How do you cure Plantar facsictis (heel pain)?

Question

my mum has heel pain and she wants to start working.

Thanks for all your help! I needed that. :):):):)

Answer 1

I had custom orthotics made. The podiatrist fit them by taking plaster casts of my feet, so when I got the orthotics, they literally fit me exactly. I didn't see how they could possibly be comfortable (they are completely rigid with an unpadded leather lining), and they took a couple of weeks to get used to, but they did immediately help a lot with the pain, and in time, my severe fasciitis (with accompanying heel spurs) completely went away.

I normally don't wear shoes in the house, but for several months, I wore shoes constantly so I could be on my orthotics. By the next summer (six months later), I could sometimes wear sandals without my orthotics, but I still couldn't go barefoot for long without having pain. Even with my orthotics, and even after a year, I still had painful spells occasionally (such as when I suddenly squatted down or turned my body sharply without lifting my foot).

Today, seven years later, I am pain-free if I take care of my feet, but I still wear my orthotics every time I wear closed shoes. (I can go several days without the orthotics, but eventually I start having heel pain.) During the summer, I can wear flip-flops every day without my orthotics and I don't have a problem if it's not a very heavy walking day. I can also walk around barefoot all day in my house without problem (I am back to never wearing shoes at home), and I can stand for long periods and walk long distances (wearing my orthotics). Incidentally, I'm still using the same pair of orthotics I got seven years ago, so their high cost (about $400, covered by insurance) in hindsight seems more reasonable.

Some things that didn't work for me:

*stretching exercises
*gel insoles
*non-custom orthotics

While I was waiting for my orthotics (they took several weeks to be manufactured), I taped my feet to give them support. Using adhesive (medical) tape, I would stick the end on the ball of my foot, bring it down towards the heel on the opposite side (crossing the arch of the foot), around the heel, and back across towards the pinky toe. Tear off the tape there. Keep the tape pulled very tight while doing this. Make several passes. Additional strips can be applied stretching (tightly!) from the pad of the foot to the back of the heel. The tape can be worn for several days (even through bathing) without being removed (too frequent removal will irritate the skin). Add a new layer on top of the old layers each day to tighten them up. This is definitely not a long-term solution, but, oh my, the support feels wonderful while waiting for the orthotics.

Answer 2

Ouch! Your mum has my sympathy! I have plantar fasciitis but right now I'm doing OK, so I'll tell you what I did that worked.

I went to see a podiatrist and he gave me a shot of cortisone in my heel. It hurt horribly and I was literally crawling around the house that night because it hurt to walk--worse than the pain it was supposed to cure. But the next day I was hiking around a college campus with my little brother--no problems at all!

The cortisone shot wore off after a few months so I got another one with the same results.

Then I wore a support boot at night for a while but it was very uncomfortable and didn't seem to be helping, so I tossed it into the closet and haven't seen it since.

I finally invested in my cure--I bought $400 custom orthotics that were electronically measured for my exact feet and weight (not just a foam step-in box--this was an electronic pad that I stepped on which fed all my information into a computer). I then put those orthotics into a $105 pair of sneakers (New Balance 842, 843) with a roll bar. You can get them from Lady Foot Locker--be sure to take the original insoles out before putting in the orthotics and make sure your mum is measured for her exact size and foot width and that the shoes feel GOOD with the orthotics in them. The combination of the orthotics and sneakers completely solved the problem--no more pain!

I walked around in these $500 dollar shoes for a a few years (I bought new sneakers when the ones I had wore out) and avoided ALL other shoes and avoided walking barefoot as much as possible and the pain has gone away, hopefully forever. I even got brave a couple months ago when I bought new sneakers and didn't transfer the orthotics, which were getting old, into them. I've been walking around in regular New Balance 843s without the orthotics and my feet still feel great!

Here's the link to a description of them:

http://www.newbalance.com/productbrowser/product_details.html?g11n.enc=ISO-8859-1&feature=&gender=Women&segment=&product=WW843WB&product_type=shoe&sport=Walking

Best of luck to your mum!

Answer 3

I recommend a customized 'footbed' and some good shoes. They are sometimes called an "orthotic footbed". If she can have these footbeds customized for her and put them in her good shoes it should reduce the stress on the foot. A podiatrist can create these footbeds which is the best call, becuase she or he can give a good exam and find any other problems. However, here is a website that also specialized in custom orthotics and they can make them for you through the mail. http://www.supportyourfeet.com/custom_orthotics.htm

Also, I think she should look for a job that does not require too much standing or walking (e.g., telemarketing or call center operator, administrative assistant, etc...) Good luck.

Answer 4

If u want to totally eradicate plantar fasciitis within few weeks then u must follow the steps mentioned in this site : http://treatmyplantarfasciitis.us.to - It totally helped me out.Good luck!

Answer 5

Try stretching excersises, wearing shoes with support and cushioning to releive the pain, orthotic devices, such as heel cups, adn arch spports. You can take some NSAIDS for pain, such as ibuprofen, motrin, adult tylenol, aleve, advil. Try the meds without aspirin.

Answer 6

i know what shes going thru. i have it to. now its on the side of my foot where my little toe is. alldown that side. it hurts so bad. i feel so sorry for her.

Answer 7

She could try taking Voltaren.