Chronic pain
Chronic plantar fasciitis and shock wave therapy
Colourbwrries · 05/01/2023 13:39
Hello, I’m hoping to get your opinions and what your experience was with PF and shock wave therapy.
I’ve been diagnosed with chronic plantar fasciitis in both feet about a month ago. Have been in a lot of pain for 6 months now. I saw a podiatrist 6 months ago who made special support insoles moulded on my feet. They helped for a while and I stopped doing the exercises/ice rolling as things got better. Then they went really bad when I walked into a physio practice and was recommended shock wave therapy.
So bought a set of 3 sessions with another practice that had the machine. The pain was excruciating but put up with it. After the first session I realised one day I could just stand up and walk without support. But it did not last long. Have not seen much improvement after the next two, apart from the fact that the therapist could use a higher setting on the machine. If I remember well he said 3000 shocks going through my foot. Also he stated he could go up to level 3 on the better foot.
Due to logistical issues I could not return to this physio for another course and found another one easier to reach. Now this other therapist seems to be changing the settings a lot, the heads, etc. I could hardly feel any pain. In this practice the machine was next to me so could see the settings. She would jump from 600 shots to 2000, then back to 600 and then 3000. I am somehow baffled. I told her it wasn’t as painful as it had been with the other therapist and she said it doesn’t matter if it is painful or not.
I was wondering how many sessions you had in total till it went away? I have done 4 so far, having another 5 left, all of this paid by me while I am waiting for the NHS to get things in motion.
Seaweedandsalt · 05/01/2023 13:41
I suffer from this and have found that the foot massage mats are really effective
www.wowcher.co.uk/deal/shop/health-fitness/posturebody/21007701/mini-usb-massage-gun?st_cid=GoogleShopping&ito=GoogleProducts_RevenueMarketing_21007701&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIsafljMew_AIVCrTtCh0UZAeeEAQYAiABEgK6hvD_BwE
BrassicaBabe · 05/01/2023 13:44
Hi
I've had PF in one foot for only 6 weeks. It's driving me potty. Not because it's painful, my foot soreness is only 1/10 but I can't run.
I've been seeing a physio since it started. But started shock wave therapy with her yesterday.
My reading says that it up "up to 80% effective". That if your pain has been with you 0-3 months then 3 treatments a week apart would be sufficient. But over that you might need up to 6 treatments
Fingers crossed!!
xx
BrassicaBabe · 05/01/2023 13:46
I know nothing about the machine settings im guessing your treatment is less painful because your foot is less painful?!
Colourbwrries · 05/01/2023 14:05
@Seaweedandsalt thank you, I was actually looking at something similar in Boots yesterday, £299! What a price difference. I’ve been using a foot so on and off since it started and it did help. I will give the foot massager a go too, especially that I have poor blood circulation in my extremities and my partner could use it too.
@BrassicaBabe i am surprised she has given you shock wave therapy so soon. My therapist said it should be done if your va he been in pain for at least 6 months, which I hadn’t when I saw her but it was due to the fact that I had felt pains with first steps for over a year before it was really bad. Now I wish I had seen someone sooner, when it was just a little bit painful in the morning. Do you feel worse for a couple of days after each session and then start feeling better? Hope you get better soon. And count yourself lucky, I can hardly walk to the local shops, running is such a far fetched prospect for me🤗
trulyunruly01 · 05/01/2023 14:13
There is also a little device that you strap to the arch of your foot and it does whatever it's meant to. Costs about £35.
Both my mate and I have found this quite effective.
KangarooKenny · 05/01/2023 14:15
I had one treatment on one foot and it cured mine. Then the other foot got better itself, I assume because I wasn’t over using it anymore.
