Plantar Fasciitis

Sorry to hear that you suffer from plantar fasciitis and that you are waiting for treatment.

I had it for nearly a year until I went for 10 sessions of acupuncture and I was given the following gel inserts that really worked and were a great relief. Now I have been pain free for around 5 years.

Maybe you would like to try the gel inserts as well?

Aetrex gel heel cradles - neutral cupped ( Ref: 50750 )

Recommended for relief from plantar fasciitis or general heel pain, these heel cradles are clinically proven to absorb shock and cushion painful heels. Soft gel plugs provide relief at the most sensitive areas, while the medial extension helps support the arch. Made from a medical grade Silicone gel.

I hope you feel better soon!

S.

Emis Moderator comment: I have removed the link as we do not link directly to commercial sites. Googling the product title above will get you sites that provide these.

I'm also sorry to hear you have Plantar Fasciitis. I have had it for a few years now but haven't had the steroid injections. Like 'Susi' above I would reccommend the gel inserts for your shoes. I shopped around a lot until I found ones that were perfect for me. I bought some that did absolutely nothing for my feet which was such a shame so decided to splash out on some that I saw on a Plantar Fascittis forum.

There is a really good clinical study read on their website which I would reccommend and all the other buyer comments are really positive! Google insolesbyhappyfeet - I got them in the post dead quick and I could feel the difference after only a short amount of time!

I hope your treatment goes well and you find something to help - i know how painful it can be.

M.

I have inserts in my shoes already. Which were recommended by chiropodist I saw when I realised the pain just wasn't going anywhere.

I will google those Gel one's that you have suggested though and maybe give them a try if the injection doesn't work.

Bloomers

I also went to a podiatrist first who made me

Inserts, but they only made my pain worse. As

I don't believe in injections, I wanted to try a

more natural way and was lucky to find a very

gifted acupuncturist. She ordered me the gel

inserts to try and Bingo, after a few more weeks

the pain got less and less.

I wish you all the best that you get well soon.

S.

Good luck!

I am still awaiting to hear from GP in regards to having an injection, that's the only course of action my GP has provided me with.

I have had both feet injected, the process is eye watering and you must stay off your feet for at least two weeks so they did mine at different times. It helped for approximately 2-3 months, I would not recommend as they are now worse than before the treatment, though I cannot say if this is because of the injections.

I would recommend decent insoles - go to a good podiatrist and have them made, the NHS one size fits all are made from plastic and do not cushion the foot. I have used gel inserts to limited effect - if your feet aren't too inflamed they can help. Gentle but regular exercise to stretch the area is beneficial, if your foot is too inflamed my podiatrist advised against this as you can tear and damage the area more. Make sure you wear decent supportive shoes with only a small heel.

My podiatrist gave me ultrasound which helped more but is a long process and therefore an expensive one. I'm currently back on Naproxen anti-inflammatory pills and pain killers when it gets beyond the point. There seems to be no 100% answer, if anyone has found success using other methods please do advise - the pain and discomfort can be excruciating and I would love to be rid of it.

I have been diagonised with this in October last year in my right foot, i have been to the doctors on several occasions and my doctor refered me to a physio who i was then told would not look at my feet.

On going back to the doctors as it has then developed into my left foot as well, the doctor asked me to stand on my heels in which i nearly passed out it was so painful.

I have since been to the pedoirist who was brilliant and has advised me about getting a pair of FITflops, a pediroll and also a list of excersise, i have suffered and still suffering from sleepless nights so rung my GP who said about having steroid injections, I had my first lot last week and at the time was quite painful but now has reduced the pain for me so i would advise them if you can have them.

I am now 5 months down the line and still struggling just hope i can get something to take the pain away as it is now effecting my confidence as i cannot walk properly.

Desperate to find any sort of treatment I came across Extra Corporeal Shockwave Therapy (ESWT). As the name suggests, it's a machine that sends shockwaves (they use something similar to destroy kidney stones) into the damaged area, stimulating the body into repairing the area and at the same time reducing the pain. I had it done 3 times once a week - each foot taking approximately 10 minutes. You don't need an anaesthetic; it's a walk-in clinic and you can drive home. Unfortunately it's not available on the NHS in my area (Hampshire) and whilst my GP wasn't familiar with the treatment he was very supportive and happy for me to try, with the proviso I report back the results

The practitioner is a local Consultant Orthapeadic Surgeon who has treated a number of patients with success, he is now trying to get approval for NHS funding, I would strongly recommend him. He has a website that you may find useful www.foot-ankle.co.uk

Since finishing the 3 treatments in February, my feet are tender at the beginning and end of the day but only occasionally painful. I have been wearing a shoe with a low heel (insoles included) whereas I was always in flats before. I find driving exacerbates things so try and avoid journeys over 1/2 hour. I have only had to apply anti-inflammatory gel twice to get through the night as opposed to nightly. April should be when I see optimal results, so I'm keeping everything crossed that I continue to make progress.

After 4 years of discomfort/pain and 2 years of different types of treatment, this is the best I have felt in a long time, you may wish to consider it, I'd certainly recommend looking into it further - good luck.