Plantar Fasciitis - tried everything!

[themidwife]

I've been suffering from Plantar Fasciitis since December & have tried EVERYTHING! Podiatrist appointments, custom built orthotics, strapping, massage, stretching, anti inflammatories, soldiering on!
Any advice gratefully received. Every day is a real drag now & in constant pain
Any advice

I do feel for you - literally I'm going through exactly the same thing myself at the moment. The only other thing that has been recommended by my podiatrist is freezing a small bottle of water and using that to roll under your foot, this is suppose to be good for helping reduce muscle inflammation.

Good Luck and here's hoping someone else post's with a miracle cure!!

Only things that worked for me were standing on step balancing on balls of feet and raising and lowering heel over edge of step.
I bought some step and tone type toe post excersise sandals from M&S. Within a couple of days the pain had gone, after about three months of early morning agony. I also tried most of what you have tried.
I hope you find what works for you.

What are you wearing on your feet? Despite other people's feeling about them, I am convinced that my PF was originally caused by wearing Crocs. Going back to more solid shoes with good support was much better for my feet. I used to walk around bare foot a lot in the house but have found that wearing slippers or even a pair of socks is much better. My feet feel worse when they are cold.

I suffered with this about 15 years ago. Was always worse first thing in the morning, until the muscles had warmed up and stretched a bit.

I don't remember a specific cure (although had the orthotic shoe insert made to measure by the podiatrist and so forth) but it just went away of its own accord after a few months, if that's any help.

I had this for about 2 years and it was fucking horrendous. I got to the point where I wanted to hack my foot off.

I tried everything - and I mean EVERYTHING - spent a fortune on private physio, private podiatry, shoes, trainers, orthotics, was up and down to the hospital, had ultrasound therapy, steroid injections, strapping, crutches and endless painkillers.

Then I broke my ankle. I was in plaster for 6 weeks and when it came off, I was cured. It was heaven

In the USA I believe, they routinely use a below the knee casts or air cast boots for PF that doesn't respond to other measures.

It may be worth investing in an air cast boot to wear at night if your PF is worse in the mornings? It keeps your foot at the right angle to keep the PF gently stretched so it doesn't have such a shock when you get out of bed!

I put up with it for 9 months in my left foot and then had a steroid injection in my heel - doesn't work for everyone, but was instant relief for me. I've now got it in my right but I've been doing stretching exercises since I got the first twinges and, with copious anti-inflammatories on work days (work in retail, so on my feet for long periods of time) it's been bearable

Apart from that I think the only real cure is time and perseverance with all the physio. I was given a tentative 18-24month time frame in terms of sorting it out (so am very grateful the injection worked first-time on my left!)

I had custom made Orthotics, which I wore all the time initially, even in my slippers at home, and they eventually cured the problem. Unfortunately the Clinic I went to has since closed down.

I was also advised to do exercises such as write the alphabet in the air using each foot before I got out of bed in the morning.

Before this I'd gone down the route of podiatry, steroid injections by GP etc, etc with no relief.

I still wear my orthotics most weeks to keep it at bay.

Do hope you get it sorted out as I know how debilitating it can be.

Thanks everyone - the only thing I haven't tried is the frozen water bottle rolling & the night time splints so will try that. Haven't gone down the steroid injection root yet. I have it in both feet 24/7. Worse in the morning but also by the end of the day I can hardly walk. In bed now with a burning buzzing in both feet. It sounds so petty but it's stopped me doing things like Zumba & hill walking hence put weight on which much exacerbate the problem! Sigh

What worked for me after a very painful summer was the advice of chiropodist

2 weeks of ibroprufen - which reduced inflammation
10 minutes of ice x2 a day

I was also told to wear shoes with very soft thick soles ie flipflops, crocs, birkenstocks

and finally never walk on a hard floor with bare feet

Do you run? Mine flares up when I've been running a lot. I always wear orthotics when exercising and avoid flat shoes.

Wedge mule type sandals, wedge boots (both clarks) and fitflops - these are about the only footwear I now wear and they worked for me!

I know someone who had ultrasound treatment for it and it worked , she had it done privately by medical consultant not podiatrist so may be worth asking your GP about it.

After 15 months of hellish pain, trying everything under the sun, I tried Acupuncture. had five visits and it went. However after nine months I then got it in the other foot, recognised the symptoms booked to have Acupuncture again five sessions and it went. Its another form of calming the inflammation down ,it worked for me and have been pain free since five years ago.

I only wear trainers with orthotics or fit flops. Will def try acupuncture - it has worked for other ailments for me!

I tried everything, and the only thing that worked was steroid injection. I had to have 2, as the first one wore off after not very long, but second one seems to have done the trick as this was a few years ago now.

Hmmm should I see GP?

I had PF a few years ago and it lasted around a year. I tried everything but it improved vastly when I realised that walking bare-foot or in flats was just exacerbating the problem. I bought a pair of Coolers mules (granny slippers) from e-Bay with a bit of a raised wedge heel and wore them all the time indoors. When I went to work I wore a pair of Hotters Tone lace-ups which have a moulded inner and a springy sole.

Steroid injection worked for me too. I think the main problem is getting the inflammation down which is hard to do when you walk on your feet so much which is why the injection is so good. It's takes away alot of the inflammation.
Hope you get sorted, it's horrible!

Okay, I've had PF for about a year now and the one thing that has totally helped has been getting some Skechers Shape Ups. First, I bought the trainers and now have sandals too. They're the ones with the rocker sole. Don't get Train Ups, it has to be Shape Ups.

I even wear the sandals around the house as I can't manage in slippers.

In addition to wearing these all the time I:

Take ibuprofen
Rub anti inflammatory gel into the area
Apply ice twice a day
Massage the painful area
Never walk in bare feet
Rest when it's getting too painful

My PF is now about 80% gone and I only get twinges now.

Try the Shape Ups though, they're great. You can get them cheaper if you search on Amazon and Ebay and compare prices.

Can I ask how painful the steroid injection was & if you were ok to carry on as normal afterwards at work etc?

I might just have the answers to your prayers, but it kind of depends where you live. I had it in both feet really really badly. So incredibly painful for over a year. During that time I was on all kinds of anti inflamitories. NOTHING touched it. I had quite a forward thinking GP who referred me to the Marigold Clinic in London. Was all done on the NHS. I saw a mr Khan I think. Anyway, it took him 2 weeks to get rid of it completely. Never returned for 6 years until last week!

If you have tried everything and don't mind thinking about things a bit differently do some research into barefoot and barefoot shoes.

PF occurs because your PF is being put under strain because it is being overused to support a weak foot. You get weak feet from supportive shoes especially arch supports. Orthotics may work in some cases as they support your foot even more, thus taking the pressure off your PF. But they will also weaken your feet further so then problem is likely to reoccur.

I am aware that this is a bit "alternative" but do your own research and see if it makes sense to you.

can I hijack this thread and ask if you all have the pain in your heels. I have been diagnosed with pf but it is on he ball of my left foot. I can only described the pain as a burning pain like you get if you dance all night in heels

Pud1 - my pain was in my heel.

Themidwife - barely felt a thing. However, this is because I am the biggest wuss going so bought emla cream from the chemist (don't need a prescription). I went early to my appointment, asked where the injection would be, then applied the cream. It is amazing stuff.

There is no way I would have been brave enough without the cream!

I went to an osteopath, he combined exercises osteopathy and accupuncture. Took about 3 1/2 months of treatment, but I have been pain free for over a year.

If you are local to me I can point you in his direction.