Feet hurt SO much - ideas other than plantar fasciitis?

[YellowStripe]

My feet have been increasingly hurting over the last few months. Agony in the morning, or if I've been sitting, even for short periods, eg. ten minutes at breakfast. The less time I've been sitting down, the quicker my feet lose the stiffness once walking. If I have time to wiggle my feet before getting out of bed it's not as bad, but if not, it's like trying to walk without putting weight on my feet. They ache in bed at night, to the point of stopping me getting to sleep.

I know there is a lot above suggestive of plantar fasciitis - BUT the pain isn't really in my heel - it's forward from there, top and bottom and across both feet. I've exhausted Google. Can anyone make any suggestions as to what it may be?

I do have psoriasis (on my scalp) yes!

Definitely not hypermobile - quite inflexible tbh. I have had occasional bouts of tendinitis over the last year or so - maybe my body is just starting to wear out lol. Perimenopausal for the last 5 yrs, and on quite a high dose of patches. Not sure if that has any relevance whatsoever. Could do with losing a stone but obviously difficult to run/walk atm. I've got supportive Sauconys but maybe not enough.

The sandals I got have been making a difference whilst walking; I've been doing rolls on an iced bottle.

Hopefully get a referral tomorrow - better go and make my feet look a bit more presentable!

Watching with interest!

I've had this sorry! 10 years!

Orthothodics
Cortisone injections(never again!)
Shock wave therapy
Gait analysis (2)
MRI scan ortho said PF

Is it possible to have PF (if that's what it is) 10 years

Podiatrist said thought it was coming from my back!
Physio said couldn't find any connection!
Suggest bloods Nothing showed up.
Just had. X ray on back and feet. Waiting results. Back will say degenerative as last time they said this. Feet?
Hope you get sorted
Let us know

Mini - What was your experience with cortisone injections? (I just had one in my knee - not sure if it helped much.)

Sorry for the thread hijack, OP.

Hurt like hell! I nearly shoot of the bed it was such a painful shock
Apart from not being able to walk properly for couple days they never worked!!!

Shot

I had PF diagnosed in both feet, had it for years. Saw various GP's, physios, bought supportive shoes, wore shoes at all times, did stretches. I tried everything and it was agony.

I then got diagnosed with coeliac disease and once I started the gluten free diet it went! Three years down the line it hasn't come back touch wood.

I have flare ups which sound mighty similar. First after child birth, then after chemotherapy for breast cancer. Someone told me to try vitamin D3, so I take that; 25ug/ 1000 IU a day. I also take floradix tablets. I have no idea if either/ or are the reason, but my feet are a lot less achy now. Neither are going to hurt you so it might be worth a try. (Obviously check with GP first). I think the trick is to keep as active as you can. Hard when you're in pain, but definitely don't give into it if you can help it.

So, what did the doctor say, OP?

He ummed and ahhhed and reluctantly has referred me. Said to carry on with the iced bottle etc til then. Looks like a three week wait for an appt on average .... I'll keep you updated!

Has he referred you to physiotherapist or orthotics?

I got the physio. they said, yeah, it's PF, like you thought. Here is a print out of some exercises the same as the ones you found online.

I'd be worried if GP prescribed physio or orthotics. OP needs a diagnosis from the specialist doctor before all that.

Watching with interest as I suffer from similar problems. My feet have been stiff after I've been lying down/sitting for as long as I can remember. I'm in my 50s but can remember getting up on a morning in my 20s and hobbling to the bathroom.

But since December last year when I spent an entire day christmas shopping wearing thin soled boots they have been really painful. Doctor and podiatrist have diagnosed PF. Pain is often, but not always, in the centre of the sole of my heel, but sometimes on the side of my heel, and at the moment down the outside of one foot near my toes.

I had a month's course of Naproxifen (sp?) which did help a bit but when I'd finished it the pain came back. Restarted the painkillers and realised they were what had been giving me stomach cramps.

Iced can rolled underfoot helps quite a lot. Also, I have a pair of Skechers Go Walk shoes which have really soft, thick, egg-box type soles which are soft and comfortable to walk on.

StoneCircle - thin soled shoes definitely have been making mine worse! I would have been annoyed at being given painkillers as a solution, although I do wonder what I may end up with - made-to-measure orthotics, hopefully. I don't really want to be rolling my feet on an iced bottle forever!

Just reading the perimenopause thread where someone mentions a similar thing too about aching feet. Am full flow (no pun intended) in peri-m, been on hrt for about 4 years, I wonder if that has any bearing on it?

Yellow
I stated mine age about 42, I'd been in Blackpool in heel boots(I know daft) and by the end of day I couldn't walk in them , feet were burning underneath. So ever since then I've had my problem

I defo wasn't peri then, but some 14 years later I am!!!

So I don't know what the bloody hell it is? No confidence diets PF, even though some 12 yrs back Otho doctor said PF .

I don't know if it's connected but when I get bad foot pain I have a craving for fresh pineapple. After a load of pineapple the cramps stop. What on earth is in it to stop cramps?!

I had PF in both feet. Thea

Sorry - blooming phone. I had PF in both feet and the pain was not in my heel. I always post this on foot pain threads, so apologies if you've seen this before. The only thing that helped me after years of pain was Mr Khan at the marigold clinic in great ormond street. I went to see him on an NHS referral and was better on only a few weeks. This is after exhausting loads of other avenues and years of pain.

Can you describe your foot pain, TravellingLemon?

It was pretty much as you described. The absolute worst after periods of rest. The pain itself was excruciating and focused around my arches. My GP said it was rare - more normally associated with car accident victims. I got it from wearing shoes where the heel was worn on one side I think. Like burning stabbing misery is the best way I can describe it. I feel for you!

Hi OP
You could be describing my feet and I've been told by GP and podiatrist that it is PF
I don't have pain in my heels but my arch and the top of my feet are agony. Worse in the morning and after resting.
The podiatrist made me some lovely insoles and I find Birkenstocks a huge relief in the morning.

Ah so maybe it's not as rare as I thought not to have heel pain!

TravellingLemon - I'm assuming you wore your heels down? I do - on the outer side of the heel.

What did the wondrous Dr Khan do to treat you, Travelling? Love the name of the clinic!

He used some herbal concoction made from marigolds (hence the name) on my feet, then bandaged them up. I went back a week later and he did it again. It basically took all the swelling out so that the exercises and orthodontics could work. I had been on really strong anti inflammatories, but they just didn't touch it at all. After two weeks the pain was significantly reduced and after a further few weeks of exercise etc it was gone completely.

It returned some years later after I queued for 12 hours to see Bruce Springsteen. Totally worth it.

I believe he treats bunions with this too - it takes the swelling right out.