Plantar Fasciitis and work

[IslamoradaILoveYou]

NC as could be outing.

I currently have plantar fasciitis. My symptoms started about 3 months ago, but were mild. About 6 weeks ago, my symptoms became very painful and I am currently using crutches.

For info, I do a lot of walking, around 15,000 steps a day to 25,000 steps a day. About 7,000 of those are in work, and I generally love to walk.

When I first started getting pain, I decided to keep moving and push through. The pain would be there first thing and then ease off. Now, the pain lingers all day and it’s like trying to walk on Lego bricks. Even when my foot is up and rested it aches terribly. My opposite hip and knee ache from limping. I’ve even started to use crutches.

I’ve had an x-ray and it showed bone degradation around the heel and arch, which I guess is osteoarthritis(?). This has not helped the PF.

Anyway, I have to stand a lot in my workplace and
cannot wear trainers, which is what I find most comfortable at the moment. My GP has insisted that I must be sat down and resting the foot as much as possible and was willing to sign me off work, although I declined this offer due to being busy. He gave me a note to work seated, which I can do, albeit not quite as effectively.

I do get the feeling that colleagues think I’m exaggerating my symptoms to get out of some of my more active duties. I’ve had a few comments of ‘oh, I get that, I just wear compression socks when it flares up and I’m fine’ or ‘so how long will you be off your feet’ etc. It may mean nothing and is probably just be me feeling sensitive, but I feel awkward and quite guilty nonetheless.

Incidentally, I have done the socks; tape; ice; roller; Volterol gel; cocoadamol; stretches etc and relief is only temporary. I’m waiting for physio and orthopaedics.

May I ask, if your colleague needed some adaptations to their job for a while due to PF, would you raise your eyebrows? Would you think ‘oh come on’.

I have an excellent work ethic and attendance records, so this is not typical for me.

If you got this far, thank you.

These are the inserts I use

Pcssole's 3/4 Orthotics Shoe... https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07T8RZS3J?ref=ppxpoppmobappshare

Yes, lesson learned! Sadly up until I turned 40, I was invincible and had never been in a hospital other than to have my son. I think I had only visited my gp a handful of times in my life and I didn’t even know PF existed.

Obviously I do now 😬

I will definitely look at Vionic! A few people have mentioned this brand. Thank you 😊

Since learning I had PF, I’ve been mostly wearing my black crocs sandals and my Hoka trainers.
At work I’ve worn my crocs, but I know I can’t wear them for long. My Hoka trainers are incredible to be fair and do make a difference. I also have Oofos flipflops I was reminded about yesterday, so I’ll wear them around the house instead of my crocs.

I was rolling my feet daily, but it became excruciatingly painful to do this. I truly mean excruciating - no relief whatsoever, but the GP thinks this is down to the bone degeneration. Instead I’m icing my heel now, until I can bare to roll it again. (It used to feel lovely).

Thank you for your comment. I’m so grateful people are replying with so much support and advice!

I do find the stretches helpful albeit painful. Soaking them in the bath helps, so I guess a foot spa would be lovely! Never tried reflexology but I might see what’s around…I’ll literally try anything.

I haven’t gained weight no. I have lost. BUT at 5’5” and 11st I’m overweight.
About two years ago I weighed in at 15.5 stone. A lot of that was quick gain due to covid and staying at home.
Then July 2020 I went on a diet and that’s when I started walking. Over the next 18 months I lost 3.5 stone and my weight loss stagnated. At Easter time this year, I wanted to boost my weight loss further so started walking even more and fast walking, getting down to 11 stone. It’s during this time that I started experiencing the PF but didn’t know what it was.

I pushed through the pain as the weight loss made me feel better. Then my husband and I went to Florida for a month, walking miles in Havianas and that’s went my foot pain became a problem I could no longer ignore.

Since stopping walking I have gained back half a stone so I’m desperate to get back to it.

Thank you so much to everyone who is replying with great advice and understanding of PF.
I do appreciate all of the suggestions and it’s already making a big difference for me.

Just from this thread:
I’ve stopped walking barefoot
Found my Oofos
Ordered orthopaedics (decent shoes)
Binned my flats
Looked into complementary medicine
etc

I was patient with my feet all weekend and looked after them per the suggestions here and I’ve come home from work today in far less pain than usual.

Sorry if I haven’t responded personally to your messages, but I’ve read them all and I’m extremely grateful for your time.

Sounds really positive! Definitely no walking anywhere ever again barefoot - Fitflop or Vionic slippers by the bed so you can go straight to the loo in the morning I cry on the inside about how expensive Vionic/Fitlop slippers are, but at least I'm upright..!

@Quitelikeacatslife thank you for link to inserts .Much appreciated.

yes I have had this in the past and really struggled; I now have a different type of pain in my tendons on the side, so I totally understand. People don't believe how much walking can hurt.

