FOOT PAIN

[jolow]

Hi,Help: just got back from docs.I went as i am having trouble with severe pain on underside of my left heel also along the side and ball of foot.I struggle with walking anyway and this is really wearing me down and out.The right heel is also a bit sore nowhere near the same level as left though.The doc said i have sprained it which i deny as i would know if i hurt my foot also the fact that my right heel hurts too.I explained this and i am still none the wiser ,doc has ruled out planter/policeman's foot as the back of my heel is not painful any ideas or suggestions please?Thanks, x jo

[fairytails]

sounds like your b12 levels are down ?? do u have injections for this? i had exactly the same thing sever pains in my feet and thats what it turned out to be so i now have injections for it every 3 months i know when its due too because my feet feel like there going to explode! ask maybe to have a blood test ?? xx alexandra

[Sarahsyndrome]

Regardless of your doctor's comments, it does sound like plantar fasciitis (bone spur) in your heel - I was diagnosed with this by my rheumatologist, and like you, the back of my heel was not painful, only the underside. The pain of plantar fasciitis is usually felt about 4 cms forward from your heel, and can be tender to touch. It's often most painful when you take your first steps on getting up in the morning, or after long periods of rest where no weight is placed on your foot. You can get it in both feet at the same time. Websites such as patienthealth.co.uk have very helpful information - or just type plantar fasciitis into a search engine and it will come up with loads of information. Good luck x

[SootyB]

Hi Jo,

I'm a podiatrist, so I'll see if I can help you out with this one. As Sarah said above, it does sound like plantar fasciitis, which is an inflammation of the plantar fascia - a band of fibrous tissue that runs along the bottom of your foot (heel to first toe bones). The most common cause is actually tight calf muscles, which seem to be quite common with fibro; possibly due to the nature of the condition, or to the fact that we have prolonged periods of relative inactivity followed by us racing around trying to get stuff done!

The best way to describe the process is to think of the ankle joint as a lever: one motion (up and down), single plane of motion. If the ankle joint is blocked because the calf muscles are tight, it can't get the right amount of 'dorsiflexion' (the upwards motion) to propel you forwards effectively when you walk. If this is the case, your foot compensates by getting an extra bit of dorsiflexion out of your subtalar joint (this is below the ankle, between your heelbone and a bone that squats between the ankle bones). This joint isn't a simple lever; it pivots, and forces your foot to twist outwards as it raises up. This drops the arch.

Again, a simple demo of what this does to your foot: hold your hand in a cup-shape, and then place it palm-down. The 'ball' of your thumb joint is your heel, and the tips of your fingers are the ball of your foot. Your plantar fascia would be like an elastic band stretched between them. If you then flatten your hand out (or drop the arch of your pretend foot!), you can see that the plantar fascia is being stretched whenever this happens. This leads to micro-tears in the fascia, and consequently inflammation.

As a temporary measure, try gentle massage with ibuprofen gel (provided this isn't going to interact with anything else you're on) and try rolling your foot over a bottle of frozen water (always wear a thick sock or cover the bottle with a towel to protect your skin). Long-term, you probably need to see either a podiatrist or a physio to give you the appropriate therapy and self-help techniques to keep you mobile and out of this additional pain.

Sorry that was such a long-winded reply, but I hope it's helped.

Sara xx

[Hidden]

Gosh, I learned a lot from that answer Sara! I suffer from the same complaint but only first thing in the morning or after sitting with my feet up for a while. It feels a bit like I am walking on broken glass for the first few steps. Take care.

Jane x

[SootyB in reply to Hidden]

It's usually because the body tries to heal itself when you're resting, so you get a lot of inflammatory fluid build up. That compresses all of the other structures in your foot, until you've got the lymph and muscle pump systems going to reduce the fluid, and then the pain eases off.

Sara xx

[Hidden]

I have plantar fasciitis and from how you discribe it it sound like that is what you have. Mine came about after my back op when I started to walk differently. I wear shoe inserts now which help a lot.

Piggie hugs xxxx

[jolow]

Wow, what a great response i have just decided that in future i will save myself a trip to doctor's as answers from everyone here are much more insightful and helpful so a great big thank you to all and thank you Sarah i will go see a podiatrist .Fairytailes i will get my b12 levels checked as i used to have injections about 5 years ago as my hands and mouth kept splitting even in summer and same is happening to my mouth now.So thank you all for the answers and taking the time to respond. XX JO