What should be my next STEP?

I sympathise with you. I have had this problem now for 4 years. Rest insoles injections nothing works. Now waiting to see a dr for some treatment that I don't really understand but will have a go at anything. I have heard that there is a operation but I have not found it in England so it must be in America. Or you have to go private. Also I cannot afford that so suffering in silence. Good luck with your journey and hope you get some relief.

Sounds like you are doing most things. I didn't hear you say icing tho. I've been icing much more lately and find it's helping a lot., 50% better is great! I think time will get you there! Best, julia

I too have tried everything...latest was orthopedic doctor...had injection, which lasted for awhile. Freeze a bottle of water, to roll your foot on it while seated. It helps. I still haven't found a full proof cure and have tried everything. I found runner orthotics helped, but now find all orthotics now hurt and add pressure on my arches...( if u haven't read my initial post, I have PF in both feet..over a year now)! The pain has limited my activities to the point that I can't do gym classes and hike. It's begun to affect my knees. Now trying sandals with a good arch and a wedge which elevates some discomfort. 

Still haven't read of anyone who has gotten over this. Many say it has to run it's course! I'm still waiting!

Try thick gel heel pads, you can get trhem on line for a couple of quid and they are for pf and heel spurs, they certainly helped me and within a couple of month' s all pain had gone and I can even walk barefoot around the house. flip flops are awful throw them away and do not walk with sandels they do not cushion the heel and sole, trainers and walking boots are best with gel heel pads in them. Heel spurs can be removed but anti inflamatory pain killers should reduce the inflamation a bit.

I have had PF on and off for over twenty years now. At best it is a bad ache first thing in the morning which goes away, at worst an incredible pain which means I cannot walk even with insoles, padding, etc, and keeps me laid up for several days.

You have probably read the posts which give good advice but as I have said before, PF can affect people in different ways and remedies also vary in effectiveness.

I have, touch a large chunk of wood, been PF free for over 18 months now. I can only think this has been helped by daily (and I do mean EVERY day) stretching exercises as I have very tight hamstrings, and calf muscles.

This isn’t to say I have been totally PF free. I often feel an aching, tearing sensation in the arch which I think is the start of another onset but luckily goes away. I also often have the feeling that my foot has been run over by a car, the top of the foot feels crushed and this sensation is on and off during the day. There is also pain down to the toes that makes walking stiff and awkward and is the most frequent and long lasting, but happily not every day.

I wear Crocs, Birks, and gel heeled trainers, insoles, and gel heels in other harder soled shoes which may help keep things at bay. The foot pain has limited my walking periods as I used to be able to walk for 10 or 12 miles with no problem, also I have given up jogging and running up steps for fear of waking the PF monster, this can result in weight gain which may make PF worse.

PF is to an extent life-changing and sadly there doesn’t appear to be any permanent cure for it, only alleviation to some extent of the pain. Sorry if this sounds a bit downbeat but I have not read a post that offers the magic bullet cure. Better maybe to raise awareness of how PF can start, so that people can avoid it in the first place.

T-Girl, I am so sorry to read about your severe suffering with plantar fasciitis.  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.  Make sure your innersoles are soft and preferably made of gel.  (I plan to use mine indefinitely in my shoes.)  Then I wore 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.  And I would suggest to you, have patience, not surgery.

T-Girl, that's what I think.  I hope this helps you and the many other sufferers of plantar fasciitis.  Good Luck to you, doknabox/JerryR

Acupuncture is something I haven't tried...nor has anyone mentioned it. Any thoughts on giving that a try?