Planter Fasciitis surgery~ Anyone had this treatment for it?

Hi I am new to this forum still trying to figure out how it works. Thanks for your info how to use it. I have planter fasicitis bad in both feet. The pain runs up to my legs and knees,sometimes the hips. Does anyone has these symptoms. I tried everything to incerts cortorzone shots and streching and nothing works. I am having surgery in Janurary in one foot. Want to know if any body had surgery and if it worked? I also have heel spurs. Misty 12

Post Edited By Moderator (Screaming Eagle) : 9/25/2012 2:55:58 PM (GMT-6)

Hi misty12, thank-you for joining us here. I am not familiar with plantar fascitus, but it sounds like a very painful condition. I hope that your doctors are doing something to keep your pain under control. I'm do not know if TENS, or ice, or things of that nature would help, but everyone always encourages those modalities, even the slightest bit of pain relief can make a world of difference, even if only for a minute. Do your doctors have you on any medications to help, such as a nerve pain med, anti inflammatory, or a narcotic pain reliever?

I tried everything I could, after a major back injury at work, but my back was injured even further when an industrial size drill press threw a 40 lb brass wheel at me, and now I'm recovering from the only option that I had left, a lumbar fusion at the most damaged level. There's a couple other issues back there still, but they were peanuts compared to the extent of the damage in the one level, the doctor said he was pulling disc fragments of of my spinal cord sack and surrounding area for over an hour.

Sorry for talking about my own issues too much, I'm just saying that like you, I was left with no other option but surgery, and it was a scary several months building up to it, despite that I've had other major surgeries in the past, it never gets any easier. The anticipation of pain, in my opinion, is just as unnerving as the pain itself. There was nothing that could have prepared me for the pain that I had, immediately waking up from surgery, or for the last several weeks, or the months prior to it. Also, being unable to walk unassisted, didn't make things any better, my laft leg was near paralyzed, and it is barely starting to bear my weight, after over 6 months of total uselessness, and the nerves waking backup is very painful.

I hope that your upcoming surgery will give you some quality of life when it's all over. The only advice I can offer on how to navigate through the forum, first, write down the address, that way you know what page you want to come back to any time you need us, if you know how to put it into your "favorites" on your web browser, that would also help. On the main forum page, where all the conditions are listed, there's a link that says "frequently asked questions" I believe reading through some of that may help you learn a bit more. I'm really not a good verbally instructive teacher, I've had 5 apprentices while working on wind turbines, 19 while driving truck, and 43, while working in my college's welding program as part of a work experience class for my AS degree, I'm really a hands on type of teacher lol.

Hopefully one of the moderators will have some other insight for you. I really hope you get some relief from that horrible sounding condition. Take care, and keep.us posted on how you're doing, and while you're waiting for surgery, feel free to express whatever you need to here, the wonderful family here has gotten me through so much in the past couple months that I've been here, and I would say they are more understanding than anyone else. Good luck to you, and I hope your upcoming surgery has great results.

This is a very interesting thread and one I hope to see a great deal of response on. I too have plantar fascitis (sp?) and have gone through many procedures to "make it better". I have not made it to the surgery level because they told me as a general rule.....it will work itself out in about a year if you can live with the pain and the orthodics. That is what I did and I did honestly come to the point of wearing "normal" shoes again (without orthodics unless it is a flat type shoe). I MUST use shoes that have an incline of some sort or the pain is horrible.

What worked the absolute BEST for me was the braces that you sleep in and wear just at night or when sitting around in the recliner. The change was noticable within two weeks, but not well of course. It made it completely clear that I had some progress without surgery (which I now consider the very last resort in any instance.....I'm sure you all understand). The podiatrist gave me this particular brand and I believe they cost around 100.00 per foot, but they were worth it, but I also had to wear the Richey Braces for a long time with a diabetic tennis shoe (so it would fit right) and I still have hard orthodics that I wear often.

Please consider giving the overnight braces a chance if you haven't already done that. For those others reading this thread, please consider the overnight braces before you have the shots if you can stand it because the shots are so incredibly painful!!

Good luck my friend. Please let us know how your surgery goes and how you progress. We love to hear back from "success" stories too!!!

Retired mom. Hi . The doctor never suggested braces to me . I will have to ask him. You see I am still working and I can't afford to take off any time. I also had electric shock wave therapy on my left foot last may. It did not help at all. Hopefully the surgery will. Do you have heel spurs to and does the pain travel up to your knees and legs? Misty 12.

I had pain a lot like that. It was pretty bad in my heels, went up my lower legs, bad again around the knees. I was positive it was coming from my feet. I went to two orthopedic surgeons who couldn't diagnose it and gave me some exercises. Then I saw a podiatrist who said it was coming from my back. He was right.

My pain doc gave me a steroid shot on the side of my spine for sciatic nerve compression, seen on MRI, and the pain went away clear down in my feet before I even sat up. I got one shot on each side.

Don't rush into surgery!

Hi Alcie. My back does not really hurt at all. The foot doctor asked me if my back hurts and it really does not. The foot doctor took exrays of my feet and showed me the heel spurs. My feet hurt really bad after I worked 7 to 8 hours a day. The only thing that calms the pain down is cold towels on my feet. I dont think it could be arthritis because of the cold towels on my feet. The heat would help arthitis but it makes it worse. Was your back hurting you at all? Did you have any heel spurs? I will ask my regular doctor if it could be coming from my back and for him to take a Mri to see if its anything else. Misty12.

Moderators: Please adjust or remove any information that is not in line with the rules of the forum. I do not wish to violate forum rules. I found these and I KNOW they worked for me. It was not a simple one day fix, but I did not have to have surgery and it was a Godsend. I do not norally recommend internet orders. I fyou can get your Dr to consider this brand, please ask him/her before ordering. If you have no insurance, please consider this before you allow someone to cut on your feet. The pain is tto great to deal witha lone and work will not take your mind off of foot pain.

This site has given me hope and support when there was nowhere else to turn. I'd like to do that for someone else...so here it is.

This is the EXACT night support my podiatrist gave me and I still use on occasion.

Best of luck to you (and anyone else considering this same condition). I hope you find relief. It's not overnight, but anything is better than surgery and potential complications and

To order without going through the podiatrist : 1-800-803-2352

Sizing For the Dorsal Night Splint
Size Fits Shoe Sizes Item #
Small 5 - 10 AA-DORSAL-S
Large 10½ - 16 AA-DORSAL-L

Size:
Select One Small Large Quantity

Price $45.95

Thank you screaming Eagle for helping me out on the Forum. Misty12.

Hi Misty,

I have both night and day splints and I have custom orthodics that I wear with "most" of my shoes. It's a lot better now so I don't have to wear them like I used to (every day without fail).

I do know that each splint works differently (just like meds) for different people. Perhaps you had the wrong ones or perhaps they just won't work for you. Either way, I'm sorry that you had a bad experience with them.

I would like to leave the information, if it is ok and doesn't violate the forum rules. Even if it doesn't help you, perhaps it will help someone else. So many people get help from lurking or from just reading other people's information. I know I have.

I do hope you will find the answer and will have a pain free life with your feet. It is so important to have a firm foundation "so to speak" to keep us from falling and further damaging other issues.

I pray you will find relief!