Ok, so I have an extremely bad case of plantar facsiitis in my left foot that will not respond to treatment. I just had a CAST on for a month, and that did not even help. I have tried cortisone injections, excercises, night splints, you name it. My foot is still killing me after getting my cast removed. I am trying to avoid surgery, so I am going to have orthotics made, which is about the only thing I haven't tried. I am getting extremely frustrated because I can hardly work out because it hurts my foot. (Granted, I have lost 20 pounds since surgery on December 5th with a cast on my foot, but still...that was probably from lugging the cast around with me!!) I was hoping losing that weight would help also, but to no avail.

Any suggestions anyone? Thanks for listening, I needed to vent about this!

Vent away, I know the frustration of foot problems. Myself, I have chronic bursitis in my right heel, and it has been constant for about four years now. It affects my whole leg and I have sciatic problems on that side.

It was the main reason I had WLS, it started out of the blue one day. Losing 85lb or so has helped enormously, as have orthotics in my running shoes and I generally wear birkenstocks or some other orthotically designed shoe the rest of the time, with the occasional girlie shoe thrown in.

I have had years of physio, my problem is quite manageable and not excruiciating like it was when I was fat and I manage to run regularly, running just means I cant walk for 15 minutes when I get up in the morning.

Last week though out of desperation I went to an acupuncturist. I was so sceptical I probably appeared rude. Guess what, I'm about 3/4 cured. I have NO leg pain and had NO heel pain when I got up. All that's left is a mild sciatic pain in the buttock and a generalised ache and tightness of that lower right quadrant of my back and buttock. That's after ONE session. Truly miraculous and I've heard great things about acupuncture for planta fasciitis.

OK, this wasnt meant to be a story about me, but my heart goes out to you. I actually have a hole in the bedroom wall behind the door where I kicked it out of pure frustration one day. I hope you find something that works for you.

I totally recommend accupunture for these types of problems. I had a really bad knee (stiff and sore) for about 6 months after doing line dancing classes... I had aggrevated an old problem. I went to physio, chiro to no avail. After 1 session with the accupunturist I could bend it again and walk up and down stairs. I had a number of sessions to help strengthen it. He worked on both knees since I have very little cartilege left. Haven't had any problems with them since... after many years I can kneel again. Make sure you find someone who is recommended by other people. My guy is a doctor and he worked wonders with me and people I know. No harm in giving it a try.

About 10 years ago, I had a terrible problem with planter facsitis as well. I too tried just about everything and what ended up working was ultrasound treatments (I believe back then it was called phonophoresus - I'm sure I messed up the spelling). I went 2-3 times per week and it really took care of the problem. Haven't had any problems since even though I probably gained 75 pounds since then overall.

Robin

I have prescription orthotics for that very reason, and they did help, but it took me 3 months to adjust to wearing them. If I wore them too long they killed my knees and hips. Once I did get adjusted to wearing them, now I can't go a whole day without them, for exactly the same reason. Unfortunately, they don't play well with dress shoes, and they don't stay in open-heeled shoes, so most of my sandals are completely off limits unless it's just a short time I'll be wearing them, and only if I'm not going to be doing a great deal of walking.

I'm tempted to get myself re-adjusted to not wearing them now that I'm 60 lbs lighter, and see what happens.

And Jack, I never considered having my chiropractor try to treat my plantar faciitis, I went straight to a podiatrist.... Next time (if there is a next time) I'll do that instead, I enjoy going to see my chiropractor!

Oooh, thanks, Jack!!!!

Have you had an MRI?

When nothing resolved my right foot pain we had an MRI confirm a calcaneal fracture.

Before that we only had bilateral Xrays at the office.

You've been casted already, which is what they would do FIRST if you did have a fx.

Massage, foot soaks, untucking sheets etc are all thing sI do.

Foot pain is so awful, it can stop us in our tracks.

It sounds too easy but, My mom found relief by...rolling a golf ball around her instep 2 -3 times a day followed by rolling a frozen coke bottle under her foot 5-10 minutes. After so many other doctor suggestions and treatments that's the one that worked. So silly and simple.

Good Luck hope you get relief!

Skinny- I have already tried tennis balls, golf balls, my dogs rubber balls that they play with, a rolling pin, a pop bottle...you name it!

