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Foot update

I can’t get up right now without disturbing the cat who is napping (such a cliché) between my feet.

So I’ll bring those few interested in my plantar fasciitis progress up to date. For the beginning, I described the problem back in June; since then, I’ve been sent by a podiatrist to get an ultrasound, which was inconclusive, and to two months of physical therapy, which was helpful but not a solution.

While I’ve added some stuff to my list of what I’ve tried, I’ve also changed my list of what I haven’t tried. At yesterday’s physical therapy appointment, the PT admitted that there wasn’t much more they could do for me, and suggested I try both of the first two on the list.

  • New orthotics (yet another pair)
  • Acupuncture
  • ESWT
  • Release surgery
  • Amputation

It’s likely to take a while for me to get through the list, of course. I got the names of two different acupuncturists, one of which came highly recommended by one of our better local runners. I’ll call his office on Monday. My “primary care physician” is also a runner (though he emphasizes that he’s not as serious as I am—nowadays, I wonder.) He wanted to send me to a particular orthopod for orthotics quite a while ago; I need to call him, as well, and get the name and number.

Orthotics aren’t a solution for PF; they can mitigate the problem, but not solve it. I’m hoping the acupuncture will help with that, but I’ve also heard that acupuncture is most effective with PF at the onset of the problem, and perhaps not so good with as resistant a problem as mine. We’ll see. I’m also told that ESWT is not recommended except for really tough cases, and I’m now in this twilight area where I can (generally) walk without pain, but not run.

In the meantime, I’m still in the pool. Today there was a crowd of rowers taking turns swimming two lengths and treading water for some fixed time in order to practice on the water. I can’t say that shows great confidence in their skills on the part of the coach. On the other hand, if they were all novices, he must be doing something right. He probably had four eights there, maybe three after attrition. They look smaller than the rowers did in my day, but perhaps we did too. (The runners, on the other hand, look stronger than they did in my day.)

Posted by pjm on September 11, 2004 10:21 PM |

Comments

PF: throw the kitchen sink at it. You’ve probably heard most of these, but number 5 - 7 cured me after suffering for 2 years with a bone spur about 3/4 inches in length.

1) Ultrasound is expensive uselessness. It can’t penetrate the thick padding of the foot. Few would recommend such foolishness. Snake. Oil. 2) Night splint is 50:50 but worth a try; 3) Proper physical therapy is typically useful (proper = painful); 4) Poking (with much pressure) the painful area with a small pokey object (i.e. pencil eraser) aids blood flood. Alternating heat/cold also does the same, although you should avoid the heat/cold to the toes and small capillaries; 5) foot exercises help: crunching a towel with toes; massage foot by rolling a golf ball underfoot. 6) Learn to tape your foot. Instructions are online somewhere, but a good physical therapist can show you; 7) The proper orthodic will fix it. I suggest going on the cheap: a) Spenco b) barefootscience.net. Both are great AND cheap. 8) Accupuncture? I doubt it. PF is typically structural problem. Hard to imagine accupuncture doing anything at all. 9) Cortisone. Don’t even consider it. 10) Surgury. Consider it after Cortisone.

Posted by: Former PF sufferer | September 12, 2004 5:15 PM

1) Part of the kitchen sink. 2) Been in The Sock for nearly a year now. I’m not tight when I wake up, but it only goes so far. 3) Yep. 4) How about rolling the foot over a frozen water bottle? 5) Been there, still at it, not a significant help. 6) Two different methods. 7) One new set a year ago, so it’s time to try again. I’ve been in rigid orthotics nearly twelve years due to other biomechanical issues, so OTC isn’t an option. 8) Kitchen sink approach dictates that I give it a shot. I put it on the list as a joke, at first, but I’ve had four different endorsements of it. 9) Been there. Tried that. It worked for a few months. 10) Nowadays, release surgery is considered a last resort, since it permanently alters your biomechanics. But it’s on the list if the first three don’t get me where I want to go.

Posted by: pjm | September 12, 2004 6:24 PM

A little late to the party, I know. But…

Rolling the foot over a frozen water bottle may be a little counterproductive. Ice will certainly help with the pain, but the ultimate goal is to elongate the plantar fascia by stretching it. Ice will cause it to contract, increasing the chance of further injury. I’ve tried all sorts of things in getting rid of my PF (admittedly not as serious as yours) and I’ve had some success with the Foot Log.

Posted by: samo | September 14, 2004 10:14 AM

Sorry, Foot Log should have taken you to http://www.runnersgear.com/page/R/PROD/AYR/FLP-001

Posted by: samo | September 14, 2004 10:16 AM

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