as I could and then try to point toes back at myself. That seemed to help some.

 

[soberups]

I have been dealing with this for over 10 years. My foot doctor made me a set of custom fitted orthotic insoles that made a big difference. Last year, I finally had surgery to remove a bone spur. It fixed the problem, but now my other foot is acting up.
I would strongly suggest getting some orthotics. I got immediate relief when I started using them.

 

[cj2002_99]

Hey guys,

For about the last year, I have been suffering with heel pain, also known as plantar fasciitis. I wear over the counter inserts, stretch, ice, and have had three cortisone shots. Still pain. I go to the doctor again this sat, and it seems that my next step is either surgery, or some sort of shock therapy on the foot. Has anyone gone through something like this? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

I had some orthics made by the university near me. This guys works with alot of track people. This worked great. He said the track people have to get new ones once a year, but I have had these almost 4 years, and my pain is gone by about 99.9%.

 

[wornoutupser]

I strongly reccomend customer made orthotics from a reputable foot doctor. I also live with this but it comes and goes now. I also found that the front tire is a good strecthing place if you lean over the hood and hold the foot upright against the tire. Good Luck!

 

[wkmac]

Hey guys,

For about the last year, I have been suffering with heel pain, also known as plantar fasciitis. I wear over the counter inserts, stretch, ice, and have had three cortisone shots. Still pain. I go to the doctor again this sat, and it seems that my next step is either surgery, or some sort of shock therapy on the foot. Has anyone gone through something like this? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Developed the same thing about 6 months ago but in my case I have a high arch and it was in the arch where I had the pain. Tried numerous things with no luck but finally listen to my wife and went to the doctor. He explained first off what it was but then told me to go straight over to the PGA Superstore. That's PGA as in Pro Golf Association. They have a foot scanner that scans your feet which measures the contact points and the distances of the arch. They fixed me up with an insert and felt real relief and within a few weeks, the pain was gone altogether. I still wear the inserts at work but at home I'm back in my normal summertime sandels and I'll let ya know come cold weather about my numerious pairs of cowboy boots!

Don't know where you live but here is their website and for me these things worked great. None of the over the counter stuff worked at all.

http://www.pgatoursuperstore.com/index.jsp

BTW: Doctor did tell me that because of my high arch, this stuff may come and go for me but there's no way of telling how much or often. Also I'd bet Moreluck's advice on weight is also a big factor and good advice to follow. Only problem is she then follows that with some FAT ADDING RECIPE THAT MAKES YOUR MOUTH WATER AND ADDS 20 ARSE POUNDS WHILE JUST READING IT!

Love ya Moreluck!

 

[bears2]

I too have had this dreaded foot problem and have for about 4 years. I consider myself a "expert" on the problem.1st let let me say i went to a podiatrist (foot specialist) and a pretty good one i might add. He told me that almost everyone has some sort of bone spur to some degree and unless its a very bad spur he wouldnt do surgery.He also told me what plantar fasciitis is and its got to do with tendons in the arch basically. H etold me that he wouldnt do surgery unless it was a last straw as he said and im sure you have heard, surgery of the foot doesnt always help.too many small bones etc. He tapped up my foot and to my amazement the painw as totally gone.Of course 5-6 days later the tap started coming off and the pain returned.So i went on the internet and looked how to tap up a foot/plantar fasciiatis style. It is easy to find so google it. The confusing way i can tell ya is to get athletic tape and run it around the side of your foot,little toe -down side of foot, in back of heel around to big toe. then on bottom of foot take a strip of tape an run it like a x. from ball of foot by the pinkie toe to corner of your heel.then a peice from ball by your big toe to corner of heel.like a x dont forget. then take strips side to side on the bottom of your foot. from one side of your foot to the other covering your whole foot. when you do all this dont let your foot dangle.kinda flex it upwards. honestly take what i said an google to find a picture.it helps 100%. it will stay on for at least a week. you will go through some tape but it helps greatly.also a minor way to help is to stretch your foot.another way is kroger has a new p.friend. "brace" you sleep with.same kind a doctor prescribes.its 22.00...and lastly take a water bottle and freeze it and while sitting roll your arch on the bottle.feels great and of course takes out inflamation. the tape thing really works 100%. also lose some weight if your over weight and it will help greatly. hope this wasnt too confusing.

 

[bears2]

another thing.if you do the tape thing. i said to run it from toe -toe etc.. the tape doesnt actually touch any toe. if you get it on toes it will be uncomfortable. toe-toe means close to it.when you place tape on the sides of foot you start by the little toe but actually on the side of ball of foot.

 

[dillweed]

I had a bout of this stuff about six months ago but it pretty much went away with stretching. Hate to hear so many of you have to put up with it all the time - hurts!

 

[MrFedEx]

I had it pretty bad and finally consulted a podiatrist, who made a cast of my feet and produced a pair of orthotic inserts. My insurance wouldn't cover the inserts, but I've been pain-free ever since. It's worth the money, and maybe UPS insurance will cover it.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

I had it pretty bad and finally consulted a podiatrist, who made a cast of my feet and produced a pair of orthotic inserts. My insurance wouldn't cover the inserts, but I've been pain-free ever since. It's worth the money, and maybe UPS insurance will cover it.

