Heel pain reducing my quality of life...

CaseManager1947 · Aug 25, 2006

I too have had this painful disorder, and finally was fitted with molded shoe inserts... made especially for my feet. Oh my God, what a difference those made. I had to give up cute shoes, wear those inside air sneakers; my doc recommended Reebok DMX walkers. I have also heard some have found relief with Crocs, but this worked for me!!

Little Panda RN, ASN, RN · Aug 25, 2006

You really should find a podiatrist and ask for custom molded arch supports. I work for a podiatrist and from what my patients tell me, they work wonders!

fotografe · Aug 25, 2006

The crocs worked for rme! I had unrelenting Plantar Fascitis for 6 months. Within a week of wearing the crocs, the pain subsided and I would say I was pain free in in a month. I then purchased some inserts for my regular shoes from the Walking Store. I can't remember the brand, but they have some sort of computer that you step on and it evaluates your feet and makes a recommendation., Have not had a problem since!

It's all in the shoes. A doctor had recommended to me years back that I never wear anything very flat (flipflops, very flat shoes, etc.), and that I always wear a shoe with a wedge that had at least a one inch heel. After going through all kinds of shoes to find the ones that worked best, I had to give up all of my dress shoes and I wore Naturalizer shoes (I worked in Corporate America). For walking on the concrete streets of NY, I found Propet sneakers are very helpful.
I start nursing school in the Fall and I am going to take the suggestion of another forum on this website. There is a forum that specifically talks on this topic and one of their recommended shoes is Crocs. I went to the Crocs website and they are recommended by doctors for plantar fascitis.
I am going to invest in a pair of Crocs because I trust the expertise of the other nurses.
Standing for long periods will increase the symptoms. Walking doesn't aggravate the symptoms as much as standing in one spot. When you find the right shoes, you will find relief.

ktwlpn, LPN · Aug 25, 2006

Also, whenever I go to a podiatrist they seem to dismiss me because my pain isn't as bad compared to other people who have it Please help... I need your prayers...

Sounds like you need another podiatrist.I was miserable with it some years ago.My family doctor treated me with nsaids,I iced and taped and rolled my feet on cans but nothing helped.He injected me with cortisone which gave me great relief but only for a few months.Then he sent me to a podiatrist who injected me again and fitted my with orthotics (my insurance didn't pay and it was close to $500.00) I wore them in every pair of shoes for over a yr-thought I was cured and stopped and of course flared up again.I finally wore them until they disintegrated (almost 5 yrs) and now I've had no further problems and it's going on 8yrs.I continue to wear good shoes with decent arches because my feet are totally flat.I buy 2 pair of shoes for work a year and rotate them so I get about 6 months out of each.

gentle · Aug 25, 2006

Hello,

Yes, I will definitely pray for you.

The pain you are experiencing is not necessarily forever. As everyone has posted, there are multiple ways of managing this situation. As is typical with most issues in the feet/ankles, rest is a necessity. You will need to stay off your feet for however long it takes to heal. If this is impossible, then prioritizing what you must do is an absolute necessity.

Have you been able to change positions in your place of employment? In other words, are you able to keep your job or change into another position thereby keeping your medical benefits. If so then,this is good. If not then this is still okay because, it is not meant to be, and perhaps you will need to go onto medical disability until things have improved.

As far as the podiatrist, have you considered interviewing podiatrists in your local area to see who is willing to work with you in your situation. Let's face it, some people are just more compassionate than others and are better able to empathize with your situation.

As far as being ready to emotionally "kill yourself", is this really where you are? Or are you just absolutely frustrated with your situation and these were the words that matched your feelings of intense frustration/anger/disappointment? Okay, if you really feel this way on the inside, then please find someone to help you get this straightened out. How about starting with your PCP, or a friend's PCP if you don't like yours. Also go ahead and contact a psychologist for some extra support during this difficult time. If you don't believe in psychologists then you need to find a mentor with whom you can be transparent and share your burdens. Together perhaps you will be able to find other avenues to provide for your family's needs--if you are supporting other people--and yours.

Best wishes.

mojofla · Aug 31, 2006

LearningRN... I too have had plantar fasciitis. I saw a podiatrist. He taped me...no luck. Had several cortisone injections by him...no luck. Made me ortho shoe inserts(the hard kind)...no luck. My nurse co worker finally asked me why the heck I didn't go to an ortho doc as he had and he no longer suffered from this. The ortho doc gave me another cortisone injection. The difference was this shot felt like the devil himself was sticking me with his fork. I guess he went deep enough because no problems since. The doc also sent me to therapy to change my walking habits. I have had no problems since. In therapy they did use ice packs(you can use frozen peas) and followed exercises. I have a brochure from the ortho doc I will look for

The ortho doc did not like the hard inserts. Said to go to store for runners or one of those goodfeet type stores and pick up shoe inserts. They work just as well and are cheaper.I also make sure I buy good shoes. I have mephistos,danskos(all from ebay at great savings) and if I have to wear dress shoe I stick with kitten heels. Hope your feet feel better

JanNP · Oct 7, 2006

Pain and tenderness in the sole of foot under the heel bone is a common occurrence and treated in primary care. Avoiding running, jogging and loosing weight helps a lot. The stress to the heel tissues causes inflammation and calcification of ligaments of the foot. Avoid prolonged standing. Wear shoes with good arch and heel support. Avoid flat shoes and tennis shoes that have lost their support. Dr. Scholl heel cup inserts can be purchared at most drug stores to relieve pressure on the heel. Icing the heel 3 - 4 times a day for 15 minutes is also helpful to relieve inflammation as well as NSAIDS. A healthcare provider can inject the inflammed area with a steroid to reduce inflammation in the acute phase of heel pain. Their are also taping and wrapping techniques for the foot that can be done before going to sleep. You can see a Podiatrist to have a custom shoe insert designed. If the condition does not improve with conservative treatment after three months, consider seeing a Podiatrist that does surgery. If this is a heel spur and not plantar fasciitis, it may need a surgical consult. Good Luck!

JanNP

Ft. Worth, Texas