My blog just turned 4 years old! Happy Anniversary to managedmoms.com! To celebrate and to welcome the many new readers who have recently subscribed (thank you!), I am running some of my most read articles and today’s is all about how I was able to cure my plantar fascittis and heel spur without needing a cortisone shot. Read on to see what my podiatrist did, what I did at home and get the link to his office for more information. This ran three years ago…
Manic: The last few weeks, adding twice weekly podiatrist appointments to my already jam-packed schedule!
Managed: My plantar fasciitis! The alternative treatments worked! When I posted a few weeks ago that I was trying to avoid the cortisone shot and instead focus on several different treatments, I promised to keep you all posted on my results. Well, I have good news! And not only are my feet better, but my knee pain has gone away, too. I think it was related to my heel pain. My guess is that I was walking incorrectly to mask my heel pain, which was putting undue pressure on my knee. I don’t know this for sure, but this is my personal guess. But here is what I do know worked for my foot issues…
Right after the New Year, I got my act together and decided to stop ignoring my foot pain. It was even painful to first walk on my feet every morning, let alone trying to exercise! So I visited podiatrist Dr. C. Jon Beecroft, D.P.M at Ahwatukee Foot & Ankle Center. Dr. Beecroft discovered that I have plantar fasciitis in one foot and heel spurs in both heels. And the padding under the ball of my other foot has thinned out through the years, so no wonder I’ve been in foot pain.
I did not want the cortisone shot because I didn’t want the steroids in my body, unless I truly needed the injection. My doctor respected that, so here is what we did instead…
1. Taped feet…kind of like a ballerina! I went to see my doc twice a week to have my feet taped.
The tape gave my feet extra support, while taking some pressure off of my heels. I also wore a round pad under the ball of my foot, where the fatty padding has worn thin.
2. Twice weekly ultrasound treatments by Dr. Beecroft’s amazing nurse, Jill.
This painless procedure stimulates the flow of blood and oxygen to the region of my heel where the plantar fascia connects, which is the area that gives me so much pain. The ultrasound waves help to reduce the inflammation. The treatment felt good and I’m happy to report that after three weeks of this therapy, it worked!
3. Ice treatment at home, which is super easy for me to do myself, as you can see in this picture…
I simply rolled my feet over a frozen water bottle twice a day for about 10 minutes each.
4. Gentle stretching of calf muscles. I like to do wall stretches – 10 seconds each side and then I repeat ten times. I did this twice a day in increments of ten. I’m still doing this now, even though my physical therapy with my doctor has ended.
5. I took Naproxen that my podiatrist prescribed me. It is like a stronger version of Aleve. I don’t like taking meds, but my doctor advised me to take two weeks of this regimen, along with the physical therapy. And after three full weeks of my combination treatment plan, we were able to greatly reduce the inflammation that was causing me so much pain, so I did take my pills. Although I must admit, I only took them for a week.
6. Wearing an interesting looking night sock called the Strassburg Sock. This odd-looking contraption looks like this:
Believe it or not, this sock is worn to bed all night and it is actually comfortable. This device is designed to keep tension on the plantar fascia so it heals in a stretched position while I sleep. I bought mine for $38.95 at a running store called Sole Sports that is located at Warner and McClintock. They have several locations and sell the right kind of gear for athletic (and sore) feet. I wore this one night during my 3-week treatment. I keep it on hand in case of a future flare-up.
7. I finally bought myself the right kind of tennis shoes. Both the Foot Solutions store, who sold me my new sneakers, and my doc, recommend the Brooks line and I absolutely love my new shoes. 
Talk about great support! I pair them with my padded Experia socks and I can’t describe the difference in support and comfort. It is truly night and day! I also purchased my socks at Foot Solutions and I have also seen them for sale at Sports Authority. They cost $13 a pair, but the comfort and support these socks give my feet are worth every extra cent! They come in lots of bright colors, too. 
The other change I made was to pretty much let go of my love of high heels. Now I only wear them on very special occasions. I did wear high heel boots on a girls night out once during my treatments, but I wore my Experia socks with my boots and that made all the difference, too.
So after three weeks of the above treatment plan, my doc checked my feet via ultrasound and told me that our plan worked! However, I do have one last step. I ordered customized orthotics, that I pick up tomorrow. If you have experience and tips about wearing new orthotics, please share in the comments section. The doctor told me that I will have to break them in and that I will experience an adjustment period as my body gets used to them.