Did you write those off as a non-reimbursed work expense on your taxes?

 

[Jones]

Did you write those off as a non-reimbursed work expense on your taxes?

He's always thinking...

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

He's always thinking...

Not always, I take weekends off.

 

[dapper]

I'll tell you the best, least expensive method to cure plantar fasciitis (assuming you don't have a bone spur):

Take a golf ball and continuously roll your foot over it to loosen up the tendon that runs from your heel to underneath your toes. This tendon gets tight and places stress at your heel. I tried everything, including the shots. Save your money and try this. I haven't had a problem since, and it has been probably 10 years.

Hope this helps. Last time I was on here was 1997 during the strike.

 

[dei8]

Have to say, this is why I like this forum, everybody is very helpful. I have tried a lot of the methods talked about here, like the stretching, frozen bottle of water, Ive used a can of soup, coke can, even a pledge bottle lol. All feel great while I am doing it, but pain will not go away. I will try the golf ball method next. As for inserts, you would think with how great our benefits are, and all the walking we do, that orthotics would be covered. What a shame. Looked to see if there was a PGA store close by, but there is not, but thanks for that advice. And finally, yes like most people, I could lose a few pounds, but not considered heavy. If anything, this summer with the heat, I have lost weight lol Anyway, thanks for all the helpful advice and will keep you updated if I have either the surgery or this shock therapy thing. I will ask my dr about the taping too, she what she says

 

[Catatonic]

I had it pretty bad and finally consulted a podiatrist, who made a cast of my feet and produced a pair of orthotic inserts. My insurance wouldn't cover the inserts, but I've been pain-free ever since. It's worth the money, and maybe UPS insurance will cover it.

Same with me. I tried over the counter inserts and it did not work. Had the orthopedic inserts and mine got a lot better along with stretching the calf muscles 2 or 3 times a day.

 

[Backlasher]

Hey guys,

For about the last year, I have been suffering with heel pain, also known as plantar fasciitis. I wear over the counter inserts, stretch, ice, and have had three cortisone shots. Still pain. I go to the doctor again this sat, and it seems that my next step is either surgery, or some sort of shock therapy on the foot. Has anyone gone through something like this? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Been going through it. I've actually had the problems yrs. back from pounding the shovel in winter time doing masonry work. I've learned the hard way that it doesn't just go away.

I re-agitated it somehow either coming in and out of the truck or on off docks. In either case you step wrong and with to much weight on it or step and a rise in what ever your walking on pushes the arch the wrong way and your in for pain for weeks.

Over the counter arch supports will do you no good and a family docter will waste your time.

Go to a foot specialist. Get the arch supports through the foot docter. It helps some.

Stretch your arch slowly by sitting down with your leg straight out and slowly pulling (from toes) your foot back towards you and massage your arch to your heal for a minute before you start your day and before bed.

Do you have a heal spear develope???

I do, it's caused from your plantar fascitis slowly tearing from you heal and the while healing, scar tissue in the form of calcium deposits build up as a point on your heal which will dig and tear at your planter.

IT's extremly painful and almost brings me down when it inflams. I've been shot up with cortisone shots and am using arch supports. I can feel it's still there but shallow so long as I'm careful it's fine. I've inflamed it a few times this summer.

One hint. Don't walk around barefoot, Lol. I had to chase my 3 year old and being bare foot paid for it.

 

[2soon4me]

Leave the surgery choice as the last resort. I had the plantar reealeased and have had other problems since but the plantar fasciitus is better. By the way when you release the plantar your arches will go away and I wear shoes 2 1/2 sizes bigger now.

 

[uncle buster]

I had this problem also. My doctor,whom I might add suffered with heel spurs, recomended Avia atheletic shoes with the cantilever heel system. These shoes helped me to work pain free for over two years until I retired. They may not work for everyone, but they did work for me.

 

[CurlUpAndDIAD]

I had plantar fasciitis a few years ago when I preloaded; I just woke up one day, and literally couldn't walk. I went through the physical therapy, night boots, cortizone shots, ultrasounds and was finally slated for surgery. Needless to say, I was terrified at the thought of having my feet cut open and having a year to fully recover with no guarantee that it would help anything.

My physical therapist had recommended New Balance inserts, instead of the ones my podiatrist had custom made for me. Reluctantly (because of the cost,) I bought New Balance shoes and the inserts. One hundred fifty dollars for both, plus I thought they were ugly.

After a week of wearing the shoes and inserts, I never had pain in my feet again. It was amazing. Even the ache in my feet simply from preloading went away. I've mentioned the shoes to other preloaders, and they also report a remarkable difference.

New Balance shoes are all I wear now. I replace both the shoes and inserts every four months or so, I no longer have pain and I don't have to have the surgery anymore. They're wonderful.