one step forward and two back

Bones, joints and muscles
1

Or is it the other way...two steps forward and one (tumbling) step back?

Just a warning, and a little moan.

Saturday I walked around the shops. By the end of an hour, my right foot was painful, but I made it back. Sunday, we decided to do a gentle Nordic walking for about half an hour or so. Fifteen minutes into this gentle amble, my right heel became really painful and we turned back. I was struggling badly with the pain in my heel by then. By the time we got home, I was unable to put pressure on my foot.

I spent the weekend crawling on my knees to get anywhere, as the pain was excruciating.

Monday I had to go to the surgery to have a BP monitor fitted, unconnected to the heel. I struggled in with the help of husband. The next morning, today, I managed to get appointment with GP before BP monitor was removed.

She diagnosed Plantar Fascilitis, ie inflammation of the ligament in your foot, in the underneath of my foot.

The reason I'm posting this, apart from feeling sorry for myself, is that it can be caused by exercise in people who do little or who are overweight, just like me at the moment and particularly in people over 50 or so.

The pain is bad, but the exercises I was told to do have certainly helped and even after one day of exercising my foot, I'm feeling better and don't fall over with the pain like I did last night getting out of bed to go to the toilet!

So, beware! Exercise gently and wear suitable supportive shoes. I've now got some gel supports in mine.

2

Thanks Susanne, i hope you make a full recovery very soon. Regards, christina 

3

Thanks for the advice Susanne. I am quite active but find I get a similar pain to you if I have a lazy week where I do very little walking, would be interested to know what exercises you were given if its possible for you to explain them in the written word. Best wishes, Dave

4

There are several:

Roll your foot over a tin/ can (under the arch of the foot)

Sit on straight chair and keeping heel

on floor, lift front of foot several times

Standing against wall, lean forward on one leg and stretch muscle of other leg alternately

Stand on bottom of stair, heels over the stairs, hang onto rail, lift and lower heels

A few others, but really about stretching the tendon in your arch.

Sit on floor with legs straight out. With towel around foot, move top of foot gently back and forth.

Maybe best if you look it up, as these exercises were for me specifically.

5

Thanks Susanne, will try some of them next time I have trouble.

6

Hi Susanne, I try to stay active but not big pb exercising but do a lot of moving as and try to do it in as exercising manner. I do lift a little to get to get muscle tone back. I hope you are con the mend soon. Thanks for telling us this as I will be on the lookout. I am tapering now Hope all goes well with this. Thanks be well.

7

Sorry about my typos mY fingers too big for keys

8

Hi just thought I would mention my so had this and a golf ball or racket ball-- something smaller and more firm--- was mentioned to roll under the arch of his affected foot. By smaller I forgot to say ,smaller than a tennis ball. He developed this when he took up running while in med school. Had to change to walking. Hope it helps Pat

9

Thanks Pat, will try these methods next time I have trouble. I have plenty of both golf and tennis balls thanks to our dog finding them when out walking.

10

Hi all. I didn't realise this pain had a name. Just assumed it was part of the pmr! I started getting it when I had to give up high heels due to painful shins. I bought a pair of completely flat slip on's which can double up as slippers in the house. If I wear these for more than a couple of hours, I develop this severely painful heel. Due to the pred fog (this is my excuse anyway) It took me a few days to work out the problem! Am now off to buy some gel pads and some low heeled shoes. It seems to be a pressure thing. Thanks Susanne. Hope you are painfree soon. Debbie.