September 2021
It took a while for me to realise what was going on. All I knew was that IT came on suddenly after one of my daily brisk walks up and down a local hill. I checked my walking boots hadn’t gone off kilter, my orthotics were in place and that my thick socks were offering adequate foot cushioning. I studied my heels anticipating redness, possibly a blister but no, absolutely nothing to see, so what was causing that intermittent burning pain at the edge of my heels?
I scoured the Internet. It coughed up a few possibilities but by far the most dominant conclusion was that I had developed a common condition known as plantar faciitis. This is an inflammation of the plantar fascia, a band of thick tissue fibres that run from the heel to your toes. To complicate matters there are several other conditions that may manifest themselves with similar symptoms – achilles tendonitis, heel spurs, Baxter’s neuritis, stress fractures, bursitis…. I could go on.
Having never heard of this condition before, on mentioning it casually to friends, the world is suddenly full of sufferers. It turns out that the over 40s are more vulnerable, but couch potatoes and athletic types are just as likely to suffer though certain factors may make you more of a candidate: wearing unsupportive shoes, being over-weight, having high arches or flat fleet or doing repetitive activities. Only my flat feet make me a slight risk but I’m still a bit baffled as to why now.
November 2021
I’m wondering if my ballet teacher was right and that my kipper flat feet really are the issue and decide to update my orthotics. The tests are thorough involving assessing my gait, stride, type of shoes, my lifestyle etc. but the process leaves me feeling doubly flat as I part with £150 and a set of exercises.
March 2022
I reluctantly realise that this invisible adversary has been with me for over 6 months and shows no signs of diminishing. My efforts to relieve symptoms have had little impact. So far this has included regular stretching exercises with and without resistance bands, contortions on the stairs, ice bottles and a spikey ball and roller. It seems I might be in for the long haul.
August 2022
Knocking back painkillers of any sort long-term is not something I’m keen on, so I’m moving onto phase 2 of my symptom relievers. This involves cheap rubberised heel cups which are fractionally better than nothing but not ideal for the summer and have a slight tendency to squeak when I’m wearing sandals. More boldly I’ve invested in a small foot vibrating gadget which promises relief sooner or later. The blurb implies that once strapped to bottom of my tootsie the high frequency waves scramble the sensory impulses reducing pain signals by the brain. I persevere with this over several months but the only signal I receive from my brain tells me I’m £39 out of pocket and still have painful heels!
November 2022
Miraculously my plantar pest seems to have gone and I’m hoping not just on holiday. It is impossible to know whether it has departed of its own accord or whether my efforts did send it packing after all. Time will tell.
April 2023
Alarmingly I’ve past the two-year mark and blow me but the little devil is back with a vengeance, so much so, that in addition to icing my feet regularly throughout the day, I’m often driven to visiting the freezer in the middle of the night to gather more icy relief. Phase 3 of my symptom relievers involves wearing compression socks with padded heels and a daily dose of using our electric foot massager.
August 2023
I’m beyond desperate to rid myself of this persistent pain, so succumb to electric shock wave treatment via a local Osteopath. This is quite painful physically and psychologically as I settle the eye-watering bill and in the end, it doesn’t seem have made any difference. However, I discover that if I can keep my feet at a 90-degree angle during the night (e.g. by pressing them flat against the bedend) instead of letting my feet relax, my pain seems to diminish slightly. In a moment of madness, I fleetingly wonder if I can create my own night splints out of a couple of ice-cream boxes and some Velcro but realise this is absurd and my feet are too big in any case!
October 2023
My NHS night splints arrive and are equally cumbersome and impressive as advertised. Think open-fronted ski boots with three firm Velcro straps and buckles on each side. At first these are intolerable but gradually I acclimatise and guess what, these actually seem to be easing the pain marginally. For the first time in over two years, I’m not being woken by burning heels. My OH complains occasionally of velcro ripping and unclipping noises in the middle of the night, but who cares I’m not waking up with fiery heels.
I’m still not totally free of this thing and have observed that there is money to be made with the numerous aids and cures for this condition. In fact, I’m wondering whether I should set up a Bed of Nails Clinic under the guise of aiding circulation whilst getting straight to the point!
SO my deepest commiserations if you’re a fellow sufferer and I look forward to meeting you at my clinic!