So my happy feet are happy to report that the treatments worked and it feels good to not have foot pain finally! I had been dealing with achy heels off and on for over a year.
Have any of you experienced any of these painful foot issues? Have you tried any of the treatment options that I just described? Please share in the comments section! I would love to know what worked….or didn’t work for you.
Wishing everyone happy and productive feet….the older I get, the less I take for granted, especially my feet and the rest of my aging….and very busy body!
if you don’t have the cold bottle to roll under your foot, i suggest using a golf ball. I keep two on bedside table and use every morning before I step into my day.
Yes, the golf ball is a great idea. Thanks for sharing and I like how you wrote “before you step into my day”….so true!
I love your post, you have clearly detailed a success story of alternative treatments to plantar fasciitis. So many people live with the pain associated with this condition and simply do not have to. Depending on peoples desired results and dedication to treatments a treatment plan can be developed. You appear to be an ideal patient that was dedicated to performing the stretches and at home treatments. That makes a huge difference!
Thank you Dr. Young. Following my doctor’s orders did help. I just got the orthotic yesterday and so far, so good!
Thanks so much for placing the info on the web. I live in Cape Town, S. Africa and am presently working in the U.K. Have been diagnosed with a bunion as well as fasciitis in both feet, but my pain is under the instep. My late mother had a bunion operation before I was born and my father had dropped metatarsals which I have inherited from both of them. I have always loved walking but always resisted running as I have a crushed vertebra at the base of my spine probably caused by doing gym at school and have been under a US trained chiropractor for 40 years – I am 60 now. The only treatment I had come across up to now was cortisone injections which go against everything I believe in. Now I just have to find out if there are any homoeopathic podiatrists available in Cape Town.
Thank you for writing in, Sue and for visiting managedmoms.com. My podiatrist isn’t actually a homeopathic doc and he offered me the cortisone shots, but understood when I wanted to decline the injections. So he then told me the other options and he did them in his office, over a month-long period, and in my case, they worked! I’m wishing you the same success!
I suffered from Plantar fasciitis three years ago. it took me Almost two and a half years to find something to actually cure my PF. I spent a lot of money trying to make my feet more comfortable while i work. I found this site and after two weeks of using it i haven’t had any pain (even in the morning). By far the best treatment are stretches and using a cold bottle under your foot can really help relieve a lot of pain. Here’s the link: http://www.howtocureplantarfasciitis.org
Thanks for sharing Kimberly. So glad your foot is better!
Wow, that’s quite the regimen! I find it interesting that you linked incorrect walking gait with heel pain since there is a lot of evidence out there that actually supports this. There are even therapies based on correcting your walking motion in order to correct plantar fasciitis. Anyway, most group studies have shown a beneficial result to those that have participated in a combination of a stretching protocol with the use of orthotics and/or a night brace. Usually results are a reduction in pain and an increase in daily foot function. That’s probably why most physicians will recommend these conservative treatments first. Good on you for sharing your results. We need more positive stories like this.
Thanks Paul. I was so happy that these treatments worked!
thanks Paul, i was treatment for plantar fasciitis too
Thanks so much for this post! These homemade treatments look great and I’ll have to look into the products you suggested. To what @maryanne said in the comments, I’d also recommend using a tennis ball to roll under your foot. A little bigger than a golf ball, a little warmer than a water bottle. Thanks again for sharing!
Thanks so much for leaving a comment, Cal. I like the tennis ball idea a lot. I am going to try the tennis ball. Great suggestion!
Thanks for the tips so far. I find deep stretching of the the calves before bedtime and ice/golf ball rolling helpful too. My physiology has also suggested the fit flops for comfort and walking exercise too.
Thank you for telling me about Fit Flops! I didn’t know about those and I will have to try them!
Thank you for putting all the info together. I helped my wife who was diagnosed with Plantar Fasciitis last year with some home exercises, stretches and some taping techniques. The efficiency of treatments varies from person to person.
So glad your wife is better! You are right about treatment success varying by person. I bet your help also helped your wife to recover and I sure hope she is doing well now.
So glad your wife is better! You are right about treatment success varying by person. I bet your help also helped your wife to recover and I sure hope she is doing well now.
Great post. Stretching is especially important if you’re going to do exercise, and to help alleviate morning PF pain. Anything to avoid surgery is good, and getting on it as soon as the symptoms appear is another important step.
I’ve also written an extensive post on choosing the best shoes if you suffer from PF. You can read it here – http://shoewow.com/best-shoes-for-plantar-fasciitis/ – please feel free to let me know what you think.
