Plantar Fasciitis

[HopeinTN]

It started as an ankle pain when I got out of bed during the night or first thing in the morning that would limit me even walking for a few minutes. Then it progressed to severe pain to my heel and back of my foot. Man, it’s painful. I went to the doctor, just in case it was something I had done without knowing it.

After x-rays and an exam, it’s Plantar Fasciitis and possibly Achilles Tendonitis. My doc says it can happen for many reasons such as not wearing the proper shoes (I have a bad habit of wearing flip flops when it’s nice), weight gain (check) and even long term prednisone use (check).

Anyone else have this issue? I’m in a walking boot and doing stretches and hoping to stay away from a cortisone injection to the foot.

[lolsen]

Yes, I have had similar issues with my feet. I have found it very important to have supportive footwear. I have custom orthotics for my shoes in the winter and in the summer I discovered Orthoheel a brand of supportive flip-flop/ sandals.

[drz]

It started as an ankle pain when I got out of bed during the night or first thing in the morning that would limit me even walking for a few minutes. Then it progressed to severe pain to my heel and back of my foot. Man, it’s painful. I went to the doctor, just in case it was something I had done without knowing it.

After x-rays and an exam, it’s Plantar Fasciitis and possibly Achilles Tendonitis. My doc says it can happen for many reasons such as not wearing the proper shoes (I have a bad habit of wearing flip flops when it’s nice), weight gain (check) and even long term prednisone use (check).

Anyone else have this issue? I’m in a walking boot and doing stretches and hoping to stay away from a cortisone injection to the foot.

I would be skeptical about this diagnosis as I got treated for it for several months before I was diagnosed with Wegs. Funny thing all the so call plantar fasciitis symptoms disappeared once I started treatment for Wegs and have not returned. I acquired a huge basket full of braces and supports and did Physical Therapy too with no results. Part of the problem turned out to be a broken ankle and I think the rest was Wegs and neuropathy symptoms.

[HopeinTN]

I will try the orthoheel for sure. Thanks lolsen!

Drz- That's interesting. I have been told I have poly neuropathy in both feet but that feeling subsided (frost bite and burning) and this is an altogether different feeling/pain. It's classic PF from what my dr. said and what I've read. I hope it's not Wegs since I'm on month 17 of CTX/Pred/Bactrim. Thanks for the info.

Ugghh.

[Mikek]

I had this years ago from standing on hard flooring and I managed to cure it completely. I did two things: firstly, I got shaped arch supports fitted into my shoes and secondly, I exorsized my feet arches by sitting and rolling a beer bottle under them.

[HopeinTN]

Once I can kick the meds and drink more beer, I should have no problem having extra beer bottles! Currently, I'm using a golf ball. It's a horrible pain and annoying almost like a tooth ache under your foot. It even hurts when I'm not standing on it.

[annekat]

Yes, I have had similar issues with my feet. I have found it very important to have supportive footwear. I have custom orthotics for my shoes in the winter and in the summer I discovered Orthoheel a brand of supportive flip-flop/ sandals. i have a pair of these and also find them to be good. They are easy to find online. I don't have plantar's fasciitis but have had weak arches all my life and now have bunions, not from wearing tight shoes but because I inherited the tendency. The orthotic sandals and other quality shoes with plenty of arch support and room in the toe box do help a lot with the occasional pain. I have read on the Orthoheel site that many foot problems can be traced to weak arches. Of course, having Wegs adds to the incidence of most of these problems.

[Mikek]

Yes it is a horrid pain but it will go away. Use a food can if you don't have beer bottes.

[mishb]

I had achilles tendonitis with pain that shot up my leg and also caused ankle pain, I limped around everywhere....... but it all stopped once I was diagnosed with WG and started on the pred.....and like drz, it has not returned (**she touches wood**)

I hope the pain goes away soon

[HopeinTN]

Thanks gang. Actually I woke up this morning and it seems to be better. I could walk to the bathroom without whencing in pain or stumbling. It's a start.

[Mikek]

Good news. Celebrate with a beer bottle.

[drz]

I will try the orthoheel for sure. Thanks lolsen!

Drz- That's interesting. I have been told I have poly neuropathy in both feet but that feeling subsided (frost bite and burning) and this is an altogether different feeling/pain. It's classic PF from what my dr. said and what I've read. I hope it's not Wegs since I'm on month 17 of CTX/Pred/Bactrim. Thanks for the info.

Ugghh.

My symptoms felt different than the neuropathy stuff I had earlier but strangely they all went away after treating the Wegs. Not sure why. I really thought I had plantar fasciitis from what I read and heard about it from others. Maybe it was a coincidence or maybe some how the Weg dog triggered it so it faded when he went to sleep. Maybe all the braces and exercises eventually cured it. I don't know what or why but it really hurt a lot when I had it and was about as bad as the joint pain I had later before I got diagnosed and treated.

[HopeinTN]

I think having Weg's make all kinds of other stuff wake up. So far today I haven't had a single pain in this foot. It's so odd but I'm not questioning it.

[annekat]

I think having Weg's make all kinds of other stuff wake up. So far today I haven't had a single pain in this foot. It's so odd but I'm not questioning it. I had some very sharp, unexplained pains in my feet when my Wegs got really bad, around the time of dx. There are still some weird things like cramps and tingling, but nothing like those sharp pains for quite awhile!

[marys4373]

Interesting to note: I have had foot pain and have gone to the Dr.s and they could not find anything wrong although they did notice it swollen. I continued to have the foot pain sometimes to the point I could barely walk on it without support. One thought I had plantar fasciitis or possibly Achilles tendonitis and that I needed some orthotics. Long story short I went to have my knee injected and the doctor looked at me and said you have gout. Sure enough uric acid level was 2 and a half times the normal limit. It just took one Dr. to really look at the situation to make the right diagnosis. I guess what I am saying sometimes you have to be persistent (even when theythink it is in your head, NOT). Be your own advocate.

[HopeinTN]

I've alwas worried about Gout as well. My mother has it and it can cause all the same symptoms. Thanks for bringing that up.

[annekat]

I had also read about and considered gout after having pains in my big toe. Later, I decided this was a symptom of bunions developing. I've also had severe pain in my arches and on the tops of my feet. But never in my Achilles tendon that I can remember. The foot is a complicated thing!

[AmyA]

I had the same issues! Scans of my feet and nerve testing. Then to be told PF?! I suffered for so long. I finally went to physical therapy for four weeks and saw great results. I do still get pain especially in my heels. There are some great stretches you can do. I was surprised to find most of the exercises were for the calf and balancing on each foot at different angles. And a great massage can do wonders. There is also KT tape and if used right can ease a lot of pain. Hope this helps.