Plantar Fasciitis, it hurts!

Today I want to talk about plantar fasciitis, a pain in the heel of your foot.  The ligament that connects the heel to the toe, if you put any kind of strain on the plantar fasciitis, it becomes swollen, weak, and it hurts. Some doctors have compared the pain to a compound fracture, I would tend to agree. The pain is excruciating, especially after resting or sitting.

So what do you do about it?

I'm not a doctor, so please consult one before trying anything here, these are all things I've tried, some successful, some not so much.

See your doctor for a proper diagnosis, I had ex-rays done, as seen above, to rule out a bone spur.

First, I went to see a physical therapist, she did some ultra sound waves on my foot, along with some stretching exercises that I needed to follow at home.

I also went to see a chiropractor, she stretches the plantar fasciitis, which feels really good, and does some adjustments. By far, this has been my favourite treatment. I was also fitted with orthotics, which is very important, especially for the arch of your foot.

I also see a specialist for rheumatoid arthritis, who confirmed the Plantar Fasciitis diagnosis. He suggested a cortisone shot right into the heel of my foot. At this point, I would try anything, as nothing seemed to help. 

Things I've tried at home:
You name it, I've tried it, that's how much plantar Fasciitis hurts, it affects everything you do in a day, because if you hurt while walking, that's going to impact your daily routine.

The leg brace: I wore mine at night, as advised, the only thing it did, to be honest, is making sleep uncomfortable. I didn't really see anything positive about wearing a brace.

Creams and sprays: They swear this is the one that will work, nope, not for me anyway. If you find one that's successful, let me know.

Ice packs: Absolutely brilliant! My chiropractor actually suggested a water bottle filled with water, so when you freeze it, you can actually roll your foot comfortably, and it helps with the pain and swelling.

Stretching: Another great one, stretch as soon as you get up, your health care provider will recommend different kind of stretches, I strongly suggest you follow the routine regularly.

Taping: This provides some comfort, but it's short lived and doesn't solve the problem.

Massage: Yes! but get your significant other to do it, those machines you buy at the big box stores really doesn't do the trick.

Orthotics: Absolutely necessary! if you can't afford orthotics, wear really good shoes! My podiatrist actually advised me to wear "Crocs", luckily I found some that look like sandals and are rather cute. I also wear Sketchers, they have been, by far, the best shoes for me. The make runners, sandals, even boots.

Wearing a tenser bandage: doesn't do anything for me either.

Cortisone shot: Yes I've had this too and it freaked me out, the needle is quite large, and they place it directly into the heel of your foot. Does it hurt? Heck yeah, but this only provided temporary relief. It's not a quick fix and only lasted about a week for me.

Ultra sound: This didn't do a thing for me, I went for weeks/months seeing a physio therapist, the only thing I got out of it was a big bill. Everyone's different though, and it may work for you.

I can walk for hours with limited pain, but as soon as I sit down and relax for a while, oh my goodness, my foot cramps up and the pain is unbelievable. If this happens to you, stretch before getting up, that will provide some relief.

So far, I have to say that going to the chiropractor has been the best therapy for me, the deep pressure and stretching helps a lot. Stretching, is by far, the best thing you can do for planters fasciitis, again, consult your doctor to prepare a plan that will work for you. This is frustrating, debilitating, and a nuisance, if you're reading this, and have any advise that you can share, please do so.