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Editorial: What I discovered about "heel and foot pain" could save you hundreds of $$$ and a lot of pain!

The first symptom of heel or foot pain that I remember experiencing was, sharp pains in the heel region of both feet, most acute immediately after getting out of bed in the morning, sometimes this pain was so bad that I had to hobble of grab on to things to help support me getting to the bathroom. I would come to discover, that this is possibly the most typical and common symptom of "plantar fasciitis".

This condition got progressively worse, if I walked 2-3 miles, walked 18 holes of golf, worked a trade shows (6-8 hours on my feet) or even did work around the house that required me to be on my feet for a long time, it would sometimes take until the middle of the next day for me to recover enough to feel comfortable and pain free. I attributed this to getting older (about 50 at the time) and the possible onset of arthritis, and thought there was no treatment or cure.

One day I saw a television informercial from a well known national chain of foot care stores, they were talking about what I was experiencing.

As a traveling salesman I get around quite a bit, so the next time I was in a large city, I looked them up. At this time after a long drive, the first dozen or so steps away from my car were quite painful, usually this would alleviate after a few steps.

I parked directly in front of the store, and one of the technicians saw me walk into the store and greeted me with "You seem to be suffering from "plantar fasciitis", we can help you! This was the first time I had even heard of "plantar fasciitis". The technician explained to me that the "plantar fascia" is a band on tough tissue that connects the heel to the toes, and runs the full length of the bottom of the foot. Tears develop in this tissue and cause inflammation or "iitis" this is the origin of the pain, usually most acute in exactly the circumstances I was experiencing. Many people are susceptible to "plantar fasciitis", especially athletes, runners, people who stand for long periods, and people who are overweight.

The technician then took a mold of the bottom of my foot, stating that this would allow them to correctly size my foot and recommend the correct size "orthotic". He gave me a brief history of the invention and use of "orthotics", and of course attributed the founder of this chain as the inventor. He took my mold to the back room and returned with 2 different orthotic products, he placed one type in my shoes and asked me to walk across the room. These devices felt as if I was trying to walk with a golf ball in the middle of my foot, this was somewhat uncomfortable, however the relief from pain was immediate. He stated that I should wear these orthotics for at least an hour per day, and increase that time each day, until I was able to wear them all of the time in all of my shoes. He did have a pair that was made from another material and with a somewhat lower rise, that he suggested for later in the day as a break for my feet. I was presented with a bill of over $500.00 for the exam and both pair of orthotics, we compromised, and I purchased the "golf ball" pair for $249.00.

That same evening I played golf in my weekly golf league, and was talking to one of my team mates about the orthotics, only to discover that he was well aware of this affliction and in fact had been suffering from it for a couple of years! what I also discovered was that he wore orthotics in his shoes, that he had only paid $24.00 for. We compared his to mine, and found that with the exception of the material they were made of, and a small variation in size, they were identical.

Later that evening I got on the Internet and researched the symptoms, causes, treatments and long term prognosis for plantar fasciitis. Treatments range from stretching exercises to surgery, with over 90% of persons afflicted being helped substantially with stretching exercises and orthotics. I also found that there was little difference in recovery using "custom orthotics" vs. "off the shelf" products. Treatment using these methods lasts 2 to 30 months, with the average patient being helped in about 9 months.

The next day I returned to the chain store and demanded a refund, the same technician who had helped me the day before and the store manager, went into a prolonged explanation that they were aware of the competing brand which they said were made of inferior materials, which would break down very quickly, and they were not available in as wide an array of sizes. Again we compromised and I ended up with a refund of $197.00.

Later that day I went online to DrLeonards.com searched for Phase 4 orthotics, and bought enough for all of my pairs of shoes for $14.95 a pair! Of course you don't need a pair for each pair of shoes, you can switch them from pair to pair.

I wore these devices for about 12 - 18 months and then stopped wearing them more than 2 years ago, the heel pain that I had experienced has not returned, I now do the recommended foot exercises before a long walk, or just at random when I think of it, and I know I can always go back to the orthotics if I need to. In that length of time the "off the shelf" orthotics performed just as well as the 1 pair of "custom" orthotics that I was using and showed no sign of deterioration.

Note: This is a description of what worked for me, and may not work for you. If you suffer the described symptoms, you should consult your Dr. and follow his or her advise.

Resources for more information:

DrLeonards.com	Healthlink
Foot Health	Heel That Pain
American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons	American Academy of Family Physicians

Please enjoy this issue, and stay tuned for the next

“To Your Health”

Jim Newell

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Guest Author Article #1 Five Simple Steps For Treating Heel Pain By Christine Dobrowolski, DPM

If you experience a sharp pain in your heel at the first step in the morning, chances are you have plantar fasciitis (plan * tar fash* ee * I * tis). "Plantar" means the bottom of the foot. The "fascia" is a long ligament type structure. "Itis" means inflammation. Plantar fasciitis is a tearing of the ligament on the bottom of the foot. The tearing causes inflammation and the inflammation causes pain. Plantar fasciitis is the most common cause of heel pain. Many individuals with plantar fasciitis find that they hobble to the bathroom every morning because of the pain. They must grab onto the dresser or the wall to balance themselves. After fifteen minutes or so, the pain works itself out, only to come back with a vengeance at the end of the day. Not all individuals with plantar fasciitis experience pain in the morning. Many find that they only experience heel pain at the end of the day or during certain types of activity.

