Plantar Fasciitis

[linaelyn]

Hi all. This is a plea for help, advice, and whatever you might have. I know, Y'all are not doctors, or physical therapists, or whatever. But I'm grasping at straws after well-over two months of not running, and I'm frustrated with the pace of Not Getting Healed Up.

I have been to the doctor (mine is a good one, for sports injuries, at least) and been informed that the reason my heel has been hurting for the past month is 1) directly related to stoopid, rasse-frassa-frickin'-frackin' menopausal transitioning causing general inflamation systemically, and 2) called Plantar Fasciitis. In essence, the tendon that runs from my heel bone, forward towards my toes, is inflamed/irritated/NOT HAPPY. It's been an issue for about three months now.

I'm icing it by rolling a frozen water bottle under my foot. I'm doing the milder forms of the stretching and strengthening exercises recommended by my doctor. I'm taking an NSAID (Advil) before doing anything that will probably upset it (because I'm NOT going to go to Hawaii and skip the Volcano Hike, that's JUST NOT OK.)

My doctor says I'm simply not resting it enough. She says I need "more time just sitting on my keester." I don't do well mentally/emotionally when I sit still for extended periods.

Advice?

Comments

[shanaqui]

Huh. I was simply told to buy orthotics, keep off my feet a week, and then exercise as normal with the orthotics. Same with my mother -- she wore her orthotics six months, and as long as she doesn't wear silly shoes, now she doesn't need them. (She's a doctor, so that may be some reassurance this is not a silly decision.) I get no pain now as long as I wear my orthotics: I use Iron Man Sport ones, I think these. The arch support is the important thing, I think. I'll check with my mother if you want to know for sure!

[linaelyn]

My doctor mentioned orthotics as the "next step," if things don't clear up in four to six months. :-/ Not sure why she thinks it's necessary to wait that long, but apparently I need a medical prescription for the right sort for my specific foot-shape & pain type? Thanks for the information, very much. If it doesn't improve soon, I'll definitely become more of a pest about getting orthotic support.

[shanaqui]

Huh. My mum's opinion when I developed plantar fasciitis was that it wouldn't heal without the orthotics, and while she had properly fitted ones, mine aren't and did the job just fine.

Ah, treatment variations around the world...

[linaelyn]

I agree, the treatment variations throughout the world are sometimes... baffling. Thanks again for your perspective from your part of the world! :-)