Debilitating, can't walk at all. Help

I am a retired physician and plantar fasciitis patient.  Here's my story.  My plantar fasciitis began around February 2016.  After about four months, it completely resolved. 

Here's what I think.  Plantar fasciitis is inflammation in the area of the attachment of the plantar fascia to the heel bone.  This begins from trauma and/or some minimal tearing of the plantar fascia (just a few fibers) that results, naturally, in inflammation which is the body's way of healing any tissue injury.  Inflammation hurts until it heals and resolves.  

So what's so difficult about curing P.F.?  Well we walk on it!!!  Let's say we take 5000 steps a day.  Imagine inflammation of your elbow, (i.e. tennis elbow).  Imagine taking your sore "tennis elbow" and wacking it against the wall, 5000 times a day.  Think it would heal quickly?  I don't either.

So my cure for plantar fasciitis is cushion, cushion and cushion!!!  That's right - cushion your heel!!!  Here's what I did.  First, I wore the plantar fasciitis "relief bridge" gel-heel innersole in my shoes - that I got at Walgreen's for about $11.  (I plan to use them indefinitely in my shoes.)  Then I wear a pair (usually) of nice thickish sox.  On my heel I wore fasciitis therapy wrap padded supports that I got on the internet for about $13.  (I don't wear them any more.)  So when I had my PF, under my heels I had 3 cushion layers.  I wore this about 24 hours a day - except when in the shower or swimming.  And after about 4 months, the PF was totally gone.  

Cortisone injections into the heel are commonly given for PF.  And they may give some relief.  I have never heard of anyone giving oral cortisone for PF.

That's what I think.  I hope this helps you and the many other sufferers of plantar fasciitis.  doknabox

Hi, I am getting the symptoms you had and there is so much conflicting advice so wondering how you got on and what worked for you? Great if you could get back to me. Thank you

I never had oral steroids. I would suggest you make an appointment to see a podiatrist if the steroids don't work in a few days. If the podiatrist thinks it's PF, he or she will probably give you a cortisone shot which should relieve your symptoms in 2-3 days and you can go back to work.  If the shot doesn't work, physical therapy will be your next step. There is no quick cure, read my story if you get a chance.  Good luck. 

 

Hi,  last Friday I went to see my GP as I couldn't walk and he has suggested taking ibruprofen 400 mg for one week and that has really helped.  i have rubbed magnesium oil into my feet each night and this evening i seem to have turned the corner and can walk without any pain.  Hope it lasts however will be rubbing the oil into too.

Best of luck 

I have had this on and off for 3 years, last year my right foot was so sore for 2 weeks all I could do was hop  about.  I suppose once you have finished your medication and rested your foot, you then need physio exercises for your feet, and do them for life, and use a frozen bag of peas wrapped in teatowel for underneath your foot. You need to wear trainers and have the piodiatory insets inside them to support your arches which are probably fallen, also wear them for life  Lots of walking is a no no, I walk about 10-12 minutes every day, I guess if you can swim that would be the best exercise as your resting your joints.  I'm sure it will get better as it does sound very acute, I hope you can manage the pain.  Also at night I used to put a think cushion under the affected foot to help me sleep, also if your overweight try to loose some. Hope this helps. 

Gina , PF is very painful once you feel it in your foot. Mine got bad enough that I had to use crutches to stay off the effective foot. That last for almost 3 weeks for me. I finally bought a night splint as well as an aircast brace I could ware during the day while I’m at work. That has helped me. It hasn’t taken away the pain completely but it has made it that I can get through the day without having the pain get to the point it was unbearable hthat I could barely even put my foot Dow. Those days before using the night splint and brace I’ve had to make sure that I had put my crutches in the car before leaving home, because I knew I knew was going to be bad enough that I couldn’t walk on my foot or even try to. I still keep them near by just in case it gets that way tho. Good luck Gina and hope it improves for you. Jason 

