Runner, staggering heal pain

[jille]

X-country runner, dealing w/ slight plantar faciitis (82.5% sure of that) for about a year.  Became unbearable two weeks ago, spread throughout my outside arch, had to walk home.  Have not run since, have been stretching calf and foot several times a day, however not improving much.  Any input appreciated. Wanting to hit the trails again.

[AnotherKatie]

That is one terrible pain isn't it. The only thing that saved me was custom orthotics. I got relief within a few days of wearing them.  Ask your doctor to refer you to someone reputable, everyone and his dog makes them these days.....also ask your friends who made theirs (if they worked for them!)...

Never go barefoot.  Roll your foot on a tennis ball (it hurts but do it). Keep doing the stretches. Some people like the splints you sleep in, they didn't help me.  I don't recommend cortisone shots, they hurt and they didn't make much difference for me in the long term.
Have hope, it does go away in most people eventually.  You might have to walk and not run for a while (sorry)...

[jille]

Have seen the shoe store variety inserts but want to see my medicine man first.  Like the tennis ball idea a lot!  I'll steal one from my dogs.

[AnotherKatie]

One more thing I thought of.  Don't wear cheap shoes, or cheaps flip flops or sandals type of footwear during the day as they don't have any support. (I assume you have high quality shoes for running and you replace them frequently).  
Only wear good shoes, such as Rockport.  Naot makes shoes so that you can take their insoles out and slide in the orthotics.

[activechick]

I was training for the Portland Marathon, and my heel pain got so bad I would cry when my foot hit the ground in the morning.  I went through the usual round of physical therapy (ultrasound, rest, ice, massage) but what HELPED was something called ASTYM.  You have to go to a professional physical therapist who is trained in the ASTYM system.  Basically the PT will use a tool to disrupt the old injury (they rub it on your foot and leg) and they give you a stretching and strengthening program.  The cool part was that I was REQUIRED to run as part of my rehab.  If you can afford a physical therapist, I totally recommend ASTYM.  (You can find information about it at astym.com.)  GOOD LUCK!

[jille]

More thanks.. I work in a warehouse, concrete floors wearing safety shoes.  Safety shoes typically aren't to comfy friendly, so your comment hits home.  I have an appointment w/ my PT this week, will look in to the ASTYM site!

[AnotherKatie]

Did it hurt?  I met someone who had that done.  She said it was painful and she was rather disappointed as the effects didn't last.  But I knew someone who did it for a chronic sore elbow and he loved it.  It looks good from the website. How many treatments did you have to have?  Do you remember the cost at all?
I still get the pain once in a while but I am a lot better with the orthotics.

I was considering the shock wave treatment but my doctor said don't do it in my case...

http://www.achillesfootclinic.com/shockwave.htm

[Mary 53]

I had to chime in here. Sounds like you have picked up some good ideas. I had this seven years ago. Man, it is awful isn't it?

I thought I was getting it again a year ago and I did what my doctor told me to do (By the time I saw the doctor...my second doctor for all this.. who actually helped me with this, I was already into it big time). He told me to stretch BEFORE hitting the floor. So, before I got up in the morning I stretched. Before I got off the couch, I stretched...the calf and the heal. It did the trick. As I said, I thought I was heading for another bout of pain for six or seven months like before, but in one week I had no pain.

My doc has me use New Balance. I am not a runner, but I am a dog walker and I do aerobics four-five times a week.

Good luck!

Mary

[AnotherKatie]

I swear by Spira brand.  They have internal springs ... you really can feel the softening of the shock difference ... I do a lot of step aerobics ...
(Hi Mary!)

[jille]

I started the stretching before I hit the floor just this past week.. incredible difference already, but still going to see my PT.   I also took some advice from this thread and got myself some cooshy clogs for the homestead, as well as always having a tennis ball under foot when I'm sitting (drives the dogs bonkers).  This topic has, as you mentioned, given some terrific info!

[activechick]

Hey there--what I loved about ASTYM was that it literally took only nine PT visits to resolve my heel pain.  The cost---hhmm, my insurance took care of it, but I had to get  my doctor to presecribe it.  (She had never heard of ASTYM, but after my success with it, she took her tennis elbows in and is now a real fan.)

As for the pain--gotta be completely honest here.  It hurt.  My heel was so flamed when I went in, that for the first treatment, I just howled.  You see, the adhesions in the ligament were just so bad, and I could hear and feel them crunching during the treatment--YUCK!  BUT, by the third treatment it didn't hurt much, and by the last treatment it was crazy--my foot and leg were very very smooth.

As to your friend having her symptoms come back--I am now religious about stretching my calves and feet.  When I DON'T stretch, especially my calves, I can feel my feet getting tight, which (I suppose) leads me right back to plantaar fasciitis.

jille--walking around on concrete all day?  Girl, that's got to contribute to your pain!  Do you have a healthcare manager in your company?  You might ask to see if your company will pay to have ASTYM for you!  I'm serious!

[jille]

Actually, (cough cough) I am the health and safety rep for our department.  I don't expect to be back to work for perhaps a month (mastectomy two weeks ago, darn that, but figuring that being off my feet for a spell is the best time to take care of this foot deal also).  If Dr. Lori considers ASTYM an option, I do certainly have the contacts at work to look in to it.  As you commented, I would bet that Lori has not heard of it either, she will research it tho.

[activechick]

You made me laugh--health and safety rep, indeed!  I just looked at the website for ASTYM, and there's stuff on their for insurance and payors--and some interesting testimonials about how case managers should consider it as a primary treatement.  Have your gal check it out--wouldn't it be cool if your company paid for treatment!  Have a lovely holiday season.

[AnotherKatie]

I am still not quite over the part where you said you could hear and feel crunching.... ahem.... I might pass on this one.....

[activechick]

You know, it was intense, but it was so very very worth it to me.  I loved that I "Had" to run as part of my rehabilitation.  I loved the stretching.  I didn't love the discomfort of the first two or three treatments, but ultimately, I really love the fact that I don't have plantaar fasciitis anymore!

[AnotherKatie]

It is SO great to not have that pain, isn't it?  Until you've experienced it, you just have no idea how awful it is.  
I met someone who had it for eight years!! (and still had it, eeek)
I agree the stretching is wonderful!!
Cheers!

[zambizzi]

I've now had 8 ASTYM treatments for chronic Intersection Syndrome and DeQuervain's Tentonitis...both are forms of forearm tendonitis.  I'm a drummer and I practice about 3-4 hrs. everyday...it finally caught up with me.

I can honestly say that for me, ASTYM treatment was NOT painful...in fact I thought it felt good, like a deep massage...but it may all be in the therapist who's performing it and the level of pain you have already.

This treatment is amazing, it's like voodoo, and if you want immediate and lasting results, it's truly the way to go!  I have another treatment today and I will fall back to 1 treatment per week, for the next two weeks...and I should be done with it.

It's quick, it's relatively painless, and it works *immediately*.  It's a Godsend and I'm thankful I got lucky that I found a therapist who uses it and swears by it.  It's also a "get your cake and eat it too" solution - where you're encouraged to remain as active as possible, to help re-align the fibers on the damaged tendons.