Five steps you can take to help decrease your heel pain:

1. Decrease your activity level: The more you are on your feet, the more tearing that occurs in the fascia. Tearing in the fascia leads to inflammation and more pain. Stop running or walking and try biking or swimming. Avoid the treadmill and the stairmaster at the gym. Limit the number times you go up and down the stairs at work or home. Avoid hills if possible. Do not lift or carry heavy items including your kids. Use a stroller or have your spouse/significant other carry them. Decrease your activity level for at least two weeks. If you have improved after two weeks, do not jump right back into your old routine. A gradual return to your routine is essential.

2. Try an ice massage: Freeze a sports water bottle and place it on the floor. Roll your arch over the water bottle for 20 minutes twice a day.

3. Stretch your calf: Place a towel or a belt on your dresser. In the morning, before you get out of bed, wrap the towel around the ball of your foot. Pull the foot towards you, keeping your leg straight. You should feel a stretch in your calf. Stretch for 30 - 60 seconds. This will help to decrease your pain once you step down. Spend about 5 minutes each evening stretching the calf as described above or with the runners stretch. To really help keep the calf and the bottom of the foot stretched out, try and stretch for 30 seconds 10 times a day.

4. Take anti-inflammatory medications: Anti-inflammatory medications, like naproxen or ibuprofen, will help decrease the inflammation that occurs in the fascia as a result of the tearing. The anti-inflammatory medications will also help decrease the pain. Be careful, you don't want to mask the pain. If the medications decrease your pain enough to allow you to run, jog or walk more, you may be doing more harm than good. Rest, ice and stretch while you are taking the medications. If after two weeks you have improved, slowly start your exercise or work routine again.

5. Wear supportive shoes: This step may seem logical, but most individuals don't realize how poor their shoes are. A supportive shoe will bend only where the foot bends, at the toes. To test this, take your shoe and flip it over. Grab the toe area and the heel and try to fold the shoe. If the shoe bends in half, then the shoe is not supportive. You should wear supportive shoes at all times. Don't go barefoot. Get up in the morning, do your stretch and then slip your feet in a supportive slipper or clog. Having a running or walking shoe does not guarantee a good shoe. Many of these shoes have lightweight designs and tend to breakdown in the middle of the shoe after two or three months. Test all of your shoes.

If your symptoms do not resolve, see a podiatrist.

About The Author

Christine Dobrowolski is a podiatrist and author of Those Aching Feet: Your Guide to Diagnosis and Treatment of Common Foot Problems. For more information about Dr. Dobrowolski or her book visit www.skipublishing.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

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Guest Author Article #2: (R E S T) Need Not Be a Four Letter Word for Runners with Plantar Fasciitis

When a runner is diagnosed with plantar fasciitis, often the first thing they hear is that they need to rest and stop running. Though this advice may work for someone whose plantar fasciitis is being caused by obesity, it puts the runner in an awkward situation. Runners often ignore the medical advice and “run through it” which ends up lengthening the time they suffer from the condition. Furthermore, this problem is compounded by the fact that studies have shown that the longer you wait to treat plantar fasciitis the harder it is to solve the problem.

“Healthcare professionals must take into consideration the importance of the daily run to the mental and physical wellbeing of the person.” says Daniel Marein-Efrón, founder of Heeling Solutions (heelingsolutions.com) a new company using videos to educate people about conservative treatments for plantar fasciitis. “I need my daily exercise high to keep me focused and full of energy, so stopping my running completely was not a possibility when I was diagnosed with plantar fasciitis.”

“With 5-10% of all running injuries being caused by plantar fasciitis it is very important that runners get the appropriate information to help them get better and keep them sane at the same time,” says Mr. Marein-Efrón. “Our videos offer runners in-depth information on the treatments for plantar fasciitis, which enables them to customize a treatment regiment with the help of their doctor. The Heeling Solutions R.E.S.C.U.E. program also includes a special section for runners in addition to a second video that has a strengthening and stretching program that will help prevent the recurrence of plantar fasciitis.”

Because of the unique issues confronting runners with plantar fasciitis many specialists are now recommending what has been termed “active rest.” This idea has arisen after careful consideration of the most common causes of plantar fasciitis in runners:

• Sudden changes in activity level. For example, increasing mileage while training for a marathon

• Wearing shoes that may appear to be in good shape, but have actually lost their shock absorbing abilities

• Running on high impact surfaces such as concrete

• Having tight hamstring and calf muscles

• Having high or low arches

Many specialists now recommend that runners switch to running in a pool or traditional swimming to maintain fitness, while at the same time reducing the amount of stress put on the plantar fascia. This active rest can also involve other activities such as biking, though it is recommended that runners first stop experiencing pain before switching to biking.

For those that just can’t stop running they can try reducing their mileage by 90% and slowly working back up over a period or weeks and months as long as the condition is improving and there is no pain. If pain increases, the pool is the best option.

For more information, go to www.aafp.org, www.heelingsolutions.com, www.apma.org

Daniel Marein-Efron is a former plantar fasciitis sufferer and President of Heeling Solutions LLC http://www.heelingsolutions.com . Mr. Marein-Efron has been involved with a variety of entrepreneurial businesses through his consulting company DMEX Consulting LLC.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

Editorial Contact:

Jim Newell

email; comments@toyourhealth101.com

Phone 902-457-7630, Fax 920-457-5083

5702 S. 12^th Street

Sheboygan, WI 53081

Until next time

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