I am going through the SAME EXACT THING. I have been a CNA for years (no, not in a hospital, in a long term care facility ---not even CLOSE to the same job description .) My foot started hurting almost 2 weeks ago at work, I went to the doctor about a week in (mind you it was my weekend off and also my holiday off work). The doctor said I probably had PF, gave me anti inflammatory meds, told me to get a wedge in my shoe from the pharmacy and return If it got worse....I went in for ONE SHIFT, and walked out of work, jumping on one foot, I found a replacement for my shift today and went to my small town ER. They took ex rays, thought maybe it wasn't really FP or I was further damaging my foot and gave me 2 days off work. I CANNOT WALK. I've been crawling around my house, or scooting around on my butt. HOW IN THE WORLD AM I SUPPOSE TO DO MY JOB AS A CNA when I can't even shower myself ???! I got a referral to a podiatrist but can't get in for over a month. Do I just quit my job? I wasn't offered taping, bandaging, a splint or crutch or a walking boot, also not offered light duty at work per my doctor, as he said, being an ER doctor, the most he could do was give a few days off work. At the suggestion from the podiatry office (based out of a large hospital ) they suggested going in for another urgent care visit and hope and pray a potiatrist is on duty so that they can assess me. I've had broken bones, a c section, other surgeries and this is by far the worse pain I've had IN MY LIFE . 😢

Gina, I've been there. I play a lot of pickleball and had a dreadful case of plantar fasciitis for about a year. Here is how I have been able to manage it so that it is no longer an issue. I say manage it because I have to do this after every time I play pickleball.

I take 1/4 of a 10mg cyclobenzaprine right after pickleball or any exercise, and then another 1/4 in about 3-4 hours and then another in 3-4 hours. I don't take it all at once as it can make me tired if I do that. Then I use a electric massager on my lower leg, below the knee, multiple times later in the day. I don't use it on my feet or anywhere else on my body - only on my lower leg. I use it on all of the muscles of my calves, the muscle in front by the shin. I try to hit all the tender places, no bones, but tender muscles.

I used to have pain every morning that was crippling and had pain throughout the day and couldn't really play or exercise to my fullest because of the plantar fasciitis. This is no longer an issue!!

For me this has been live changing!

To be clear. I take 2.5mg of cyclobenzaprine (generic flexeril) immediately after a workout and keep doing it every 3-4 hours.

Then, and this is the most important aspect, I use an electric massager on my calves and lower leg on and off every few hours for about 5 minutes each leg trying to work on spots that feel they need it.

The plantar fasciitis is all about the lower leg muscles! Those muscles are what is causing the foot pain - remember that!!

Do this and you will definitely change your life! Let me know if you have any questions.

I have been dealing with it for about 18 months... progressively gotten worse. had 3 rounds of cortisone shots and only 1st round helped. I have stretched everyday and ice a few times a week. finally had mri last week and found 7mm of built up scar tissue (1-2 is normal for my age). now waiting for surgery to lengthen it and try to clear out some of the scar tissue. Due to the covid-19 lockdown in my area they are backed up on surgeries and will take approx 2 months before i can even be scheduled because of those that had to be rescheduled and then a wait of 2 months due to the family vacation already planned 6 months ago...

March 2021: Hi to all. I'm a newbie to this site. I've had PF for many years (10?) and have tried 4 sets of ortho's via 4 podiatrists, all of whom I had a minimum of 5 follow-up appointments with. I am an uninsured retiree so the financial cost hurt! I've almost given up and now wear 2" heels all the time. That has really helped. I recently read an article about a doctor of podiatry in Melbourne, Australia, who researched the effectiveness of orthotics and he concluded they don't really help! My own 'research' involved getting a series of good stretches and exercises from a well regarded physiotherapist and doing them minimum twice per day. They have helped SO much!! Ankle strengthening, foot arch stretches, lots of calf and psoas stretches and walking the length of my apartment up on my toes 20 times (10 in each direction) twice a day. My outer thighs and psoas were really tight so first got a deep tissue massage to relax them. After about one week of the new regime my feet were so much better! I also invested in a foot massage roller. Its made out of some hard type of rubber and has raised nodes all around it. Got mine from a physiotherapist. Use it as many times a day as i can (min 2). If you persist with this your feet will get better! And instead of giving your money to fund medical lifestyles & fancy cars, put it towards buying yourself good quality footwear with arch support and long lasting footbed cushioning!! Good luck! But the catch of a return to healthy feet is you gotta commit to the stretching & strengthening exercises.