[2008] Plantar Fasciitis

[Liz Wolf-Spada]

For me, the second doctor to make custom orthotics (hard plastic molded for my feet) solved the problem. I wear them with all shoes, except short periods in Birkenstocks and don't have the problem anymore.
Liz

 

[pranas]

When I first had this problem I was vacationing in Nassau. I went for a foot massage which turned out to be very painful but really lessened the pain. Had another one the next day and was able to walk without very much pain. Bought over the counter shoe inserts and did some stretching exercises and was able to enjoy the rest of my vacation. Went ot the doctor when I got home and was told the foot was recovering and did not require any other treatment. Still do the streching exercizes and ocassionally wear inserts but that is it. Unfortunately, I do have to wear dress shoes to work but Cole Kahn has some nice shoes with nike foot bottoms. Not cheap, but worth the price. Now, if they could make some decent looking heels with
this technology, I would be very happy.

 

[cgeidl]

gone for 2 years

Had planters for 5 years and tried several orthodics,sleeping with boots on,special shoes,exercises scarring and nothng seemed to work. Now gone but I heard ultra sound worked well since I tried the other treatments.

 

[pjrose]

Crocs

Last summer I wore Crocs for several weeks around the pool at our TS. They felt so squishy and comfy, but I think in the long run they made my foot problems worse. The PF came back, my toe arthritis was MUCH worse, arches felt flat.....

Apparently in Crocs my arches weren't getting support, so the PF got worse despite the squishy feel.

My toes were grabbing the inside of the shoe as I walked, so the motion made the joints worse.

My podiatrist said he has seen lots of problems caused or made worse by Crocs. Too bad, because I thought they would help me - but they definitely didn't.

 

[csudell]

I wear a pedi-fix arch support all of the time except when I'm in the shower and find it really helps. Unfortunately, I've been too forgetful with my schedule to do the stretches, but they do help. I also have custom orthotics. The only shoes/sneakers I wear on my feet w/o orthotics are birkenstocks.

 

[Beaglemom3]

For me, the second doctor to make custom orthotics (hard plastic molded for my feet) solved the problem. I wear them with all shoes, except short periods in Birkenstocks and don't have the problem anymore.
Liz

\


This did the trick for me, too. The hard molded heel inserts fixed my problem. I had been using the squishy Dr. Scholl's gel inserts which, for me, unknowingly made the problem worse.

Also, my DPM nephew recommended shoes that stablize the foot and lessen pronating which exacerbated the conditon.
B.

 

[rickandcindy23]

Sorry to bring back this old thread, but I didn't want to start another one. This problem recurred again for me, after being rid of it for years, and no amount of stretching was working. I went to the Good Feet store and spent $$$ but can walk again without pain, and I can no longer use my seated calf-raise machine because of a muscle issue I am having. The doctor told me to stop using that machine for at least 3 months. I have to walk to get that muscle back, and lots of walking seemed to cause this problem again. I will get back to my machine when I can.

 

[Jan]

I've had it bad for over 2 months. The cortisone worked for a day or two. I got new slip on Reeboks and have taken the past 2 weeks easy. I stretch my foot CONSTANTLY and never go bare foot anymore. I change between the Reeboks and Birkenstocks and feel about 80% better. The doc told me Birkenstocks are a great shoe. When I was in Germany last April I bought extra pairs. They only cost $39!!!! So-I have great hopes it will get totally better. I had it so bad that I couldn't walk.
Jan

 

[DeniseM]

Birkenstocks are not cheap, but are cheaper than custom insoles and shoes, they last forever, and they really work. Lots of new Birks for sell on ebay, too.

 

[spike]

I feel yor pain.

Almost 10 years of pain....5 different podiatrist, cheap inserts, expensive orthoditcs, icing, night splints/boots, ultrasound...nothing seemed to work. So I just stopped walking and gained a lot of weight.

However, recently two things do seem to work and I now can walk 10-12 miles a week. MBT shoes. Google 'em. I wear them all the time now.

And stretching. Serious stretching every morning and night and before/ after every walk. I hang my heals off the edge of the stairs. Start with 5 seconds and build to long 20 second stretches. Then one legged stretches. After walks, then I ice to reduce the inflammation. Then I stretch again. Then I HEAT the area with a hot water bottle. Stretch a third time.

The heat may seem strange to some but think about it. The pain comes from the facia shortening. Ice causes the facia to constrict and shorten. Use ice to stop/reduce the inflammation but then add heat so that you lengthen (not shorten) the tissue.