Thanks for everyones suggestions. I found a chiropractor here that does chiropractic medicine and acupuncture, so I am going to make an appointment with her. We'll see how it goes!

I am a nurse and I have had patients tell me very good things about having acupuncture for back pain, so I am very willing to give it a try.

(By the way, the strange thing is, I had this about 5 years ago. I got one cortisone injection and wore a night splint for a month, and BAM! No further pain until now...)

Have you had an MRI?

When nothing resolved my right foot pain we had an MRI confirm a calcaneal fracture.

Before that we only had bilateral Xrays at the office.

You've been casted already, which is what they would do FIRST if you did have a fx.

Massage, foot soaks, untucking sheets etc are all thing sI do.

Foot pain is so awful, it can stop us in our tracks.[/quote]

Yep, I knew I was in trouble when I didn't leave a patients bedside for 12 hours and was on my feet the whole time and my foot hurt IN my cast. Had I not had a cast on, I probably would not have been able to walk for about the next 3 days! (At least not without lurching around the house, holding onto furniture, and generally being really gimpy...)

Well, I went to the ortho doc again today. I am going to do PT three times a week and get professional orthotics made. I am still going to try chiro and acupuncture also. Jack, any good tips on the orthotics?

Thank God my doc did not want to do surgery. He had mentioned that in the past and I am really not on board for that. Whew!!

Ok, so I have an extremely bad case of plantar facsiitis in my left foot that will not respond to treatment. I just had a CAST on for a month, and that did not even help. I have tried cortisone injections, excercises, night splints, you name it. My foot is still killing me after getting my cast removed. I am trying to avoid surgery, so I am going to have orthotics made, which is about the only thing I haven't tried. I am getting extremely frustrated because I can hardly work out because it hurts my foot. (Granted, I have lost 20 pounds since surgery on December 5th with a cast on my foot, but still...that was probably from lugging the cast around with me!!) I was hoping losing that weight would help also, but to no avail.

Any suggestions anyone? Thanks for listening, I needed to vent about this!

I had plantar facsiitis in both feet and, like you, I tried everything. But in the end, I had the surgery and the pain was gone instantly. Now, however, years later I am having issues again and just got orthodics last week. So far it has helped a little and I am hoping for a lot more, but I am not betting the farm on it. I hate pain and I hat when my body interferes with what I want to do, so I get very impatient about slow cures.

As for activities in the meantime, have you considered Water aerobics or swimming? This is great exercise and it is VERY easy on the joints and the feet. Think about it! Good luck, Laura

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that releasing the plantar facsia allowed the bone structure of my foot to collapse so now I am virtually flat footed and have chaliced feet because of the improper weight distribution on the bones of my feet. All this force me to try yet another pair of orthodics (though I think these may actually help) to relieve the knee, hip, and back pain that my poor step patterns are causing. WTH, does it never end? Aging sucks and I am still very young and 100+ lbs lighter. I shudder to think what my feet would feel like now if I still weighed 277 lbs!

I was on bedrest for 4 months prior to the birth of my twins and after that, I could barely walk b/c of plantar faciatis...

I went to a pt (once and then did the stretching at home), lost weight and had orthodics made...my dr. wanted me to wear them constantly, but I don't wear shoes in my house, nor do I wear closed shoes very often...so I only wear them when I work out...I have NO problems anymore...amazing.

Best of luck.

Rain

I had it years ago and the thing that helped was the Ultrasound.

I have had two episodes.

The first was about 15 years ago. I went to a podiatrist who had orthotics made for me, then injected cortisone (numbed the nerve in my heel first thank God!), and used ultrasound. It eventually went away.

The second round I have had now for the past year. I have tried everthing. Night splints, arch supports, taping, stretching, oral steroids, cortisone injection (and he did NOT numb the foot first!!!!!! OMG!!). The only thing that I haven't been able to get was the ultrasound and I'm beginning to wonder if that made the difference before. I am at the point now of trying the accupuncture. At this point I will try anything. I am almost disabled from the pain sometimes (having to use a motorized grocery cart, having to support myself using the edge of the bed when I first get up. I'm sitting here now in $100 Air Nike's with arch supports in them.

I am hoping that weight loss will help but I'm not getting my hopes up.