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bilateral gastroc release

Posted , 11 users are following.

pedro1967
pedro1967

Hi folks

had plantar fascitis for near on a year now

tried resting , stretching, ultrasound etc

specialist now refered me for surgery

the procedure is a bilateral medial head of gastroc release

any pf sufferers had this operation ? 

What is the recovery time after the operation

any help much appreciated

pete

0 likes, 37 replies

37 Replies

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  • martin0422
    martin0422 pedro1967

    Posted

    Hi Pete. I had it... 3 month nightmare. Non weight bearing for 4-6 weeks. My calf muscle is still skinny 3 years later, it will never look normal again. Turned out I had pinched nerve in both heels, do didnt help me. So I don;t know if it will help you. Also, ask the doctor about the healing time... how could you get by without both legs? Or is there a newer procedure that will allow you to be weight bearing? Good questions for the specialist. Seems like if stretching doesnt work, the gastroc won't. See what others say.. good luck and bounce stuff off me if you like. I have been dealing with this 5 years.. and a doctor found a pinched nerve in my heel...3 weeks post op and I am waiting for the healed results... praying...Marty  in USA
    • pedro1967
      pedro1967 martin0422

      Posted

      Hi marty

      thanks for the information

      sorry to hear of your trouble after your operations

      i ve had plantar fascitis for close on a year so hopefully this operation will do the trick

      the specialist said i suffer from tight calves so procedure will help to release the pressure on the calves and hopefully rectify the pf

      He didnt say anything about recovery time so was in the dark as to how long i would be off my feet after the op

      hopefully you ll have a positive outcome and you ll be healed altogether

      all the best anyway

      pete

    • martin0422
      martin0422 pedro1967

      Posted

      Thanks, good luck to you too... oh.. ask them about doing the plantar fascia release at the same time.. or just doin that first.. so much more conservative and goes right to the problem.
    • Roxy2013
      Roxy2013 martin0422

      Posted

      Hi Marty USA - can you tell my how your initial problem presented itself? PF or tight calves?

      thanks Roxy2013 in UK

    • martin0422
      martin0422 Roxy2013

      Posted

      Hi Roxy.. it started when I was doing a lot of walking for exercise. Pain in the front part of the heel. Relentless pain. I can't stand at all without pain. Walking only short distances. Wake with tightness. Pain worsens as the day goes on. After suffering through work, I mostly sit around and rest all evening.. I am so hopefull this surgery fixed me.. This is my last hope. The surgeon is the best I could find and he did everything possible, a baxters nerve release.. a little fasciotomy (had one before that didnt help) and found an extra nerve branch totally out of place going under my heel...and he removed it. He said he thinks that was my problem... I will know in a few weeks probably.. im still in a walking boot. 
    • MsTeejae
      MsTeejae martin0422

      Posted

      Hello eeryone. I'm so glad to find people who have had this problem.  I've been in pain since March.  In late April i was told they suspected it to be plantar faciitis and refered me to a Podiatrist who confirmed it.  I'm always in pain.  Throught out the night i'm afraid of how i'll feel when it' time to get out of bed.  Througout each day the pain increases as they day passes. by the night the pain is unbareable.  The thought of wearing a High heel is frightening so i've literally stop everthing but work and home.  I'm too young for  this .. does it ever heal on its own?
  • bob_2020
    bob_2020 pedro1967

    Posted

    Hi pedro i have had PF from turn of the year now and pains are really bad the burning cant walk its pure and utter agony reading on the site people have had this condition for many many years...i myself am waiting to see guy at hospital to see if i need cortisone injections if i do and they dont work i could be faced with the op also nothing has worked for me the ice,resting,stretches every day is a bloody battle with this its had me in tears a few times i have small lumps on my heels as well tryin to put a shoe on is bad enough thats before tryin to put your weight on feet god knows whats in store for me with this awful condition...
    • martin0422
      martin0422 bob_2020

      Posted

      That condition is probably nerve entrapment in the heel. I just had the surgery and the doctor found a rougue nerve branch growing under my heel from the medial plantar nerve.. He removed it... keep in touch I will let you know if it works.. only 3 weeks, so still cant tell yet.  But it "burned" and got worse the more I would stand and walk.  Martin
    • bob_2020
      bob_2020 martin0422

      Posted

      You would not believe all these things can happen on your heels and soles of feet meant to say in last post marty on my right foot my arch has dropped or planter and when i put foot on ground i can feel the lump first..yes keep in touch marty i just like hearing from other sufferers and hope i get a cure..
    • pedro1967
      pedro1967 bob_2020

