Ready to give up on my fasciitis relief

Hi Christine! Wish I could give you the winning answer but sadly I found myself in the same position. I have spent so much money on every type of insole, shoes, gadgets, latest weird craze of vitamin combo, some weird insole that has a pump and goes round your ankle!!!! I've seen podiatrists, Physio, back people, shock wave thereapy, massage, reflexology. I get sick to death of telling people what the issue is and being greeted with the response of...." oh I know someone who had that, have you tried an insole?" OF COURSE I HAVE!!!!

ANyway.....long story short....I have now had surgery... I had it on 18th and am currently in a plaster cast. This is my last resort and it's extreme! I can't work for weeks, I'm very uncomfortable but if this works and I get my life back it will be worth it. I'm happy to update you on the outcome. I really hope you are ok and know that there are people (maybe only a handful) that understand exactly the frustration you feel xxxxxx

Hi Christine.  I am a retired physician and plantar fasciitis patient.  I got plantar fasciitis around February 2016.  After about four months, it completely resolved. 

Here's what I think.  Plantar fasciitis is inflammation of the attachment of the plantar fascia to the heel bone, and/or some minimal tearing of the plantar fascia - just a few fibers - that results, naturally, in inflammation . . .   like a "pulled muscle."   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 the 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. 

Christine, that's what I think.  I hope this helps you and the many other sufferers of plantar fasciitis.  Good Luck to you, doknabox

 

Hi Chris I sympathise with you. I'm 64 and have been a runner all my life. 3 years ago my feet started hurting after I'd been sat down or got up out of bed. I thought it was just a symptom of getting old. 3 years on I know differently. Saw my doctor who gave me anti inflammatory tablets along with a sheet of exercises which I duly followed to the letter for 3 weeks. Low and behold it's now very much worse. Before the pain would go away after a few minutes and I could walk as far as I wanted no problem. Since doing the exercises, I can't walk anywhere without constant pain. I am having to walk on the balls of my feet to lessen the pain and am not far off being housebound. The evenings are the worst. I get up out of my chair and the pain is debilitating. I'm going back to the doctor but deep down I know it's going to be a waste of time. I've heard of people who have had several cortisone injections which haven't done a thing to alleviate the pain of PF. I truly believe that unless you catch it very early on. Forget it. Good luck.

Hi Christine!

Wow 5 podiatrists! I am sorry you are dealing with this pain, I fully understand. I have suffered with PF for about the same length of time as you. I Just received my second cortisone injection, (first one relieved some pain for only a few days so I'm not holding my breath with this one relieving the pain. My podiatrist said it may come to surgery. Since it looks like you have exhausted all of the conservative methods, has your dr. suggested this?

My story is similar to yours, no doctor has been able to help me. I've gotten help from a very skilled podiatrist and that gave some relief, but did not take the pain away. By chance I heard from a friend of mine that there was a woman who practizised chinesiology that had helped him. With nothing to lose I went to see her and after discussing my feet problems, she was interested in knowing how my stomach was feeling. How did my poop look etc. I hope I don't upset anyone by writing this. 🙂

Her theory was that to cure the inflammation in my feet, my immune system has to work 100%. The immune system is mainly placed in the small intestine and if that is occupied with handling food or ingredients that you are 'allergic' to, it will not be able to heal your inflammation. In my case, I took away lactose, then coffee and like a miracle really the pain subsided gradually and after about 2-3 weeks I was 90% better and the pain was replaced by something I would name an irritation. Not perfectly healed, still not after 6 months, but way better than my old life with continuous horrific pain that never gave away.

Not at all sure that this helps you, but hopefully some inspiration to try and take away typical foods that are known to cause irritation to the small intestine. It will be different food for different people, so try something and give it a few weeks. If no improvement, try the next.

Looking forward to hearing how you're doing.

Best of luck! Don't let it beat you!

//Thomas, Sweden

Hi Christine, I worked in a care home and spent a lot if time on my feet, sometimes 14 hour shifts. One morning I got up out if bed and nearly fell, the pain I felt in my heel when I stood on it was unbearable. This went on for a few months, worse at night after I got in from work. Once I had sat down and relaxed and then had to get up I could barely stand, the pain is like nothing I have ever felt before. I now have a job uworking in a hospital but they gave me three shifts in a row (12.5 hours) and as you can imagine on my feet on hard floors all day. On day three I could have cried with the pain. I limped out of the hospital when my shift ended. I find the only thing that helps is rest and good thick insoles. Even now I still get the pain. I take paracetamol and ibuprofen if it gets too bad. I am about to start some of the stretching exercises that seem to be recommended with this condition. I hope you can find some relief.