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8 months, no treatment has helped, when can I start to walk?

Posted , 8 users are following.

joe49267
joe49267

Hello, I've been through orthotics, physiotherapy with ASTYM, stretching, expensive athletic shoes, special arch support sleeves, etc., and I'm still where I was when onset occurred. I have achilles tightness and soreness too. Pain in mostly in the arch, rarely the heel, and worsens throughout the day. It's fine when I first get up but as I move about the pain gets worse. In about a year, I'd like to travel to Israel, but I can't see it happening. Both a podiatrist and orthopaedist told me that I'd have to "train" for the trip so that I can stand and walk for 6 hours a day up and down hills with cobblestones, etc. I can't even walk for 5-10 minutes, or stand for more than a minute. Given then PF is degenerative, if I were to start a walking routine (which I know would cause more pain), am I hurting myself rather than helping? I am almost completely sedentary, because that's the only thing that reduces the pain. I get in about 500-1700 steps per day. During travel, I could expect 10,000 steps per day, 10 days in a row. I have no idea what to do. Any ideas? Thanks so much! cheesygrin

1 like, 20 replies

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  • razbabe
    razbabe joe49267

    Posted

    Hi have you tried massage? Not cure but gets me back on my feet ..I find certain areas on my legs and feet to be excruciating when softly massaged but then temporary relief lasting hours...I usually have tightness and sore legs..had plantar fasciitis for 3 years now tried everything like yourself...
  • martin0422
    martin0422 joe49267

    Posted

    I am a 6 year sufferer, I have found a balance with this PF. I have a theory after dealing with this so long. It's that tighnes in all or part of the lower extremities causes nerve sensitivity in the feet. By loosening the muscles in the back, gluteous, thighs, hamstrings and calves I am getting relief in the feet. I am also doing a foot massage morning and night.. I am functioning, even play a mild version of football with my son on occasion. Dont be sedentary!! al lease go somewhere to swim laps in a pool. Get busy with stretching, even yoga..get on you tube and search "yoga leg and back stretches"..Now!! Good luck.
    • joe49267
      joe49267 martin0422

      Posted

      It's good to know you've found balance. I've had this for 15 years, and there are times when I think I've achieved this. It mostly just went away on its own, except for one good PT course 5 years ago that stopped out in its tracks.

      I agree that swimming is a good option for many people to stay active, especially because it's non weight bearing.in my case, my shoulders flare up if I rotate my arms over my head. you can actually hear a loud popping sound, followed by several months of pain. for that reason I scratched off swimming from my exercise list a few years back. thanks for the suggestion though.

  • joe49267
    joe49267

    Posted

    Here's an update. I've been advised by a doctor to walk despite the pain. I've been slowly increasing my walking to about 3500-4000 steps per day. (7000 is eventual goal.) This is still in the sedentary range, and I can only walk on even surfaces and for a maximum of about 600 steps at a time. If I go over that, the pain flairs up even worse for at least a few days. I also have to keep my standing very brief... A few minutes before I sit down or I have to shift my weight from foot to foot to minimize the agony. Walking on grass, hills, or other uneven surfaces makes my lower legs spasm for days. Now here's the rub:

    I've been having mild pain at the main joint of the great toe for the last few months. It's been manageable until the last couple of weeks. I've been forced to adjust my gait to avoid loading the toe normally, but a few days ago the pain shot up so much that I have to limp and I'm now avoiding walking altogether.

    I have almost no heel pain, and never had. It's all in the soles of my feet and my Achilles tendons, both bilaterally, and now the great toe of the right foot. Is this really PF or something else? Has anyone else had great toe involvement as the result of chronic PF? Advice?

    I've seen about 5 doctors over 10 months and no relief from anything that's been tried. It's chronic and worsening. I'm essentially partially disabled... I can't envision traveling, visiting museums, hiking, etc., again.

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