      Posted

      Bob i had cortisone injections and they didnt work

      also it was a horrible experience getting it done

      but it works with some people snd doesnt in others

      i had a bilateral release of gastro muscle in both calfs yesterday , the op went ok but my calfs feel like there hanging off my legs 

      feet feel better now but legs feel awful like theres weights on my legs

      got crutches to help me get around but when i put pressure on feet my calfs ache

      mayvbe early days but feel like my pf has been sorted but now got probs with calfs

      was wary og having this op but exhausted every other avenue

    • MsTeejae
      MsTeejae bob_2020

      Posted

      My goodness this is all so new to me.  I've been in pain since March and I too do the ice, heat, stretches everything and it doesn't seem to be getting any better.  Has anyone simply recovered from this or is surgery the only option and pain relief
  • lianne1981
    lianne1981 pedro1967

    Posted

    Hi, I have suffered with severe plantar faciitis in both feet for 2 & a half years now. I have been seen by a foot specialist, had special insoles made, I've had physio, 10 steroid injections, ( some under ultra sound ) , then referredto a podiatrist who wasn't much help. Eventually after cracking up and refusing any more injections I was referred to a surgeon. I had this operation 5 weeks ago. I was origionally told by the surgeon that the relief would be immediate, yet my feet are just as bad. Not only that, my left leg has now got a very tight calf muscle which is veryainful and I struggle to walk probably. I have seen the surgeon 4 times since the op and all they will do is offer me physio again. I was not informed that this could happen. I have to wait another 6 weeks to discuss the next treatment option. Fed up is an understatement. 

    Apologies for the long reply & good luck

    • martin0422
      martin0422 lianne1981

      Posted

      Oh my...I feel your pain.  I think so many of you in Uk have never heard of nerve entrapment in the heel. I have been suffering for 5 years... I am 3 weeks post op... i hope this nerve release works..
    • bob_2020
      bob_2020 lianne1981

      Posted

      Omg lianne i feel for you in what you have been through so in some cases theres no cure for alot of folk why do i have these same feelings..
    • lianne1981
      lianne1981 martin0422

      Posted

      Fingers crossed for you. I just feel like I get passed from pillar to post. My job keeps me on my feet & with having 2 kids to look after I really really struggle. I am in pain from the minute I get up untill I go to bed. I just see this ending :-(
    • lianne1981
      lianne1981 bob_2020

      Posted

      I completely agree with you. I have told the surgeon that unless you have suffered from it then you seriously  don't realise how painful it is. Doesn't help that I also have burciitis and pinched nerves in both my feet too...
    • Roxy2013
      Roxy2013 lianne1981

      Posted

      Hi Lianne, bob733, martin0422, pedro et al,

      i have had PF for about a year and despite trying all of what has been mentioned it sort of went on its own, but now i have achilles tendonopathy which i think is the same as tight calf muscles. i think private physios with a special interest in PF are much better than the local GP. acupuncture helped  and then i tried extracorpeal shock wave treatment, i was lucky as my private physio had just bought a machine so i only had to pay £90 on top of usual fees.  PF/tight calves/achilles tendonopathy is an amazin problem because you can see from all these forums its incredibly difficult/individual to fix and it clearly isn't easy to fix becuase the drug companies would have been on it had it been.  the NHS is OK for care but for diagnostics its worth paying a for a private consultation, so get the diagnosis then get care on nhs. i work for the nhs! i have started having deep massage by sports physio and that has been the best progress so far for me. and the amazin thing is my PF was much worse on my right but now i have tight achilles tendons on both legs.HOW DOES THAT HAPPEN???  grrrrrr.

      and now my nhs orthotics make my feet so hot its better not wearing them!!

    • ladyjack51
      ladyjack51 lianne1981

      Posted

      Trust me..we all do feels your pain. I have often wondered if my issue was nerves since I have burning and stabbing and all kinds of different pains shooting thru my heel...but how do you know the difference? I do feel like I'm walking on a rock right on the center of my heel but the sides around the heel are often so sensitive...I can't let them touch anything. And that's how you get totally immobile!!  Not good but it's my only relief. I just wonder if mine is more nerve related.
    • lianne1981
      lianne1981 ladyjack51

      Posted

      That's how my feet feel. It's like a rock is under the skin and every step you take is painful. My arche hurts and I also suffer with the sides of my feet. The podiorist said that was pinched nerves. I am so surprised with how many people suffer with this condition.

      drastic I know but when I last saw the surgeon I told him in frustration to just remove my feet as I have had enought of being in pain.

