Plantar fasciitis--it's killing me!!

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I work 12 hour shifts in the PICU and now I have Plantar fasciitis and it is killing me!! I know I need new shoes desperately (any ideas? This is one thing I'm willing to invest in next week when I get my student loans), but what else can I do to get better and relieve the pain? No I'm not asking for medical advice, just your personal experiences with this common problem in nurses.

I take ibuprofen but that doesn't seem to help. How long does it take to heal based on your experience?

I take my ibuprofen, recently got some inserts specifically for PF, and got a pair of MBT's for shoes...totally happy with my $245 shoes. I also got a splint to wear at night which is helping. Try footsmart.com.

Missy

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Specializes in ER/EHR Trainer.

I don't have PF, but use MBT's too, they are supposed to help with that condition. Everything I have read is the usual tx-my daughter has from year round sports and training-ice and night splints, yoga and stretching. Good luck

Maisy;)

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I have plantar fasciitis in my right foot, caused by trauma in June '06 (I had fallen off a ladder in my kitchen); the pain was horrible initially - I could hardly walk and would have been unable to work, but wasn't employed at the time. After an initial misdiagnosis (bursitis) and other delays, I finally saw a specialist (podiatrist) who has started effective tx - and given me hope that this condition can, and will be cured in time (hope that I had already given up - I had thought I would never be able to go on long walks and hikes again!)

This has worked for me:

- An injection of cortisone

- Stretching exercises

- Orthotic inserts for my shoes (not covered by insurance, but so worth it!)

- Wearing Birkenstock-type sandals instead of going barefoot

- I was also advised to use ice (rolling the foot over a 1 qt bottle) if I had severe pain, but I haven't done that part - maybe because I haven't felt the need to!

So far, the improvement is about 95%; I will have a follow-up appointment soon. And yes, I have been walking again (only 2 miles so far, since I won't overdo it; the 8-miler will happen eventually!)

Agree with others, if you haven't seen a good specialist yet (and I recommend a podiatrist), please do so.

Good luck!

DeLana :)

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This may sound crazy but for a year my foot was so painful :o ...i dragged around everywhere in pain....i started using muzino running shoes and i swear the day i started to wear the shoes my foot had no pain as long as i had the shoes on....after a few weeks of working and wearing the shoes my foot actually started to feel better even in regular shoes....i gave up my wonderful danskos(4 different colors,,,lol) and have invested in muzinos for work.... i did go to a specialty store and was fitted properly .......never had another pain

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Specializes in RN CRRN.

try swedish leather with wood bottom clogs-great support. it takes a good two weeks to break them in across the top part of your foot wearing them a few hours a day but it is well worth it. dont give up breaking them in! your foot needs to adjust to the excellent support. if you at first wear them to work take another pair of comfy shoes to switch back and forth from thru out your shift. try clogsonline or dalaclogs, clogwild. i got my white ones from clogsonline and my white pair with dala swedish horses from clogsonline. they even have a white pair with american flags on them. take your time breaking them in --- really your feet will thank you! though i dont think i have pf but i do have arch pain.....

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Had it too. It's soooo painful, went to a podiatrist. Told me, avoid heat, got shoe inserts (seen the same ones at a place called "The Good Foot Store", put water bottles in the freezer. When I got home I rolled my feet over them (talk about heaven !). I kept a pair of shoes by my bed so when I got up at night (with the dreaded pain and limping like a 100 yo women,0 I OULd walk much easier. Took a while but it went a way. During the worst time, I got lido injections (think it had steroid in it as well). I didn't want to take them for ever but it was a life saver during the hight of it. Good luck.

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Specializes in Adolescent Psych, PICU.

Thank you all SOOOO much for the advice and tips about what has worked for you. I have no medical insurance at all and won't until I graduate.

I'm going to try the water bottle frozen rolls and splinting and the new shoes and see if that helps. I wont be working much once school start up next week (one 12 hour shift a week) so that should help, at least I hope so. If I get no relief that way I'll find the money to go see a Dr once I get all my school stuff paid for this semester.

Thanks for the shoes suggestions. I really am kicking myself for not investing in good shoes to begin with. I think I need to wear good shoes all the time at this point, not just at work. I'm looking at Birks for my everyday life and I'll be trying out some of the other shoes you all have suggested for work.

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Specializes in Adolescent Psych, PICU.

So basically going barefoot (that is how I live!) isn't good for me??

What do ya'll wear around the house? I've always gone barefoot, even in the winter I'm one of those people who will run out in the snow to check my mail barefoot! LOL

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i know the pain you are having. esp that first step to the bathroom in the am

oh my gosh, I hate that, if I'm half asleep I just fall back in bed.. If i'm awake, i try to stretch it a bit first.. but for about five minutes I walk around like I've been riding a horse for a week straight. no fun.

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Specializes in DOU.
So basically going barefoot (that is how I live!) isn't good for me??

What do ya'll wear around the house? I've always gone barefoot, even in the winter I'm one of those people who will run out in the snow to check my mail barefoot! LOL

I haven't been able to walk barefoot in years. I wear slippers with a built-in arch. They make my feet hot in the summer, but between the slippers and my good (but not pretty) shoes, my feet don't hurt too much anymore.

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Specializes in Occ health, Med/surg, ER.

I have bilateral pf. My right hurts more than my left. I had an injection in my heel about six months ago. That helped for a little while. They say a shoe with a heel helps. I bought some Danskos (they are comfy but I havent felt any relief yet) about 1 month ago to help with the pain. I put ice at night and I do stretching exercises in the morning when its really bad.

I feel your pain and I hope you find relief!

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Specializes in Emergency.

Birkenstocks. A firm sole (not softer one) is the answer.

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