Plantar Fasciitis

Hello All,

I'm new to this forum, and found it through a google search.

I have plantar fasciitis, and have been suffering for a year now. It's getting to the point that i'm living with almost constant pain, can't walk properly and getting quite depressed. I dont feel that i will ever walk normally again :(

Last night i just sat down and cried with the pain.

I have tried pain killers, stretches, icing, heat, heel pads and various rubs. I visited a podiatrist last week who taped my foot. That worked for a day.

It's getting to the point that i just cant cope with being in pain all the time.

Any advice or just some sympathy would be gratefully received :)

Hello there, sorry to hear about your problem, hopefully you will be able to find some relief through the application of the information available on this forum.

Firstly, have you looked here:
http://www.physiobob.com/forum/searc...searchid=33032

Some of the topics covered in other similar cases include:
Myofascial Release Therapy
Examining Diet, Footwear, and most importantly Foot Biomechanics

It sounds like you have use many therapies, but by the sounds of it you have attempted to aggressively control the symptoms rather than attempt to get to the route of the problem, whether that is through advice (from a health practitioner) or through whatever you have read.

I would be inclined to understand more of the history of your condition:

How long since this began? What eases the symptoms, as well what aggravates them?

Hope this will get things started.,

Regards

I recently started having this pain in my arch area. Did you find relief?

Dear Samx

I have to agree with Canuck Physio that a fuller history is required. Like most overuse syndromes, Activities of Daily Living have an effect on what the prognosis of such conditions will be like...

First of all, how are you sure you have plantar fascitis? Im not saying you havent got this condition however its good to have a precise diagnosis, so how are you sure? did a physio or doctor tell you this is the problem? and how did they arrive at this diagnosis?

When did this problem start? when did you first notice it? can you relate it to activity when you first noticed it? is there an activity that makes it worse? or is there an activity that makes it better?
what relieves it? Ice, heat, painkillers? if painkillers, what kind?
does anyone in your family have this problem?
have you had any other injuries to other parts of your body...knees, back hips etc...
How old are you and what is your occupation?
whats your posture like?
any issues with connective tissue problems in the family?

If you have tried all the above therapies, I would suggest that maybe you need to consider some injection therapy and walking temporarily with a walking aid while you get rehabed by a physiotherapist...

With problems of the foot...there is no given them rest as we need to move, therefore microtrauma keeps happening,scar tissue keeps forming, the structure gets tighter and a vicious cylce begins...I would treat this recalcitrant problem like i would any other overuse injury..

I would control the pain and inflammation--injection therapy
I would protect it----walking aid and perhaps heel pads, consider modifying any activity that would worsen it
I would compare the foot biomechanics of the affected foot to the good one, anaylze whats happening at the spine, hips, knees and feet...
my rehab will be aimed at correcting this problems
I may consider stretches and ultrasound where needed
I would gradually re-introduce the provocative activities to see how the foot responds as your symptoms get better and you are pain free (which you will likely be after injection, however it is good to stay two weeks-three weeks before starting any vigorous therapy, i would suggest using a walking aid then to prevent excessive loading that keeps causing microtrauma)...i.e climbing stairs for instance, running, squatting...

All in all, with good assessment and complementary therapies, I should think you should see some improvement in anything from 8 to 12 weeks or less for as long as you can identify the aggravators and modify where necessary...

Cheers