The Lazy Man's Guide to treating your Heel Pain!

My name is Dr. Michele McGowan, and much like the President for the Hair Club for Men, who is not only the president but a member of the organization himself because he has no hair, that is how I feel about heel pain or plantar fasciitis. I am a foot doctor who treats heel pain multiple times daily and has struggled with heel pain a couple different times in my life.  I help people get better all the time for this yet my inability to take my own advice was my downfall.

I can say that over the last 15 years of private practice in podiatry in Clermont Florida, the frequent flyers we see with heel pain that suffer longer or take longer to get better take all shapes and sizes. But they have one thread in common, which is they are usually too lazy to keep up with a stretching program to get better or stop stretching the moment the foot feels better. When I suffered with heel pain the first time I was a bad patient! I tell my patients all day long that they need to stretch but I suffered with heel pain for longer than I needed to due to my lazy streak and not wanting to stretch. 

Of course, once I started stretching and icing for my heel pain I started to get better and once I felt 100% better I stopped stretching! In order to ward off the return of this horrible pain you have to keep stretching.  This I find super annoying to say over and over again to the same patient year after year, whether the patient is a frequent flyer or myself.  Recently my paradigm has shifted in how I teach the lazy like myself to get better and stay better.

In 2015, when I had plantar fasciitis where it hurt so bad to walk, I decided to purchase a night splint.  This is a pretty simple device that you wear when you sleep that holds your foot in a complete stretch while you are sleeping, genius right? Well turns out this device is not super comfortable to sleep with it on.  This device spent more time with my toy fox terrier dog cuddled inside of it at bedtime then on my leg for the first few weeks.  But then my heel pain got so unbearable that I had to do something, because even the dedicated times during the day that I was stretching was yielding absolutely no result.  

I decided that I could no longer live like this and out of desperation I started to wear my night splint any time I could.  As I do not have a sit down job in one place going from room to room to see patients, my husband thought it was unrealistic to even bring the splint to work but I did.  But he was totally right, I couldn't wear it while seeing patients, but I put on around 11:45am until 1pm during my lunch break.  I would then lug that boot home( I was too cheap to buy 2 boots to keep one at work and one at home) and after soccer, track and music lessons for my girls I would put the boot on again when I was reading, watching TV or finishing up paper work from the office. 

At night I had a very particular regimen,  at about 8 pm I would prop up my leg on a couple of pillows and add a gel ice pack into the foot part of my night splint, place the night splint on and watch TV or finish up my work.  I did this for 2 months and my heel pain went completely away.  Until it came back a year later because I stopped stretching! 

So now I wear my night splint when I am sitting down in my house relaxing watching a movie or playing on my computer.  I currently have no heel pain but I feel like even the couple times a week I wear the splint it prevents me from having to have that sharp pain in the morning feeling and keeps my foot healthy! 

This is basically a little life hack for the lazy who have heel pain.  If you have any other foot problems feel free to learn more at our office website at http://centeranklefootcare.com/

Michele McGowan DPM

3190 Citrus Tower Blvd Ste A

Clermont, FL 34711

352-242-2502

Heel pain is the worst! Here are my favorite pieces of advice for patients suffering from heel pain that I know work from experience!

You wake up, step out of bed and then BAM! You feel it, a sharp undeniable  pain on the bottom of your foot near your heel.  Were you asleep for a hundred years, or did you rapidly age overnight?  No, you have plantar fasciitis, most likely.  As a foot doctor we see patients with heel pain about 15 times a day.  It is one of my favorite problems to treat, because people are always in shock on how easy it is to get better if they just follow some simple instructions.

This topic is very close to home for me, because after 2 weeks of a new exercise program P90X3, I developed plantar fasciitis!  The doctor is now the patient! This exercise program is a lot of jumping and up on your heels for different exercises.  It is a great program, but I would recommend some extra stretching of the calf muscles before and after to avoid getting plantar fasciitis.