Nimo12 · 05/01/2023 14:18
I foolishly kept exercising with it as I didn't know what it was and made it much worse. KT tape applied correctly (there are videos on YouTube) was a lifesaver as well as a door roller and a device that sends vibration to the muscle from a site called plantarfix (I think that's the correct name) It's so painful. Hope you find relief soon
BrassicaBabe · 05/01/2023 14:42
Bless you @Colourbwrries I think it's twaddle about waiting 6 months. But then I'm desperate and paying privately. Yes, it does feel a bit tender. But yours will feel worse than mine as your baseline pain is worse. And you are right, it's painful having treatment even when my baseline pain is low. You must be hanging from the ceiling!!
This podcast is running focused but talkes good things re PF and shockwave
podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/runpod/id1457721095?i=1000582340319
I feel for you not being able to walk. Completely and honestly do. But I'm a complete MH fruit loop at the moment not being able to run, fitness I've worked hard for going down the drain, weight going through the roof etc etc. I'm a total nutter. I'd pay anything at this moment for a magic wand.
Hope we both have miracle cures!
Seaweedandsalt · 05/01/2023 14:54
I always wear good trainers for work with the air heel, they weren't particuarly expensive, partner got them from Amazon. They have two pairs of insoles in them. I wear flip flops around the house with some panty liners on the heel area to give added protection, sometimes I wear slippers with insoles. My wellies have two pairs of gel insoles in them too.
Never walk anywhere without a supportive heel, don't walk barefoot. EVER.
Your calf muscles will be tight I expect, so giving them a good massage will help with the heel pain.
FWIW I don't particuarly think shock wave is as good as its made out to be, I've used it a number of times on horses, I know humans are different anatomy, but works in the same way. But I never found it to be effective, nor a number of other people I know who have found the same.
Seaweedandsalt · 05/01/2023 14:57
Its very debilitating, I also have what feels like a partially dislocated ankle on my right foot, with loads of additional calf muscle that isn't the same as the left leg. I have sciatica in both buttocks and legs and also extensor tendonitis on the top of my left foot. The plantar fasciitis was the final blow, I'm literally crippled if I walk bare foot in the night or in between co-codamol and gabapentin doses.
KangarooKenny · 05/01/2023 16:31
Your shoes/slippers should be fastened on your foot. Any flip-flop or slider type footwear causes you to alter the way you walk to keep it on, so don’t wear them.
Colourbwrries · 05/01/2023 17:28
Hi everyone,
thank you so much for your replies. My original post was quite long but will list below what I have been using/doing so far:
When it got really bad in the summer I started doing the stretching exercises on the NHS website and started using a foot spa while waiting for my appt with the podiatrist
I got the special insoles done by the podiatrist and had a reflexology session with her- I found reflexology to help but then it wore off,and due to her being on holiday I had to visit a physio as I was at this point in so much pain(had to hold on to walls first thing in the morning)
The physio told me to wear trainers indoors as well, so did the podiatrist but was not able to in the summer being so so hot
I started the first set of shock wave therapy and during this time I was finally able to see the NHS physio- she stated that I should get an injection as well, I suppose she many cortisone.I am still waiting to hear from the NHS
I have just started the second lot of shock wave therapy- all physios (I’ve seen 4 so far) stressed how important it was to keep doing my exercises
For the last 4 years I have been wearing DM’s at work due to the shoe policy in place
I do love to walk barefoot indoors especially on hardwood flooring but cannot anymore, even if I wanted, it’s too painful
My calves get tight as well, as one of you suspected, so I am massaging them too
I am also keeping a bottle filled with water in the freezer and roll my feet as well
The DMs in conjunction with my podiatrist insoles are too hard for my heels. I have recently started using the Neo gel heel pads and also bought the Neo gel insoles with special support for the arch.
I have recently invested in 2 pairs of Sketchers: one trainers and one ankle boots to be able to use at work.
@Seaweedandsalt you are right, it is debilitating, especially when you cannot even walk faster than a snail and a trip to the local shops leaves you agony for a a couple of days. I am sorry you I’ve to go through this on top of your other conditions. Hope you all get better soon🤗
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