Sore foot

[nutty09]

Ontop of everything i now have a poorly foot planter something or other which is sore and can hardly walk is this something to do with fibro or is this another thing i have to deal with

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I don't know if it is linked to fibro but I know two people what have that planter thingy and neither of them have fibro one is elderly with arthritis the other has a heart condition... Umm trying to think if I actually have any healthy friends any way from that it would seem to be a separate condition

Sorry Helen xx

[foggyness]

Hi Nutty

I was diagnosed with plantar faciaitis approx 8 years ago. Walking felt like I was treading on broken glass. I have recently been getting really severe pain in right foot and GP thinks I may have a knot of nerves thats being compressed. Been referred for xrays on both feet now. Walking is difficult enough for me at the best of times what with hip, back and goodness knows what else hurting . . . now there's something else to add to list.

I found wearing good flat footwear with a supportive sole - trainers were great, helped to reduce discomfort of plantar faciatis. You may find the same. Good luck with it x

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Hi Nutty

I was diagnosed with plantar faciaitis abt 8years ago like you some days i can barley walk seen every doctor going had insoles made brace to sleep with but if i over do it eg just walking a round super market for about half hour the pain i could scream with

only relief i get is soaking them in cold water numbs the pain for a while i have been told i have to live with it i get really pis---- off most days as with my feet and back pain stops me doing things i would luv to but still worse folk than me

best shoes i find are trainers with gel insoles for heels i can feel my spurs in my heels gave up on injection two lots did no good what so ever i wear cros for in doors keep your chin up we have too xx

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I have plantar fasciitis in both feet, suffered for about 10 years. I've had numerous phsyio, acupuncture, had special orthotics made for me at the hospital and 3 injections guided into my foot by ultrasound and nothing has worked. The surgeon is now going to remove my spurs as they are very thick and pointy but won't do it until I'm stable with my other conditions. The pain is horrendous and because you walk differently it affects my back, hips, knees and ankles so whatever I do I hurt. Trainers do help but so do do certain sandles that have arch supports in. I've given up trying to have nice shoes, I get mine from Hotter as these are the most comfortable and have straps wh oh keep them on my feet. I had this condition long before I was diagnosed with Fibro but I suspect I've had Fibro many more years so it's hard to say if it is linked. Angie x

[SootyB]

Hi all,

I'm a podiatrist, so I'll try to answer this one a bit! Plantar fasciitis is an inflammation of the soft tissue that runs under the arch of the foot and keeps everything in place. Usually, it's either due to a structural deformity (very high, or low arches) or a functional problem (tight calf muscles force the foot to compensate and put excessive strain on the plantar fascia). Both of these can be treated if the GP refers you to a podiatrist for a biomechanical assessment, as they can give you a stretching programme (often the most important part of the treatment) and possibly controlling insoles/orthoses to make your feet function in the way that they should.

Steroid injections may be offered, but they're only treating the symptoms, so it'll probably come back in 3-6 months. Footwear is also very important, and - as Sheila and Foggyness have said - trainers are really good, as they're supportive, and will easily accommodate insoles if needed.

In the meantime, maybe try gentle massage, or rolling your foot over a small bottle of iced water (covered with a towel), as this will reduce the inflammation. But definitely ask for a referral to podiatry - it's such a common problem, often simple to treat, but it can be really debilitating, especially when you're already suffering.

Good luck!

Sara xx

[lynnh in reply to SootyB]

Hi Sara, would you know if it is possible for the Plantar Fasciitus to spread to the archilles tendon x

[SootyB in reply to lynnh]

It doesn't so much spread, but it is part of the same condition. Generally, if you have plantar fasciitis, it is because the achilles tendon is too tight. I'll try to explain it in writing (I usually have a model of a foot to do this demo on!): your ankle joint is like a hinge - one motion, up and down - and the calf muscles (culminating in the achilles tendon) control how much movement there is in the ankle. If they're too tight, the movement is restricted; in this case, the foot compensates at times when the ankle needs extra lift.

The subtalar joint (a joint between the heel bone and the talus, which sits between the ankle bones) has 3 motions in one - it either twists in, turns in, and drops the foot down (this raises the arch), or it twists out, turns out and lifts the foot up (this drops the arch).

As the plantar fascia runs from the heel bone to the ball of the foot, if the arch drops, then the fascia is stretched; the best demo I can think of is if you cup your hand, palm down, and think of the base of the thumb as your heel, and the tips of your fingers as the ball of your foot. If you straighten your hand out (as would happen if the arch was dropping), you can see that the distance between your 'heel' and the 'ball of the foot' has increased. This stretches the plantar fascia, causes micro-tears, and inflammatory pain.

So, basically, they are usually a result of the same pathology; if the calf muscles are tight, the tendon is overworking and will hurt - hence the achilles pain - and the plantar fascia will be stretched due to compensation in the foot - hence the arch pain.

Sorry if that was a long-winded explanation, but I'm one of those people who likes to understand everything, so I bore others with the details too!

Sara xx

[lynnh in reply to SootyB]

Wow Sara, don't apologise, all very interesting xx

[nutty09]

Thank you all so much for you advice tips and general well wishes x