I can't say if this will work for everyone, BUT it is working for me.

 

[isisdave]

From me, one word: Voltaren

Voltaren (diclofenac) is a prescription NSAID. My orthopedic surgeon gave it to me three years ago when he repaired my torn quadriceps tendon. I thought at the time that I recovered awfully quickly, as the swelling and pain were mostly gone only a few days after surgery.

This March, I exhibited at a trade show, which means I spent three days mostly standing from 9 to 4:30. I developed a pain in one heel, which wasn't the first time this had happened at a trade show, but this time it didn't go away. The symptoms seemed like what I read about PF: worst upon arising, improved with exercise. But other things seemed different: I was most comfortable barefoot. Heel pads and stretching helped but not much. There was significant pain when standing again after sitting for a short while, especially in the car. This continued since March, and was getting worse.

Anyway, I knew I had read about PF here, and last Wednesday a search turned up several threads, including this one which was just coming to life again. I noticed none of them had much to say about meds except common OTC ones ... and (yuck) steroid injections. But one mentioned good results for someone who could rest, take Advil, and let the inflammation subside for a few days.

I found the Voltaren and took one Wednesday night and two Thursday (dosing is every 12 hours). I also did a few staircase stretches, and by Friday morning the pain in my heel was 97% gone. There is still some tightness for the first 20 steps each morning.

My research on this drug indicated that most people can take it safely for short periods. In fact it is a non-prescription item in some countries. It's one of those meds whose action is not well understood, particularly why it seems to help for 12 hours or more. And it's generic, and cheap. You can find some amazing "testimonials" for it on the web.

I know I sound like I own the factory, and I don't mean to be a drug evangelist. I guess my point is that there are quite a few pain meds, and many of them are not used a lot except in particular specialties like orthopedics. So ask your doctor if there are some you can try.

 

[Rose Pink]

My mom ended up in the hospital because of a GI bleed, needing transfusions, because of Volteran. I believe she was taking it longterm. An occasional one for an acute pain problem should be safe enough. Just don't over do it.

 

[Lee B]

From me, one word: Voltaren...

Voltaren (diclofenac) is a prescription NSAID...

...It's one of those meds whose action is not well understood, particularly why it seems to help for 12 hours or more. And it's generic, and cheap.

I read somewhere that naproxen sodium, another NSAID, lasts for 12 hours because the liver does not recognize it as an alien chemical and therefore doesn't work to remove it, as it does with most others (e.g. aspirin and ibuprofen).

This is neither good nor bad, IMO, just information. I like NSAIDs and am glad I tolerate them okay. I did learn that I should not take naproxen twice a day because of a slight symptom when I stopped it. So when I had a bad case of poison oak, I took naproxen at bedtime and ibuprofen during the day, along with some topicals.

Lee

 

[donnaval]

My chiro told me that the steroid injections actually kill the nerve endings near the spurs, which is why the pain seems to go away for a while until the spur gets larger and starts irritating the non-dead nerve endings. I'm not sure if that's true or not, but after she told me that, I decided -- no more steroid injections!

I've had 100% relief from changing shoes. I have three brands that I alternate--Birks, Z-coils, and New Balance with Pro-Sport OTC arch supports. I wear each type of shoe for a couple of days and then switch to the next, etc. Not sure why it works so well for me, but it does. We just got back from the Great Smokies and we walked many miles every day--my feet feel great.

I had custom orthotics made in 2003 or so, but they didn't give me any relief.

On a scary note, though--I have recently been trying to secure less-expensive health insurance. I have been turned down three times, including by the same company that currently insures me. My "history" of heel spurs is one of the reasons for the turn downs. Even though I have had no pain for years, and no treatment since December of 2004, they consider this a pre-existing condition and grounds for rejection.

 

[NWL]

On a scary note, though--I have recently been trying to secure less-expensive health insurance. I have been turned down three times, including by the same company that currently insures me. My "history" of heel spurs is one of the reasons for the turn downs. Even though I have had no pain for years, and no treatment since December of 2004, they consider this a pre-existing condition and grounds for rejection.

How ironic since most insurance companies do not reimburse you for orthotics!

I have had custom orthotics for about 20 years. The styles have changed over the years. I've had good ones and bad ones. It really depends on the person making them. If they are not done right, they can cause other problems in addition to not relieving your pain. Just because someone makes orthotics does not mean they are good at it! The second to last person I had make mine never could get them to fit right. I found another person to make them and they were perfect from the get-go. It cost me a few more dollars, but it was worth it.

Cheers!