    • martin0422
      martin0422 lianne1981

      Posted

      Ladies... I dont know if you have seen my post about nerves. My doc here in the USA  found a branch of the medial plantar nerve that grew under my heel that he has never seen before. He removed it. He is a very experienced surgeon. Also he did a baxters nerve release and plantar fasciotomy. It is 3.5 weeks post op. so I need a little more time to give results.. but it feels promising.IF PLANTAR FASCIITIS DOESNT GO AWAY AFTER 6 MONTHS TO A YEAR....IT PROBABLY HAS NERVE INVOLVMENT. AND POSSIBLE FASCIITIS FEEDING OFF EACH OTHER. Research "dr patrick deheer" "baxters nerve". Pray for me!!! I went to Indiana for the surgery.. deheer is awesome. This is a 14 hour drive for me....
    • bob_2020
      bob_2020 lianne1981

      Posted

      i am the exact same lianne  utter pain day in day out i have F6 compression sleeves sock came yesterday felt fine when i put them on yesterday but pain is back and as bad as ever...even if u  touch the arch of my feet i hit the roof every day is a battle with this condition makes you wonder is u would be better of feetless just drags u down and depress's you and you feel as if your biting the face of people cos your in that much pain its hard to understand not having it and going through PF..
    • ladyjack51
      ladyjack51 lianne1981

      Posted

      I saw 1Martin's post but he was rude to me and I choose not to talk to him about his nerve issues.  We can read and see things...whether we respond to him or not. Anyway, I have an appt July 23rd with a Podiatrist so we'll see what he says but I don't think I will try injections...haven't seen much good afterward.
    • tivvy
      tivvy ladyjack51

      Posted

      Ladyjack, I was told my problem was PF back in January and have suffered ever since, after a ultra sound revealed it was PF my doctor asked if i would like to try a cortizone injection. I decided to try anything if it may help. Yes the injection hurt for 30 seconds but 2 days later the difference was immense. Its been 2 weeks now and it is lovely to be able to walk again. The pain has not dissapeared completley but I can walk when I first get out of bed and I dont limp anymore. The doctor said it works for 1 in 5 and I feel so lucky that I was that 1. Please give it a try you just never know you may also be that 1. How will it last......................

      Steve

    • ladyjack51
      ladyjack51 tivvy

      Posted

      Thanks so much Steve! I am excited for you...any kind of relief is great news. Duly noted!!
    • pedro1967
      pedro1967 lianne1981

      Posted

      Sorry to hear that you still suffering after the op

      i had mine a week ago and still feeling pain,like yourself , i was told the benfits would be immediate

      initially my feet felt good but have had that vice gripping my heels feeling last couple of days

      hopefully this is still connected to the op and will settle down over coming weeks

      at the end of the day i still think that even the so called experts in this field still dont really understand the condition

      i ve been told after two weeks to start doing stretching again, been doing it for a year now and hasnt done much good

      like yourself i dont really know what the future holds

      but suppose we have to remain optimistic

    • MsTeejae
      MsTeejae pedro1967

      Posted

      Goodness, this is terrifying.  I've only been expierencing this PF since March 2014 and i'm overwhelmed.  It has drastically changed everything in my life thus far.  The pain in awful and constant. Last week I decided to ask my doctor about surgical options because i can't imagine life this way long term. Now that i've read all these comments I feel hopeless. It doesn't seem as if the surgery is a guarantee.  This is oh so sad
    • bob_2020
      bob_2020 MsTeejae

      Posted

      I have had it from april this year teejae and feel everything is hopeless also everyday is a struggle with PF it seems once you have this condition its here to stay...not in all cases but most from what i have read on this site..
    • Roxy2013
      Roxy2013 bob_2020

      Posted

      Hi bob733 and ms teejae

      my PF went after about a year. i waited a year for an nhs referral to orthotic but then the ones i had made made my feet so hot i couldn't wear them. stretching with one of those exercise bands helps +++, and i found the simple strapping helped enourmously. so my PF has gone now, but now i have achilles tightening for some reason and am beginning to wonder if it wasn't my simple orthotics several months ago.

      hang in there..... keep stretching and resting, and icing, and anti-inflammatories....xx

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