Plantarfacitis...home remedies / tips needed!

[kaz35]

Just been told that I have plantarfacitis in my left foot (bloomin' painful, although not serious at all).  just wondered if anyone else has suffered with this, and if so, does anyone have any tips for me, things i could do at home to allieviate the pain.  I'm on my feet all day, and my foot is so painful when I get home, right in the ball of the heel.  I've been given shock absorbing jelly heel pads to wear in my shoes, but only recently, so havn't felt the benefit yet.  Any help / tips gratefully recieved!!  xx

[d0gsb0dy]

Oh, dear! I've been there. You are correct. It is painful. One thing that can help is to lose a bit of weight if you are over. However, take a look at this link http://www.aafp.org/afp/20010201/467.html and carry out the calf-stretching exercises shown in the photographs down the page. I found these helped (I'm OK now). The exercises are a bit painful, but worth persevering with.
Good luck and lots of sympathy. :)

[smudge]

I do sympathise with you kaz. My husband has suffered with this too & could hardly walk at one stage. He had to have casts made of his feet, then inserts made for his shoes. Since wearing these the pain in his heels has subsided & he no longer has any problems walking. Good luck.

[kaz35]

Thanks both for your replies - I'm not overweight, my BMI is smack-on, but thanks for the web address, will take a look. Mysister also had this as a child, and she too had the special inserts for her feet, she is o.k now - that was 25 years ago.  I don't know what has caused it, can't pinpoint exactly when it started.  Thanks again for your help  XX :)

[smudge]

You're welcome kaz.

[KingKonk]

I too had this problem.

I went to a chiropodist who sold me a special insole to put in my shoe. This seemes to help with the discomfort but as the weeks and months went by I realised that it was never going to cure the problem. 

Then I plucked up courage to visit an Alternative Medicine Centre where one of the practicioners signed me up to a course of six sessions of electric therapy.

At each visit I laid on a couch and electrodes were attached to my foot. When the current was switched on I experienced just a slight tingling - nothing more. I had to lie there for forty minutes each session.

To this day I do not really understand why it worked - all I can say is that after the sixth session I was completely cured. 

[kaz35]

Thanks, kingkonk, that may be worth a try.  It's so blooming' painful, the heel in my left foot feels permenantly bruised, and I'm on my feet all day unfortunately.  I've started doing the stretching exercises as suggested in the website address given to me by d0gsb0dy, so hopefully will see some benefit from those.  Do ice packs have any benefit?  Havn't tried that.  Thanks for your help again  x :))

[luvthemusic]

Well,

     My mother has tghe same problem, and she has invested in a pair of Berkenstocks Sadals to help her heel. While they're still breaking in, you should only wear them for about four hours, untill they really sften up.

     Another thing that my mom does is go to phisical Therapy, and they ultrasound her heal massage it, and wrap it too. I don't know what your therapist would o, but I reccomend it greatly! 8)

[m'liss]

hope your foot is better I suffered for months and birkenstock sandals were what saved me. That was 3 years ago and now its back and i cant find relief hopefully the exercises will bring some relief ,the orthopedic doctor says therapy but my insurance wont cover it / foot locker sells the best insoles that wont break you. Ice does help. good luck its a miserable pain

[kaz35]

Thanks M'liss - I've been having steroid injections into my foot, and they've helped the pain tremendously, it's 95% better than what it was, it's such a relief. I had the first injection at the end of September, instant relief, then the second one 6 weeks later, and am due for a third in the middle of this month (you have to leave it 6 weeks between injections). I still wear the 'jelly' pads in my shoes, they just take the pressure off the heel. Maybe you could look into this form of treatment??? I will say that the injections into the heel are VERY painful, but it only lasts a few seconds, and when you're putting up with a constant pain anyway, it's worth it... thanks to everyone for their help, i hope this is of some help to you all xxx

[taylorae08]

kaz:

take anti-infammitory medicines like tylenol.

[Chyenne]

I too have suffered greatly with the diagnosis plantarfacitis, tried several things but the only thing that seems to work for me is the injections, about once a year, I had my first just over a year ago and have done fine painless until about a week or 2 ago, im going for my second injection next week, im hoping it works just as good an as long as the first , good luck