Plantar Fasciitis

Bumping this- too good to miss

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(Names have been changed)
I met a friend while walking the dog day before yesterday and not having seen her for a few weeks, we spent a few minutes catching up.
I told her about my PF , “Oh “ she said,”Fred (husband ) suffers from that”
So far so good, when I asked how he was coping -as he is very athletic and active - and told her I was going to have the shock therapy treatment , she said “Fred has prickly balls”
Well, she is a little strait laced and almost certainly had no idea what she had said! I had to make such an effort not to snort and convulse with laughter, I was so tempted to say “Poor man, as if PF isn’t enough!”

Anyway, nothing ventured, nothing gained. Amazon (other suppliers are available) came yesterday and I now have prickly balls too.
Expressions of sympathy will be received in the spirit in which they are offered 🤣🤣🤣🤣

Hi, I work as an Osteopath and any patient I have with plantar Fasciitis has what the NHS NICE guidelines say should be used to treat it which is radial shock wave. It isn't actual shock waves, but intense sound waves, the same they use for breaking up kidney stones. It breaks up the adhesion of the fascia and enables the tissues to heal. Just make sure you see someone who is good at their job with this as they should also look at you achilles. All my patients (hundreds in last 7 years) who have all had P.Fasciitis have had radial shockwave with me and all are pain free and free for PF within 3 weeks post 3 sessions of shockwave; Just don't go down the steroid route into the foot. Hope this helps. One other point, do not buy expensive insoles that are hard, it can easily make it worse.

Foxygloves Pretty much the same happened to me after 2 years with plantar fasciitis, during which time I tried every exercise and suggestion including wearing support insoles and special slippers none of which worked. All my previous life I have gone barefoot or worn flip flops whenever possible as my feet get very hot. Now, however, because of wearing shoes/slippers/support socks all the time I have fungal nail infection which is also painful and difficult to get rid of. I am still struggling to walk.

I don't wish to tempt fate but there was something different when I got up this morning! I have just now realised, my plantar fasciitis seems to have gone !
I've just come back from a walk with the dog and the right foot feels fine, the left heel giving just the tiniest twinge.
I know I'll regret posting this when I can't walk across the room, however. 😊😊

I had plantar fasciitis for a while. I did everything but not much helped. Until a doctors receptionist said to me: wear a shoe with a slight heel. I didn’t take it seriously but one day I needed to wear high heels and it helped. My suggestion: do not wear the same shoes every day. Vary the heights of your shoes.

Correction, I’m not wearing them, I’m only wearing one

I’ve been in absolute agony with heel pain last night.
I’ve just been rootling around in all the various things I’ve previously bought for my many various ailments.
I came across these, and they have provided a surprising amount of instant relief.
So I thought I’d share.
I’m wearing them over my normal socks.
They are very tight, I warn you, but I think that they need to be.
I’m a narrow size 6 and I have the medium ones

Professional Ankle Support Brace 2 Pack, Breathable Plantar Fasciitis Socks, Anti-Slip Ankle Compression Sleeve Socks for Joint Pain, Ligament Damage, Sprained Ankle, Achilles Tendonitis, Sports amzn.eu/d/eGPFiI1

I had this for over a year and it ruined many days out through pain. Tried shockwave therapy and arch supports which helped a little, then had a steroid injection at my GPS. The pain went immediately after just one injection. That was a year ago and it is brilliant, the pain has gone completely.

It is so painful, mine was emanating from a tendon in my calf, I had a few sessions of Bowen therapy and it has almost gone. When I had the treatment on my calf the pain was excruciating, showing where the inflammation really was, it can also start in the hip. Many of these issues start elsewhere and not where the pain is felt. Sometimes we have to think outside the box. Good luck.

I have one leg longer than the other I think. When I was in my late teens my then landlord said he could always recognise me from a distance because of the funny way I walked

Podiatrist has been and gone.
The main problem is that one leg is significantly longer than the other.
That’s why I’m in constant leg / back / foot pain 🤦‍♀️

I’ve got an appointment with a podiatrist this morning!
They are coming to my house.
I will report back!

Mcbab

AmeliaLW

Has anyone tried shock wave therapy for PF? Or taping?

Yes shock wave therapy worked for me after trying literally everything else. I now have a treatment about every 3/4 months to keep it at bay

Also, I forgot to add! Footwear very important. Fitflop footwear I found to be the best and their slippers are a game changer. Expensive but last for years

AmeliaLW

Has anyone tried shock wave therapy for PF? Or taping?

Yes shock wave therapy worked for me after trying literally everything else. I now have a treatment about every 3/4 months to keep it at bay

Always a good idea to shift excess blubber, our knees hips and feet will appreciate the effort and we will benefit.
Yes I am overweight and had PF twice, both times lasted over a year. Then went as quickly as it started .