Many people find it hard to get into the doctors office, but when your foot hurts it sometimes is unavoidable.  If you think you have plantar fasciitis or "heel pain" I would recommend seeing your foot and ankle specialist. But I will share with you what I have done from Friday of this past week, when my pain first started, until today Tuesday, just 4 days later.  My pain has gone from an 8 out of 10 Friday morning to about a 2 out of 10 Tuesday morning.

What Is Plantar Fasciitis?

Plantar Fasciitis is an injury sustained as the result of repetitive stress placed on the bottom of the foot. More specifically, its damage sustained on the fascia—a thin layer of fibrous tissue that protects
other tissues within your feet. Many people develop Plantar Fasciitis from long periods of standing, running, or performing various load-bearing activities. For me it was a new exercise program with a lot of jumping.

 Plantar Fasciitis Symptoms

The most common symptom of Plantar Fasciitis is pain. This can be burning, stinging, stabbing or throbbing pain. Many people experience a dramatic amount of pain when they first get up in the morning, with the sensation lessening throughout the day. For others, the pain is consistent. The pain can be isolated to an area in the middle of foot, or it can radiate outward towards the toes. The heel is the most common area for Plantar Fasciitis pain to show up. Plantar Fasciitis pain can be very stubborn and last for months or even years. Since walking and standing cannot be completely avoided in our lives, the injury can cause serious disturbances in professional and private life.


 Causes of Plantar Fasciitis

The causes of plantar fasciitis can be multi factorial, as you can see below.  But the anatomy of our lower leg plays a major role as well.  If you look at your calf muscle as compared to the front of your lower leg, you will notice a big disparity in muscle size.  The back of our leg muscles are bigger because they have the responsibility of pushing our body forward with each step. But the more we walk or exercise with out stretching, the tighter this muscle group gets!

Several different things can cause Plantar Fasciitis, which makes classifying the condition somewhat difficult. For example, bone spurs, flat feet, high-arched feet, and hard running surfaces are all very different—but each one can be a cause of the condition. Individuals in professions that require you to stand for long periods of time—nursing, for example—are at a higher risk for developing cause Plantar Fasciitis. Another very common cause of Plantar Fasciitis is the type of shoe you choose to wear. Older or poorly constructed shoes can place your feet at a higher risk for stress. Shoes that don't have adequate padding for the heel and arch can be a problem as well. Finally, overweight individuals are at a higher risk for developing Plantar Fasciitis. As you gain weight, this naturally places more stress on the tissues of your feet, and the fascia tends to bear the brunt of this.

 Treatments

Below you will find my recommendations regarding treating and making your heel pain go away
People find it hard to believe that stretching, icing and support can be the perfect combo to relieve and help get rid of their heel pain, but it's true!!!! I know from experience over the last 4 days!

What I always tell patients when they come into the office with heel pain or plantar fasciitis, is that even though it hurts so darn bad the cure really does revolve around stretching believe or not, in most cases.  Sure it can require a medicine by mouth or even a shot with some extra support in shoe gear but it is usually a simple fix.

The fix is simple but, depending in how long it takes you to seek help to get better, could be the deciding factor on how long it actually takes you to get better.  The sooner you seek care, start the stretching exercises and put good support in you shoes, the sooner you are on the road to recovery.

Here are my classic three stretches performed by my lovely stick figure drawings, but simple is always better. I have done these three stretches 4 or 5 times a day for the last 4 days.  Stretching is important for your Plantar fasciitis to get better and stay away.  Yes, that is right, I tell all of my patients that they need to stretch daily after having Plantar facsiitis to prevent it from coming back! These three basic runners stretches should be performed 3-4 times a day when you have Plantar fasciitis.  You should stretch both sides for completeness sake and hold the stretch for 15-20 seconds with no bouncing.

Icing is another thing I tell people to do when they have acute Plantar fasciitis.  But how you ice can be a real key to your success.  You need get a little plastic water bottle and freeze the water inside, then take it out 2 times a day rolling it under the arch of the foot back and forth.  I tell patients this is like physical therapy without a copay.  It is a natural anti-inflammatory and stretches the arch very effectively. I currently have three ice bottles in my freezer and have been rotating the bottles for ice massage non stop when I am home.

