My experience with Plantar Fasciitis: (Referenced Mayo clinic for definition and treatment options):
PLANTAR FASCIITIS
Plantar fasciitis (PLAN-tur fas-e-I-tis) 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, that runs across the bottom of your foot and connects your heel bone to your toes.
Plantar fasciitis commonly 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.
Plantar fasciitis is particularly common in runners. In addition, people who are overweight and those who wear shoes with inadequate support are at risk of plantar fasciitis.
Note: I was a victim of this Plantar Fasciitis 2 yrs ago. There was a time, when I wouldn't be able to walk more than 1/2 hr. If I did, then the ruptured nerve or tendon causing this plantar fasciitis would start paining...like hell broke loose. I was suffering in chronic pain and visited the doctor. He told me to wear some kind of 'night splints' and gave several exercises in a printed paper to bend and stretch the foot (right foot) in various ways that would, in due course, ease the aching and ruptured tendon to the point it would heal.
This condition, although sounding very simple, is actually pretty serious. Just type in "Plantar Fasciitus' and you will know how many people went to heal surgery that failed to the point they were crippled and couldn't walk or stand more than 1/2 hr....!
The following are some treatment options should conventional treatment such as physical therapy and wearing splints should fail:
· steroid shots. Injecting a type of steroid medication into the tender area can provide temporary pain relief. Multiple injections aren't recommended because they can weaken your plantar fascia and possibly cause it to rupture, as well as shrink the fat pad covering your heel bone.
· Extracorporeal shock wave therapy. In this procedure, sound waves are directed at the area of heel pain to stimulate healing. It's usually used for chronic plantar fasciitis that hasn't responded to more-conservative treatments. This procedure may cause bruises, swelling, pain, numbness or tingling and has not been shown to be consistently effective.
· Surgery. Few people need surgery to detach the plantar fascia from the heel bone. It's generally an option only when the pain is severe and all else fails. Side effects include a weakening of the arch in your foot.
My recovery:
Although I went in for treatment, I was already suffering for 6 months by then and I felt the pain was progressively getting better. Besides, the sports medicine doctor I consulted referred me to physical therapy and the physical therapist quoted a $600 treatment for 2 months. So I decided to do the exercises, lose some weight (as this condition is related to weight gain) and see how it goes.
Thank goodness! With weight loss alone, my condition started improving. I never did the exercises or wore splints. but, miraculously the condition improved, I felt less and less pain and miraculously, I was totally relieved of the pain. Now I am pain free!
So the #1 advice I would give anyone to relieve this condition is to: lose weight.
