My foot aches. There are moments of stabbing pain when I am stopped in my tracks. I know what is causing the pain. I know what triggered the pain. I am resting, icing and elevating my foot when I can. Thank goodness for my can of spinach. I am not eating the spinach. I froze a can of spinach to use as an ice pack. It is perfect because I can roll it along the bottom of my foot.
Several years ago I went to the doctor for the pain. They took x-rays and determined it was plantar fasciitis. From the MayoClinic.com:
Plantar fasciitis is one of the most common causes of heel pain. It involves pain and inflammation of a thick band of tissue, called the plantar fascia, which runs across the bottom of your foot — connecting your heel bone to your toes.
Plantar fasciitis causes stabbing pain that usually occurs with your very first steps in the morning. Once your foot limbers up, the pain of plantar fasciitis normally decreases, but it may return after long periods of standing or after getting up from a seated position.
I was offered a cortisone injection...which I declined. My sister had the same condition and informed me the shot was more painful than the condition. The doctor recommended a series of exercises, ice and anti-inflammatory medication. In a few weeks, my foot was feeling better.
As a last resort, surgery can be performed to detach the plantar fascia from the heel bone. It is usually only done as a last resort when other treatments fail. My sister had this surgery done last year. Her foot is feeling better. Since I have no intention on having foot surgery...it is rest, ice and elevation for me...
6 comments:
Having had the surgery last year, it is AMAZING - the only time I feel pain is after hiking 10 miles. Since that doesn't happen very often, I am usually pain free.
Consider the surgery, but be prepared to be in a big BOOT for 3 weeks.
I thought the big boot was for the ankle not the foot. We will see how things go...
See, I'd recommend going without the surgery. Not that I had it, but I did have plantar fascia issues - in both feet (thankfully, not at the same time!). The exercises and R.I.C.E. (Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation) worked for me. And there was hardly any interruption in training (I was still competing in track and field at the time)...
While it is healing/strengthening, that little contraption they sell that wraps around the arch (like this one: http://www.footsmart.com/P-Arch-Pro-Tec-10036.aspx) helps a whooooole bunch. Hope you feel better soon :-)
Michele, I've had plantar fasciitis also, and I'm pretty free of pain now without surgery. The boots Felicia's mentioning really help a lot with the severe pain in the morning. I bought new shoes for pronating (sp?) feet; I now look like a messenger boy on my morning commute, wearing a suit (occasionally) and white Nikes. I also found some Merrill hiking boots that are comfortable.
Besides your can of spinach--I love the Popeye image!--it also helps to stretch the foot several times a day.
Good luck! I know it really hurts.
Huh, common problem I guess, because I've also been there and done that. I never interrupted training at all, but spent as much other time as possible babying my feet, as well as spending as much of my dojo time as possible on the padded areas of the floor. It took several months, but the pain eventually faded out altogether.
Thank you for your comments!
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