plantarfacitis/dogs barking

[wally]

I strained my foot on Adams month and a half ago. Diagnosis is plantarfacitis. Anyone deal with this and what you do to correct it? thanks for the advice good and bad

[glassgowkiss]

start with icing your foot. add superfeet or heat molded superfeet. stretch your calf muscles. after the pain is gone start strenghtening your foot. put a towel on a ground, put 2 cans of soup on the corners and try to bunch it up with your toes. you can also try to pick up tennis ball with your foot. train both feet though. you can roll your foot on a tennis ball first and then go to something harder, like a golf ball.

[mvs]

I second what glassgowkiss said. That is the advice I was given when I had this a year ago, and it worked in a few weeks.

[Gaper_Jeffy]

Glass gives good advice. If you have a severe case also consider wearing a night splint to bed. Ala:

 

 

Your SO will find this incredible sexy. You can get them here:

http://www.roadrunnersports.com/cgi-bin/rrs/rrs/ProductPg.jsp?baseProdKey=RRPRO012&catOID=-8951&BV_SessionID=@@@@1008335552.1096697563@@@@&BV_EngineID=ladclighlhjdbekgcgecfeedgg.0

[Billygoat]

What are the symptoms? I'm afraid I am developing this.

[glassgowkiss]

the only problem with "pasive" devices is that they really don't prevent the cause of the problem. with plantarfaciatis (inflammation of plantar facia) the causes are:

-collapsing arch/ improper footware

-general oveuse

-too thight posterior calf muscles (not only gastrac and soleus, but also muscles of posterior compartment)

-running on hard surfaces like pavement

as to collapsing arch: it is among runners the most common cause of chronic low back pain, as well as knee pain and "toe bunion".

returning to the topic of splint for plantar faciatis, yes it can help, but you have to fix all these other things also or you'll end up with a naging, chronic condition. such condition have tendency to flear up with incerease usage of the area.

my aproach and recommendation is always:

-get rid of the inflammation and preserve the range of motion you have left

-treat the scarr tissue and restore the range of motion to as close as you can get it to pre-injury state

-strengthen the area to avoid repeat of the injury

also accept the limmitations you might have as the result. every injury will leave you with some residual effects. the degree will vary and sometimes they will be impossible to notice. so for someone with your condition long distance running might be something to avoid, as well as carrying heavy loads. learn to accept them and work WITH them rather then try to push through. most important- learn to listen to your body.

as to this specific device, there is going to be as many opinions as there are therapists. i for one don't favor them too much. but it might be something that works for you. imo, you'd be better off spending your hard earned $$$ on a pair of orthodics. from my experience with proper foot support/ correction of body mechanic, icing, some tissue treatment and excercise this should go away within 4- 6 weeks.

[glassgowkiss]

What are the symptoms? I'm afraid I am developing this.

number one would ba pain under arch of your foot. it is usually located near your heel bone or across your foot, but not always. usually you notice this the most with the first few steps in the morning, sometimes pain increases also in the evening.with more advanced condition the pain in your foot will remain the entire day, with varying degree of intensity

[Billygoat]

The pain is mainly in the joints of my big toe. However, my left heel sometimes feels sore and I can find no position of comfort.

[glassgowkiss]

well, it sounds like you are developing a toe bunion. again- it boils down to your foot mechanics. better foot beds sometimes will help. superfeet! if not the next step would be custom made superfeet. you might also have a problem with sesamoid bones. it is impossible to even advice over the internet. go and see someone. i would start with a physical therapist. just find one who knows what they are talking about.

as far as your left heel- my take is your gastrac/ soleus/ achilles tendon are way too tight.

[Billygoat]

Cheers Bob

 

[wally]

I found the cure, first you tear the ligaments in your knee which requires you to stay off the injured foot for min 3 weeks. not reccommended but for some reason it's the method I have chosen.

[Chad_A]

Well, a year ago, started having lots of pain in the feet, and achilles region. I found a podiatrist, and he diagnosed me with achilles tendonitis, plantar fascitis, and bilateral bone spurs (where the achilles tendon attaches to the heel.)

 

He recommended NSAIDs, but couldn't take them, r/t a pseudo-allergic reaction. He fitted me with custom orthotics, and recommended stretching, and icing. He also recommended a stretching band to wear while sleeping, but I declined. Another thing he had me try was rolling my foot on a golf ball. Feels good; I think it's what's helped the most.

 

My current questions are: amount of time/interval to ice? And, how long to stretch the calves? I have no doubt that lack of stretching the calves is a good part of my problem. Thing is, I've heard lots of differing information on stretching and icing, and I've lost a sense of what is too much/ too little.

 

Also, just out of curiosity, what is the general consensus on prolotherapy these days?

[ChrisT]

The pain is mainly in the joints of my big toe. However, my left heel sometimes feels sore and I can find no position of comfort.

 

I have this as well and turned out to be arthritis in my big toe according to the podiatrist.

[catbirdseat]

Was it confirmed by x-ray? A lot of docs will just say "arthritis" if a joint hurts, the implication of which is there is nothing you can do about it but take NSAIDs.