These are the two main ways to start treating your Plantar fasciitis right now: stretching and icing. They have been the hallmark of my own treatment over the last 4 days.  But I also have used the following to  help support my fascia while I was standing like inserts and slippers.  Also, there is something called a Plantar fascial night splint that I have worn every day for the last 4 days while I was sitting.

Some people get home and kick off their shoes and then strain the fascia walking barefoot around the house.  Support, even at home has a very positive effect in your outcome and feeling better sooner. Something like a spenco slide or slipper can be a foot saver and is what I have relied on the last couple days to protect  my feet around the house.

Here is a link to our webpage, with our top recommendations for heel pain and plantar fasciitis.  I put my favorite helpers for heel pain available below, my secret trick was the night splint with a gel ice pack in the foot bed of the splint from about 7pm until 11pm while I was doing computer work.  This was great because I could not sleep with the splint on but I got a great stretch for 4-5 hours every night while I was really doing nothing:
    

http://centeranklefootcare.com/plantar-fasciitis-helpers.html

Running with plantar fasciitis, you can get better and keep running!

Plantar fasciitis or heel pain is a real bugger to have for anyone, but when you are a runner it is 1,000
times worse.  I speak from experience.  This summer I began to run 4-5 times a week and increased my mileage to about 4 miles a run after a month or two.  Running is one of my favorite activities to do now, other than playing with my children and hanging out with my husband!  A year ago I would have never said those words about running.

After the second month of running, it happened, I got out of bed one morning and felt the very familiar stabbing pain on the bottom of my foot, known as plantar fasciitis.  I couldn't believe that I, a podiatrist, would get what so many of my patients come in to have treated. The good news was I immediately knew what I had and I started to treat myself. Below I have wrote my steps down for other runners who may be experiencing the same problem and would like some simple advice.  My one disclaimer is, if you do not know if you have plantar fasciitis, I would recommend seeing a foot doctor before you start a treatment program. There is a small possibility of a stress fracture in the heel bone

It is also important to note, that from August until November, I experienced some symptoms on and off of the heel pain.  I continued to run and on some occasions increased my mileage.  The running , I believe was not the source of aggravation of my plantar fasciitis, the resting after running and lack of stretching were the biggest culprits!

Step 1: Stretch
Your calf muscle is a big powerful muscle group of the lower extremity.  This is also a muscle group that does the majority of work when you are running below the knee.  This muscle group plays a huge role in pro pulsing you forward with each step while you are running.  These muscles need extra attention or they will let you know they are not happy with you.  I have included the perfectly illustrated stretching exercises you should be doing before and after running and maybe two other times a day.  Also, purchasing a night splint is a nice way to get  static extended stretch while you are resting, watching TV or sleeping.   Another great tool for a deeper stretch is using a Pro-stretch.

Step 2: Ice
Icing is really important to help calm down plantar fasciitis, especially when you are continuing to run.  I always say get a 20oz bottle of water and freeze it.  Roll it under your foot for 10 minutes 2 or three times a day.  Giving you a deep stretch and ice it a great natural anti-inflammatory. This is quick, easy & very worth it for the plantar fascia. Other devices are sold kit that can help you get a deep stretch and freeze a foam roller in a Thera-band kit.      

Step 3: No Barefoot and Good shoes
Going barefoot when you have plantar fasciitis is a killer.  I always tell patient they have to have something on your feet while you are walking around even in the house.  A great alternative is a spenco flip flop.  They have a little bit of a built in support in the arch.  Sneakers really are the gold standard to help you get better, as long as they are in good condition.  Sometimes you have to ditch your dress shoes for 4-6 weeks to give good supportive care. Many sneaker have built in support in the arch too. Asics are one of my favorite running shoes for support in the arch.  Just remember that the more miles you put on  a week the quicker you will need to replace your shoe, no matter how great they are, probably every 3-5 months.  Running 3-5 miles 4 times a week I replaced my sneakers after 2 months.  If you have new shoes and just feel like you need more support I would recommend superfeet, spenco or power step over the counter inserts. If you were to go see a podiatrist, they would most likely recommend one of these over the counter inserts.


