The Debilitating Scourge of Plantar Fasciitis

I broke my left foot and spent three months on crutches.  As soon as the crutches went back in the closet to await my next accident, I promptly threw out my back and dragged myself around like a twisted assistant to a mad scientist.

But that was nothing compared to Plantar Fasciitis.  My first experience was in that same foot less than a year later.  I finished that 5K in debilitating pain but I couldn't walk so I pulled out those crutches again.  Two days later I was walking with a pain that was to persist for months.

Nothing worked.  I changed my shoes, stretched, performed strengthening exercises, slept with a boot, never walked in bare feet, and put insoles in every shoe I wore.  Unlike my broken foot, there wasn't a foreseeable end to the discomfort.  I taught all day but sat as much as I could.  Prior to standing up, I would stretch my calf, hamstring, and foot to avoid the shooting pain of those first steps.

I got a cortisone shot that had no effect.  I wore a boot during the day.  I didn't walk much.  Or run.  Or stand.  I'd return home from teaching all day and just lie on the couch with my foot elevated.  I endured pain with every step.

Then one day the pain just disappeared.  I walked around gingerly for a few days, knocking on wood, avoiding black cats, and rubbing my lucky rabbits foot but it stayed away.

Until it came back - in both feet.  Then it disappeared in the right foot but persisted in the left.  And last year I developed achilles tendinitis in that same left foot.

I noticed that I had more pain when I didn't drink much water.  When I was well hydrated, the severity of my pain decreased.  That may just be my imagination by I drink much more water now.

Then I acted upon the athletic tape idea I had read about.  One big strip of duct tape across the arch of my foot actually worked pretty well but the adhesive ripped up the foot and the edges rolled off during the day.  Then I bought some athletic tape and experimented with various taping techiniques until I came up with this:

iFail Link

It works.  I don't even know if I have plantar fasciitis any more but I tape it just about every day.  I've gone without tape for a few days and sometimes I feel some pain so I just go back to it.  I've noticed that when I walk good distances consistently, my foot seems to do better - I can actualy walk with the tape but the three kids and the house painting and the basement repair and life keep me from making that a priority.

The compression socks seem to demonstrate that the achilles tendinitis and the plantar fasciitis are affected by poor blood flow from the extremities.  I have worn compression socks to bed and I awaken with no achilles discomfort.

So I tape my foot and wear old man socks for support and blood flow.  I drink plenty of water.  I wear good shoes with homemade arch supports that fit my feet.  No stretching, no shots, no exercises, no surgery.  I should walk more but I don't.

Now I sometimes get up to pee at 3 am just to celebrate the lack of pain on those first steps.  Anybody want to be part of my medical study?  Once I figure out a waiver I'll get you enrolled.