Informative and helpful post. In case of mild condition, or initially these alternative treatments can heal most of the patients. But, ignorance may lead to pain and sufferings. I also suggest these alternatives and physical therapy as a first line of defense.
You can learn more about the causes and risks of plantar fasciitis here- https://www.fasciitis.com/what-is-plantar-fasciitis/
Loved the Article! Plantar Fasciitis sidelines too many runners and leaves them wondering why or how? Once it hits, without properly taking care of it you could easily make it worse. When I came down with it I researched all over for information like this. I was looking more for a “step by step” version of needing someone to tell me what to do. I actually came across a program by a sports rehabilitation coach named James Dunne. 12 Week program but goes in different phases and before it was done I felt as good as can be and the mornings were soo much better. You guys can check it out if you would like. Completely worth it! https://bit.ly/2pSPyhK
Plantar fasciitis is the severe condition of heel pain. It happens when the plantar fascia muscle in you foot get anyhow damaged or infected. It’s a very painful condition specially in the morning of first step. If you are suffering from this, don’t worry about it because it could be cured by taking proper care and using plantar fasciitis boot/shoes as those are specially designed for this very purpose.
Wish you all the best.
Thanks for the recommendations, I got a lot of info here. Finally, I realized that a good pair of plantar fasciitis shoes is very important.
Always keep sharing helpful info like this.
Plantar F since July. stretches, orthotics, cortisone, ice, PT and still painful, sometimes quite so. Have seen doctor and two podiatrists. Feeling extremely apprehensive and often negative. Totally irregular response to all treatments. How often does this go on for more than six months? Don’t know if bone spurs are involved. Any guidance much appreciated.
Hi Chris, Thanks for checking out my blog and leaving a comment. It sounds like you have a rough case of Plantar Fascittis. That is a drag. I have a friend who had to have surgery for her case and she has done great after the initial surgery recovery period. I would definitely get another opinion from a good podiatrist to see if they think surgery is an option. Good luck and hang in there.
Just trying to spread the word. I had Plantar’s Fasciitis for 3 years. I tried everything but surgery to no avail. Then I went to see a NUCCA chiropractor. This form of chiropractic only adjusts your Atlas which is the very first disc in your spinal column where your brain stem comes down into. During my first appointment the doctor took very specific X-rays while taking measurements to get me in the exact position. Then a week later I went back for my adjustment after she had time to read the X-rays. She adjusted me using her knuckles behind my ear to move my Atlas back into alignment. After week one I had 75% recovery. Within 6 weeks all pain is gone. I cant believe it but am so happy it worked! It feels so good to be free from this horrible pain and I love walking again!
I have been miserable since Jan 2019 with plantar fasciitis. I tried the shots didn’t work then had surgery on July 30 to release the band. I was happy for two weeks then my happy foot woke up again. I do therapy three days a week and I’m still miserable. I’m looking for a new specialist in my area if anybody knows one San Antonio area.
Wow, nice blog. Thank you for sharing this blog. I wrote a post on my blog that talks about plantar fasciitis. It has a few points that you may want to check.
plantar fasciitis boot, Hey, thanks for share this wonderful article. planter fasciitis is very useful to get relief from foot pain. it help us to come out from foot pain situation.
If you are suffering from plantar fasciitis then you need to visit a podiatrist because he can suggest you better. He thoroughly examine your problem and give treatment or medicine according to your problem. Physiotherapy, stretching exercises, shoe inserts, pain relievers, and surgery are the options for treatment. Nice blog!
Really useful information, Thanks for sharing such an informative blog. If you are facing the same plantar fasciitis problem then you need to take proper effective medical treatment from the best foot doctor or podiatrist. The doctor will examine your problems and provide you the best suitable treatment but when you are taking treatment you can recover it from self-care too as shared in the blog. Stretching exercise can help you in speedy recovery as you can do it with your home stairs, stand on the last stair and stretch your feet ankle in an upper direction then down your ankles slowly, again stretch upper side. Do it for 2-3 minutes a day. It affects your leg’s health really well, reducing flat feet problems also. If you want to consult with a podiatrist you can get in touch with the best Surgeon for plantar fasciitis in Manhattan, you can call Dr. Neil Zwiebel.
Isabella, I live in Manhattan and am wondering if you could share more details about your treatment with Dr. Zweibel. Despite multiple interventions, my plantar fasciitis has not gotten better over many months. Thank you.