If you are a runner and have plantar fasciitis, running is usually fine to continue but remember to STRETCH, ICE, & GOOD SUPPORT are the keys to keep you running and help you get better!

Plantar Fasciitis...The Doctor Is Now The Patient!!!!!

You wake up, step out of bed and then BAM! You feel it, a sharp undeniable  pain on the bottom of your foot near your heel.  Were you asleep for a hundred years, or did you rapidly age overnight?  No, you have plantar fasciitis, most likely.  As a foot doctor we see patients with heel pain about 15 times a day.  It is one of my favorite problems to treat, because people are always in shock on how easy it is to get better if they just follow some simple instructions.

This topic is very close to home for me, because after 2 weeks of a new exercise program P90X3, I developed plantar fasciitis!  The doctor is now the patient! This exercise program is a lot of jumping and up on your heels for different exercises.  It is a great program, but I would recommend some extra stretching of the calf muscles before and after to avoid getting plantar fasciitis.

Many people find it hard to get into the doctors office, but when your foot hurts it sometimes is unavoidable.  If you think you have plantar fasciitis or "heel pain" I would recommend seeing your foot and ankle specialist. But I will share with you what I have done from Friday of this past week, when my pain first started, until today Tuesday, just 4 days later.  My pain has gone from an 8 out of 10 Friday morning to about a 2 out of 10 Tuesday morning.

What Is Plantar Fasciitis?

Plantar Fasciitis is an injury sustained as the result of repetitive stress placed on the bottom of the foot. More specifically, its damage sustained on the fascia—a thin layer of fibrous tissue that protects
other tissues within your feet. Many people develop Plantar Fasciitis from long periods of standing, running, or performing various load-bearing activities. For me it was a new exercise program with a lot of jumping.

 Plantar Fasciitis Symptoms

The most common symptom of Plantar Fasciitis is pain. This can be burning, stinging, stabbing or throbbing pain. Many people experience a dramatic amount of pain when they first get up in the morning, with the sensation lessening throughout the day. For others, the pain is consistent. The pain can be isolated to an area in the middle of foot, or it can radiate outward towards the toes. The heel is the most common area for Plantar Fasciitis pain to show up. Plantar Fasciitis pain can be very stubborn and last for months or even years. Since walking and standing cannot be completely avoided in our lives, the injury can cause serious disturbances in professional and private life.


 Causes of Plantar Fasciitis

The causes of plantar fasciitis can be multi factorial, as you can see below.  But the anatomy of our lower leg plays a major role as well.  If you look at your calf muscle as compared to the front of your lower leg, you will notice a big disparity in muscle size.  The back of our leg muscles are bigger because they have the responsibility of pushing our body forward with each step. But the more we walk or exercise with out stretching, the tighter this muscle group gets!

Several different things can cause Plantar Fasciitis, which makes classifying the condition somewhat difficult. For example, bone spurs, flat feet, high-arched feet, and hard running surfaces are all very different—but each one can be a cause of the condition. Individuals in professions that require you to stand for long periods of time—nursing, for example—are at a higher risk for developing cause Plantar Fasciitis. Another very common cause of Plantar Fasciitis is the type of shoe you choose to wear. Older or poorly constructed shoes can place your feet at a higher risk for stress. Shoes that don't have adequate padding for the heel and arch can be a problem as well. Finally, overweight individuals are at a higher risk for developing Plantar Fasciitis. As you gain weight, this naturally places more stress on the tissues of your feet, and the fascia tends to bear the brunt of this.

 Treatments

Below you will find my recommendations regarding treating and making your heel pain go away
People find it hard to believe that stretching, icing and support can be the perfect combo to relieve and help get rid of their heel pain, but it's true!!!! I know from experience over the last 4 days!

What I always tell patients when they come into the office with heel pain or plantar fasciitis, is that even though it hurts so darn bad the cure really does revolve around stretching believe or not, in most cases.  Sure it can require a medicine by mouth or even a shot with some extra support in shoe gear but it is usually a simple fix.

