Fibromyalgia Community

Several years ago I had plantar fasciitis and it can be very painful. I remember not wanting to take that first step out of bed in the morning! I'd hop on one foot to the shower.

I went to an orthopedic surgeon. After trying a couple of months on NSAIDs, he then prescribed an injection of cortisone in my heel. It took 2 injections - first one didn't work. This did the trick - pain gone!

I have found over the years that wearing shoes with good arch support is very important for me. If I go without the arch support, I will find that I will begin to feel twinges of the pain coming back in my heel. I have bought the Dr Scholl arch supports and put them in shoes that didn't have enough support.

I remember the Dr giving me a cushioned heel cup to wear in my shoes - but that didn't really help me as much as making sure I had enough arch support.

The Dr gave me exercises I could do at home - and those helped. Again when I start feeling any heel pain, I'll be sure to do some of the exercises.

You probably should have a Dr confirm that you indeed have plantar fasciitis.

Good luck.

Hello, I had plantar fasciitis several years ago and it was all in the arch of my foot. I also had heel pain and that was due to a bone spur underneath my heel. I got orthotics for that and they worked wonders. The plantar fasciitis lasted nearly a year and I couldn't powerwalk for that entire time, but it did go away all by itself.

There is a third kind of foot pain that I sometimes get and it sems to run in streaks. The first few steps out of bed are so painful, I can barely walk. Don't know what it is. I remember how relieved I was the last time it went away. I may be hydrating more now but I don't know if that has anything to do with it leaving.

Good luck to you!

Soft hugs,

maggie

Very good advice from Teelady, as it sounds just like my case of fasciitis. The cortisone shot worked for me, but the best and cheapest advice I got also helps. That is, stretch the bottom of the foot before getting out of bed or up from sitting. This prevents reinjuring the tendons. Put your toes on the wall, heal on floor and gently push into wall, and hold. Repeat. Do this religiously and also wear arch supports that feel comfortable - not too stiff, nor too high. With time, these things can help tremendously. Good luck, as I know it hurts a lot!

I suggest icing your heel when the pain is bad, and stretching the calf muscle every morning and evening. And definitely use arch support. When I forget to do these things I really feel the pain. If I'm consistent with them, I can be pain free.

I had fasciitis on both feet, the first in 2003, the second in 2008. My doc said active people get it and I was on my feet all the time. I got the surgery, they cut the plantar tendon, just a quarter inch slit in the bottom of your foot to do that. (They don't remove a spur from your heel, just cut that tendon, the pain is from it pulling) Then wrapped to my knee and you have to keep it up and stay off the foot a lot at first. then taper back on it. Not much after surgery pain at all, mine healed very well. I never had the pain again and yours does sound like my pain. I walked on my toes on the first foot for almost a year until I went to find out what was wrong with it. Shots and other things didn't help me. The surgery was great. So I had my other foot done when it got bad. No heel pain at all ever since. That's the only part of me that doesn't hurt, sorry to say. The advice about good shoes and arch support is right on. I've always worked on my feet, sometimes good shoes, sometimes flat shoes that were comfy but no support. 2 years on my feet working for a veterinarian on cement all day caught up to me, after years of work on my feet in other jobs. If they want to the surgery, don't be scared of it, it works so well.

Yes I am going along with you here...it sounds right. Too, help this as soon as you think of it (all the time) either use a towel wrapped around the foot and pull it to you to point the 'toes to your nose*...this is stretching out the 'achilles tendon' in the calf that is pulling on the tendon.

Another choice is to go to a wall and stand back about 3-4 shoe lengths and lean in to the wall at at angle. Keeping the feet planted to the floor feel the stretch of the calf that way. If not enough for you, move the foot outward more with the 'lunge' effect to do the same.

For my situation with the trigger points, I have had the calf injected as it was just that (a trigger point) in the calf that was making the spastic calf muscle and this relieved it. Warming the calf before these attempt may make it easier to respond.

I can remember early on being crippled to get up from break at the hospital....when you sleep the achilles shortens even more.

As a rule our muscles are lazy guys and NO ONE wants to work!! My trigger for that was I started walking track and I didn't stretch before or after...so I got into trouble. I also had podiatry in the last 3 years or so inject the heel to free me up to really work at the stretching. (TOUGH SHOT) and I do shots all the time.....but it was instant help to do what I had to. Then I had neurology find the muscle trigger and wa-la fixed.

But that is my story. Try all the exercises first and then podiatry can take you further. He may want a good arch support in your shoe too...this helpful to pitch the whole leg right.. No arch and you tend to slide outward and stress the knees.

I am seeing that in your statement too. You are favoring the foot and it then goes to the structure connected to it as you have changed what is norm. (remember the song "the knee bone is connected to the leg bone..the hip bone conneceted to the the leg bone and on and on" IT IS SO TRUE...I swear they all talk to eachother....good luck I know it is painful.

The towel/rope/chord trick to pull the toes foward can be done before getting out of the warm bed, have it on the bedside and stretch out before you stand. IT is painful when you start. IN THE SHOWER..back to the water and warmed...lunge to the wall....that was my best 'win' moments.

All my best...Nancy B

Hi,
sure sounds like Plantar Fascitis. I get it a lot and it really affects my work. Best to go see your Dr. and get some help. I found filling a plastic water bottle with water and freezing it. I then roll the frozen bottle under the affected foot and it really helps.
Hugs
Jilly in the UK

I don't know anything about this Plantar Fascitis is but I can tell you that I have had FM diagnosis for 2 years now and I have pain in the arch of both of my feet most of the time. I sometimes have sharp pains in my knees, Elbows and in my shins. I figured it was part of FM. Let me know if you find out something different.