Warbler - what can I say?
You have certainly been there , done that AND got the T shirt.
You could go on Mastermind with PF as your specialist subject.
I too know that I am overweight, and am trying to address that but it’s hard to feel like exercise when you can’t put your foot(feet) on the floor!
You seem to have covered every angle and I sincerely hope you find the relief you need

Today was the first appointment with a physio.......since September 2022 I have had this. It is excruciating and debilitating. I'm a different woman to what I was just 8 months ago. Only today have I "officially" had it diagnosed. My own fault because I genuinely thought I could "walk through it". Ha.....if I knew then the pain I would be in, I wouldn't be so smug and would have contacted the Doctors surgery sooner within a week/two weeks....not months. They did a full MOT with blood tests first of all (I still hadn't been so lucky to get an appointment with a Doctor at this point. Nothing came back as untoward (I think they did this because it is in both feet) then I got referred to a physio which took a while to come through. I have bought FitFlops (that isn't flipflops (note - not the ones you wear on the beach) both for inside and out and Gabor do a roller ball trainer - similar to the BareFoot Masai technology that was about years ago. These shoes are a relief, but I have to change them often, even when I am out. The Fitflops to come home to are an absolute relief because by that time - usually - my feet are burning with pain. One time I was at work all day (on my feet) and had forgotten my pills (ibuprofen and paracetamol get me through a day) and I remember walking to the bus stop in a mist, the pain was so bad and shuffling one foot in front of the other thinking I wouldn't get home that evening without passing out in pain ....and then on the way home I was seriously thinking if they offered me a foot amputation I would have it. That is how bad the pain gets some days. I'm now doing exercises, on a healthy food diet minus alchohol and sugar. I have voltarol cream which I am constantly rubbing into my heels.....it's almost instant relief. I have a tin of peaches by the bed to roll my foot over and a stick to go to the toilet with in the night because I just cannot walk. I rigorously do my stretching exercises on my ankles. However, today the physio gave me more exercises and is convinced that this will be gone or at least easier within six weeks. I can live in hope. I have a foot vibrator and have purchased no end of gel inserts to no avail. However, a pair of green plastic cups have been a bit of a relief. Unfortunately, I am one of those people who finds it difficult to sit down in a day. I'm sorry if I am going on, but I have never had anything like this and to say that my life has been thwarted is an understatement. I am trying to deal with this. I'd like to bet that anyone who has it is overweight - am I right? Nobody ever says.....lose weight dear.....it will put less pressure on your feet. Not even my physio today and "13 stone of sheet excitement and all mine" is nothing to brag about. I am now on a mission. Lose weight before I genuinely have more problems and have just signed up for some strength training and body balancing. Interesting reading everyone's take on this. It really does help to hear how others cope with it. Best of luck.

Maybe see a podiatrist and get some good arch supports . Rub musselflex where it’s sore. Walking regularly eases pain quickly once you get going. I wear Birkenstock’s for slippers . Might be worth seeing dr just to make sure that is definitely what is the issue with your feet . Hope you feel better soon

I had PF a few years ago when my job entailed being on my feet for 12-14 hours on a concrete floored warehouse. I did use Voltarol then, and rolling a frozen bottle of water under the soles. I’d got into a habit of wearing Uggs, warm but not supportive, so I switched to Adidas Terrex walking trainers and Hilly socks, and used flattened cardboard boxes as a mat to stand on.

My daughter gave me some Birkenstocks but they’re too narrow, I might look for a wider fit. Did anyone else wear wooden Scholls in the ‘70s? I had them in about six colours, and kept a couple of pairs under my desk. Then one of the young men in my office commented that they were hideous and as a timid 18 year old I promptly binned them!

I have this at the moment in right foot. Been going on for 3-4 months. Terribly painful. Usually eases off once I'm on the move, but I think it may be getting worse. If I'm on my feet all day, it becomes unbearable and I cannot stand up anymore. I cannot even get into the morning phone queue for the GP let alone see one as they quickly shut down appointments for the day. Great advice on here. Seems a common complaint. I was blaming it on hormone tablets, but seems they are not the culprit. Son has it too, same foot!

You have my sympathy, I can confirm PF does go away, can be 5 to 12 weeks. The ‘it is’ implied inflammation but it’s actually ‘micro tears’ in the connective tissue. Keep taking the pain killers! 🌷🌷

I tried absolute everything and was already doing all the exercises as part of my daily exercise routine so eventually I had a cortisone injection via ultrasound. It worked brilliantly but two years later I need another one and the physio is insisting I do exercises first despite my protestations that I have always done them! I’m pretty fanatical about exercising and especially about the specific foot and calf strengthening one but she won’t budge!

I found some exercises on YouTube that helped me.

I've never used Voltarol. I had this painful condition in one foot several years ago. I blame wearing shoes - sensible, comfortable shoes in fact - but they didn't have enough support for my heels. I found a website 'Heel that pain' and used the foot exercises and advice from there. DH's NHS podiatrist advised stretching the calf and Achilles tendon. Now, I always wear Ecco shoes as the insoles are a bit cushioned and because I walk a lot rather than use the bus, maybe around 20 miles a week, this makes all the difference on pavements. When I wore 'smart' shoes recently my soles felt very tender the next day. So I know P-F may recur so I'm careful about footwear. From time to time I get a sharp pain up the inside of the affected foot when walking.