Wellness

[Moonchilde]

OP, from your second post, it sounds like you might need a new/different orthotic - a change in RX, so to speak. Otherwise it sounds like you're doing the right things - never going barefoot, always using an orthotic, etc.

I opted not to have any injections, because they may not help, may not help much, and may not help for very long, i.e. no guarantees, and besides being hella painful, those injections eventually cause scar tissue, which wouldn't help things.

Once I started wearing Vionics and Aetrex, my pain improved, but it still took a year before my PF was under pretty good control. And then at some point I strained something and had very bad arch pain for a good 8+ months, orthotics or not. This didn't clear up until I had back-to-back, i.e. a month apart, eye surgeries. I spent days at home, not walking, and the enforced rest cleared up the issue. Right now I'm fine, but also continually aware I should never push myself when it comes to walking.

Stretches, physical therapy, sleep socks/boots and the like are good, as long as they don't cause your musculoskeletal system to have other issues. I have to be very careful.

[NycVixen]

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@CLEM wrote:

Has anyone ever had this?  I do right now and it is so painful.  Went to the podiatrist and she made some adjustments to my orthodics because the pain was worst on the instep.  This helped, but the pain is now so great in my heels.  Will go back on Tuesday and see what else can be done.

I had this about 15 years ago and remember getting a cortisone shot which helped greatly.

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@CLEM  I had this about 9 years ago and I also had to get a cortisone shot in both feet. It's one of the most painful things to have. 

After that, I did some research and read that the brand of FitFlop shoes seemed to help so I bought a pair of shearling boots to wear at the time outside the house and a pair of fitflop style sandals as my house shoes. These shoes have a technology built in that exercises your feet and your legs. 

I was a bit skeptical but it's worked wonders for me. After a few weeks, no more pain and I haven't had any issues with PF since. I still use them inside the house. However, I find that after having PF your feet are never the same. So, sometimes I still feel a bit of strain when wearing other shoes but just wearing my FitFlops makes it go away. As a plus, I find that not only my feet and legs are more fit but so is my bum!!! Highly recommend them. 

[Bhvbum]

I spent a day working around the house barefoot one time and it took about a year to finally recover. Birkenstocks were the answer for me. I have high arches and need their support. I wear them as much as possible and when I don't I can feel it.  I walk a lot so if I know I will be on my feet, on go the Birks. 

Your feet will heal with time and the proper shoes. I stretched and still had the pain terribly. The shoes were the true turning point. 3 yrs later, not one day of pain. Ask yourself how you injured your feet. 

[fortune]

I feel like an expert on PF--having had it twice years apart.  I think you need new orthotics.  You will need to have them measure and fit them all over again.  Then, wear only lace up shoes (like New Balance women's walking shoes), don't go barefoot, and do the foot-stretch exercises every morning BEFORE getting out of bed.  Good luck! 

[Lovethesea]

Some of you have posted that it took a long time, even years, for your foot pain to subside.  

As I wrote in Post #9, seventeen years ago I had plantar fasciitis for a few days--shooting pain in my heel with each step.  The moment that I was fitted with the SAS "Free Time" shoe, stood up and took a few steps, I immediately felt NO PAIN!  Since then, I have not experienced plantar fasciitis, I have no pain and, btw, I go barefoot everyday for a few hours at home.

I would suggest that you locate a shoe store in your locale that sells SAS shoes and try on a pair of the "Free Time" shoes.  You may be pleasantly surprized at the lack of pain that you experience immediately, as well!

There is nothing like being PAIN FREE!!!

[Suzy Q from PA]

Do the stretching exercises faithfully every morning and wear Birkenstocks and in a few weeks it will be a bad memory.    I still do the exercises daily...just in case.

[sidsmom]

Yep.  Had it many, many years ago.

Stretching?  Yes.

Orthotics?  Yes.

Wear shoes all the time...even in the house?  Yes.

Cortisone shot?  NOPE!  One shot is one too many.  It doesn't fix the underlying problem.

I would also add...use a night-splint when sleeping.  Hours of flexed position will heal...and prevent the morning 'ouch' when getting out of bed.  Yes, it's big, ugly & at first, uncomfortable....but using that time (8 hrs sleeping) for healing makes sense.

ETA:   This is a common problem w/ those running or doing high impact exercise.  Also...if one is overweight, that will deter the healing, as well.

Good luck! 

[MarieW]

I have had several bouts and it is debilitating.  The cortisone shots absolutely took the pain away.  But they hurt.  I was able to get to it the last time before I had to have the shot by buying several items that cushioned my heal.  One was just a heel wrap so that when I walked around barefoot (which is the worst thing to do in a house with wood and tile floors, which also keeps your foot from stretching and another soft short boot item that had ice packs in the bottom that helped that i used more as a treatment each night.  The ice packs were kept in the fridge (not freezer) so they would be the exact right temperature.  I would wear that for 20 minutes.  Both of those really helped and I didn't have to get the cortisone shot.

[Gsmom]

 I had it once and it was very painful

i used the nighttime splint/boot and it did get some getting used to - but worked great and within 2 weeks I was healed 

the stretching also helps a lot and once you are healed it can decrease the chance of it coming back 

I did not need orthotics or any special shoes 

good luck and hope it gets better soon 

[LiveLaughLove]

SAD shoes are made in San Antonio, so that is a double whammy.  When I had P F, I was told to stand on a saturated several times a day going upward and let my heels drop over the edge so my ligaments stretched.  I would do ten reps at a time and it really worked.  Worked for my sister and niece too.