Plantar Fasciitis after long-term crutch use

Foot care
1

I've found myself in a frustrating and painful situation where I've developed PF in both feet and it's incredibly painful.  I can't even "blame" exercise or running but can only assume that it is a result of my gait being messed up by the fact that I have chronic right knee pain and have been on crutches for around a year now, although I have been on only 1 for 6 months.

I've bought gel insoles and some golf balls to freeze on the advice of my GP but I wondered if anyone else had any tips?  I'm also wondering whether I should move back on to 2 crutches for a while to help take the weight off my feet more evenly as I walk.  I've had really sore feet for months now but just put it down to me doing too much activity, I finally plucked up the courage to tell my GP about it today.

Is strapping/taping the foot worth it as it was hopeless on my knee?

2

Yes taping helps at first

A cortizone shot might help

Doing the foot stretches alleviate the pain

Also icing relieves the pain

I did all these , mines about gone

Only hurts if I work to hard

It took about 2 months to get rid of it

3

For me, Diclofenac sorted me out after months of pain. Funny thing is, I was taking it to stop the pain in my hand, which had got an infection after a cat bite!

If the crutches help, then use them. It will help with gait and weight bearing.

4

Sadly I probably won't be allowed onto Diclofenac by the looks of it as I am on Trazodone for my depression + sleep problems as well as a steriod spray.  Last time I was on NSAIDs I was on a different AD.

Yeah, I'll probably move back to two, it's a major pain but we'll see how things go.

5

Going on any inflammatory might help

But doing the stretches,icing better shoes ect are the ways to correct the problem

6

That's a shame, as it gives you the chance to walk properly if you haven't got so much pain.

Ben's ideas for the stretches and ice are a good move though, as I am learning with my trochanteric bursitis. x

7

Yeah, I've been keeping up with using the frozen golf balls as much as I can.  I think it might be better but it might just be that I'm walking less as walking was always what set it off the worst.  Going to try stretches if I can get the pain down a bit more.  GP suggested that ibuprofen would be appropriate with my current medication regime so am doing my best to take that (it's difficult though as I have problems with having more than 2 days of meds in my flat).

Very begrudgingly going to go back onto two crutches today.  Hopefully it won't be for long.

8

Every time I post mine comes back due to slacking off of stretches

Best stretch yet is to cross your leg over other leg grap your toes and heal pull back for 10 seconds repeat about 5 times

Do the same thing but just grab your toes pull back until the tendon is streched

Massage the tendon up and down

That seems to help for me

You need to do then every day

And don't slack off of them

9

Ah, I spy a problem here...my knee will not agree with that so it's kinda a non-starter.  Will need to find stretches that don't involve pressure on my knee like that.  I think that might end up being the problem is finding ways of helping my PF that don't aggravate my other issues.  And not slacking off will take a force of will as I'm still in recovery from serious MH problems, getting up every day is still a challenge!  We shall see, going to speak to my physio when I see him again and see if he has any suggestions for ways to alter the stretches so they don't aggravate my knee.  Will have to adapt my knee exercises so they don't aggravate my PF either.  Oh the joys...

10

taping helps temporarily  - how are you doing?  I had PRP treatments and nerve ablation twice...PF was very very painful for years...I am about 98% better