When I had PF, I wore the various types of boots/socks at night. Some of them worked better than others, and I think I bought them all. It does take a while to get used to having your foot bent in that position all night, but the relief at not having that stretch first thing in the morning was huge. I didn't want to wear them any longer than I had to, but it did help for sure. Some of them are softer and more comfortable, some of them adjust differently. When you google night socks/boots for PF, lots of options will come up, not just the Strassburg one that everyone first hears about.

I have recently started a new type of insole called Enertor, which does actually seem to be helping - I've had hundreds of insoles, including custom made ones, but none of them seemed to do much, but so far this one feels different - some new material that absorbs shock. They do a type of compression sock as well made of a technical fabric, rather than just the cheap ones I had from amazon, but I don't know if this is actually making any difference.

I have fit flot Sumi ankle boots, to wear with trousers, to look a bit more smart, or the rally trainers in all black, so that at least when I'm wear trainers, it's not as bad. My heel does still hurt at times in them though, but the thick soles help some of my other issues. I haven't found any good solutions for skirts or dresses yet, though I have some knee high boots that I can get orthotics in so might try the Enertors in the those this winter to see.

I wouldn't think someone was over-egging it if they had been told to rest by their doctor, and if they aren't known for taking the piss or anything. I know how bad tendon type pain can be, and even if my PF wasn't that bad, my other pain was, so I can well imagine PF could be.

these are the insoles I'm trying: enertor.com/

I tried so many night spints I'm not sure which one I preferred in the end, but I think it might have been a style like this, where you could easiily adjust the angle and it didn't pull on the toes as much
www.amazon.co.uk/Fasciitis-ZIKO-Orthotic-Adjustable-Tendonitis/dp/B09B3SGV7H/ref=sr_1_11?keywords=night+splint+for+plantar+fasciitis&qid=1663746643&sr=8-11

I had Plantar so badly for some months, I was having acupuncture for something else.
i mentioned to my acupuncturist that I was suffering badly with PF she treated it there and then!
it has never returned!
She told me it’s one of the easiest things to treat with acupuncture.

Hi OP, I haven't read the full thread but I am a longtime sufferer of PF and thanks to too much "pushing through" during a job with a lot of walking and standing, I now have it permanently (although as long as I wear suitable shoes, do exercises and try not to stand excessively I am doing ok).

You need to see a decent physio and/or podiatrist ASAP especially as you have now got referred pain through to the hip. Do not wait for the NHS. Yes it will cost but you will eventually lose your job like this.

When you are better I suggest Pilates. The PF radiates through from the feet and causes muscle and joint issues elsewhere. You need a complete reset and to strengthen muscles etc that will have weakened with the limping.

Good luck. It is a very painful condition!

I tried everything for mine.

Birkenstocks nailed it.

@PizzaFunghi could you say more about your heel pain ?Is it related to PF ?

Despite visits to chiropodist I don't really understand what is going on with my left foot.
I've got what I suspect is arthritis in my big toe joint ,heel pain and knee pain all on the the same side .
Have just spent an eyewatering(to me) amount on some Vionics ankle boots for the arch support .

Oh another thing I have is a calf stretching board, so that I just stand on it for a couple of minutes a couple of times a day, like while the kettle is boiling or whatever. Though it does have to be without shoes, so that's a bit more of a pain.

I think the heel pain is still remnants of the PF, yes. It's kind of a stabbling pain every time I step on it. It tends to come when I've walked too much.

I also have what I think is arthritis in my toes, but I haven't found anything to help with that yet - it is actual pain in the joints.

The other pain is on the sides of my ankles and shins, when I walk fast or run or anything like that. Nobody has every really managed to diagnose it, but I think it might be other ankle tendons. I am hoping the new insoles help, but I won't know for a couple of months. The initial signs are more promising that when I've tried other types, though, so I'm a bit hopeful.

Trying the enertor insoles might help you, as it seems to be good for non-specific things, or you might have to bite the bullet and see a private podiatrist or physio.

I wish I could find a gait specialist that could actually work out what was wrong with my movements that are probably causing it, but the only one I found cost so much that it was really not possible.

I agree that you need to see a podiatrist privately if possible and get inserts custom made. I did this last year and it has made a massive difference. The inserts were 300 pounds but money well spent as I no longer limp and although can never walk barefoot I am walking without excruciating pain again.

@PizzaFunghi this is a bit of a long shot, but if you are ever in the States there is a brand of trainer shops that will do a gait analysis in store and recommend shoes. I got the most comfy shoes ever on a trip to Washington DC. Sadly they wore out!

thanks; I've done the normal gait analysis at running shops in the UK and tried loads of brands of trainers, but I think the problem is further up than my feet, and I need someone who can look at what is going on with my movement and recommend exercises/retraining or something. I've ordered trainers from the US before, though, so if there was a particularly excellent brand, I'd pay for imports!!