The fix is simple but, depending in how long it takes you to seek help to get better, could be the deciding factor on how long it actually takes you to get better.  The sooner you seek care, start the stretching exercises and put good support in you shoes, the sooner you are on the road to recovery.

Here are my classic three stretches performed by my lovely stick figure drawings, but simple is always better. I have done these three stretches 4 or 5 times a day for the last 4 days.  Stretching is important for your Plantar fasciitis to get better and stay away.  Yes, that is right, I tell all of my patients that they need to stretch daily after having Plantar facsiitis to prevent it from coming back! These three basic runners stretches should be performed 3-4 times a day when you have Plantar fasciitis.  You should stretch both sides for completeness sake and hold the stretch for 15-20 seconds with no bouncing.

Icing is another thing I tell people to do when they have acute Plantar fasciitis.  But how you ice can be a real key to your success.  You need get a little plastic water bottle and freeze the water inside, then take it out 2 times a day rolling it under the arch of the foot back and forth.  I tell patients this is like physical therapy without a copay.  It is a natural anti-inflammatory and stretches the arch very effectively. I currently have three ice bottles in my freezer and have been rotating the bottles for ice massage non stop when I am home.

These are the two main ways to start treating your Plantar fasciitis right now: stretching and icing. They have been the hallmark of my own treatment over the last 4 days.  But I also have used the following to  help support my fascia while I was standing like inserts and slippers.  Also, there is something called a Plantar fascial night splint that I have worn every day for the last 4 days while I was sitting.

Some people get home and kick off their shoes and then strain the fascia walking barefoot around the house.  Support, even at home has a very positive effect in your outcome and feeling better sooner. Something like a spenco slipper can be a foot saver and is what I have relied on the last couple days to protect  my feet around the house.

Here is a link to our webpage, with our top recommendations for heel pain and plantar fasciitis.  I put my favorite helpers for heel pain available at :
http://centeranklefootcare.com/id114.html

Don't let your feet take a beating this Thanksgiving Season! Keep your feet feel happy with Vionic Shoes

About a year ago I reviewed the Vionic (Orthaheel) Shoe and Sandal Line. If you know Dr. Henne and myself, Dr. McGowan, we are very skeptical individuals. Not only do we want to know something works before we pass it on to our patients, we would rather try it for ourselves before making a tried and true recommendation for something.

The Orthaheel shoe line was developed by an Australian Podiatrist with already built in orthotic support. This company was recently bought by Vionic.  The whole line has the American Podiatric Medical Association Seal of Approval, which not many products have. The Vionic 44 Cascade Flip Flop I reviewed was my first choice when I first saw the line of Orthaheel/ Vionic shoes. This is a sporty but very delicate looking active sandal.  With Thanksgiving this week, a classic holiday where we stand for hours cooking, I wanted to remind you to support your feet!  Standing for hours preparing a big delicious meal can be torture to your feet.  There is probably no better brand than Vionic to support your feet during the Holidays!

Here was my review a year ago about this shoe:

I will tell you that the moment I put this flip flop on, I wanted to take back every bad thing I have ever said about flip flops! I immediately felt support that I think my feet have been lacking, even in my good athletic sneakers. Because I felt so much support I was nervous to wear them for a full day, echoing the sentiment we give when fitting an individual with custom and over the counter orthotics or inserts in their shoes. We tell them to slowly break them in a couple hours at a time, increasing it slightly each day. I don't know if this was overkill, but I think that I would recommend this before going all day in them, mainly because that is what I did and it worked great.

So I have worn these sandals for last 3 weeks. I have had no problems and my feet feel great. These shoes are touted and praised for a perfect after sports recovery sandal.

Here is what I currently think today:

I agree with all of the above and these shoes get my seal of approval:) They retail at $99, this is money well spent especially for all of my patients who refuse to wear anything other than flip flops but come in complaining of foot pain. I finally have an alternative for these patients that I feel good about.

The Vionic shoes are not just sandals or flip flops.  There are many shoes to choose from and I included a couple links that are from FootSmart, that has a huge selection of the Vionic Shoes.

Since I first wrote this blog I have purchased the Orthaheel sneakers and I absolutely love the extra support I get from such a well thought out shoe like Vionic offers.

Dr. Henne believes that my reviews are a sneaky way for me to buy all new shoes but this is science here, I want to make sure these work for our patients:) If you would like to learn more about these shoes visit us online at:

http://www.centeranklefootcare.com/id87.html

Want to get rid of your heel pain or plantar fasciits, but don't have time to get into the office?

Many people find it hard to get into the doctors office, but when your foot hurts it sometimes is unavoidable.  If you think you have plantar fasciitis or "heel pain" I would recommend seeing your foot and ankle specialist.  I recently requested a copy of this ebook :

As a foot doctor I am always very skeptical of anything titled "Cure", but I have an open mind so I requested this book to review,  The author was very accommodating and let me read his book. I loved it, it is everything I tell patients to do when they visit me for heel pain.  I wish every patient would read it before they came into the office the advice is great and very practical.

If you are experiencing heel pain and are not able to get in and see your foot and ankle specialist then I would recommend this ebook for helpful insights and advice for helping treat your heel pain.  However, if your symptoms persist, you need to make an appointment with your foot doctor!

What Is Plantar Fasciitis?


 Plantar Fasciitis is an injury sustained as the result of repetitive stress placed on the bottom of the foot. More specifically, its damage sustained on the fascia—a thin layer of fibrous tissue that protects
other tissues within your feet. Many people develop Plantar Fasciitis from long periods of standing, running, or performing various load-bearing activities.

 Plantar Fasciitis Symptoms

The most common symptom of Plantar Fasciitis is pain. This can be burning, stinging, stabbing or throbbing pain. Many people experience a dramatic amount of pain when they first get up in the morning, with the sensation lessening throughout the day. For others, the pain is consistent. The pain can be isolated to an area in the middle of foot, or it can radiate outward towards the toes. The heel is another common area for Plantar Fasciitis pain to show up. Plantar Fasciitis pain can be very stubborn and last for months or even years. Since walking and standing cannot be completely avoided in our lives, the injury can cause serious disturbances in professional and private life.


 Causes of Plantar Fasciitis

Several different things can cause Plantar Fasciitis, which makes classifying the condition somewhat difficult. For example, bone spurs, flat feet, high-arched feet, and hard running surfaces are all very different—but each one can be a cause of the condition. Individuals in professions that require you to stand for long periods of time—nursing, for example—are at a higher risk for developing cause Plantar Fasciitis. Another very common cause of Plantar Fasciitis is the type of shoe you choose to wear. Older or poorly constructed shoes can place your feet at a higher risk for stress. Shoes that don't have adequate padding for the heel and arch can be a problem as well. Finally, overweight individuals are at a higher risk for developing Plantar Fasciitis. As you gain weight, this naturally places more stress on the tissues of your feet, and the fascia tends to bear the brunt of this.

 Treatments

There are a number of treatment options for Plantar Fasciitis. From special orthotic devices and splints, to stretching and strengthening the fascia itself. R.I.C.E. is a common treatment regimen, which stands for Rest Icepack application Compression and Elevation. Research has shown that 25% of individuals with Plantar Fasciitis have found that rest is the best treatment. Many people have success with dietary modifications as well. Zinc, for example, is an essential mineral that helps you repair and regenerate damaged tissue. Plantar Fasciitis can be a very debilitating medical condition if it is left untreated. The good news, however, is that there are a number of solutions available to help you overcome it. To learn more about Plantar Fasciitis and proven techniques to treat and prevent it, the best guide on the matter is Fast Plantar Fasciitis Cure™ by exercise rehab consultant Jeremy Roberts. This book provides reader with a step-by-step plan of action to overcome the pain and repair the damaged foot tissue. By following this plan, you can quickly reclaim your foot health and your quality of life.

Not sure if you have plantar fasciitis? Then got to our website at http://centeranklefootcare.com/id92.html and read more!