Image by Old Shoe Woman
I have plantar fasciitis. Plantar fasciitis refers to the syndrome of inflammation of the band of tissue that runs from the heel along the arch of the foot. Plantar fasciitis is most often seen in middle-aged men and women but can be found in all age groups. Plantar fasciitis is diagnosed with the classic symptoms of pain well localized over the heel area of the bottom of the foot.
Plantar fasciitis occurs because of irritation to the thick ligamentous connective tissue that runs from the heel bone to the ball of the foot. This strong and tight tissue contributes to maintaining the arch of the foot. It is also one of the major transmitters of weight across the foot as you walk or run. Therefore, the stress placed on this tissue is tremendous.
When a patient has plantar fasciitis, the connective tissue that forms the arch of the foot becomes inflamed (tendonitis) and degenerative (tendinosis)–these abnormalities cause plantar fasciitis and can make normal activities quite painful.
Symptoms of plantar fasciitis are typically worsened early in the morning after sleep. At that time, the arch tissue is tight and simple movements stretch the contracted tissue. As you begin to loosen the foot, the pain usually subsides, but often returns with prolonged standing or walking. orthopedics.about.com/od/footankle/a/fasciitis.htm
My Story: The pain began in my right second toe when I was in my early 30′s. I went to an orthopedic surgeon, and he suggested surgery, etc. which I declined. Then I began having pain in my heels. The orthopedic surgeon injected cortisone into the soles of my feet. He also prescribed orthopedic shoes with a metatarsal arch attached to the bottom of the shoes. These types of shoes were very expensive and very ugly. I have very short feet; so, the shoes had to be ordered. I disliked the sight of the shoes, but I was glad to be able to walk without pain. I wore out many pairs of these shoes.
Then I found a podiatrist in Valdosta who tried something different. First, he taped up my feet with a thick pad under the arch. I had to wear surgical shoes to accommodate the thickness of the bandages. His reason for doing this was to find out if the pain would be relieved by lifting my arch. Praise God! the pain was gone. This let the podiatrist know that he could make a mold of my feet and have inserts made to fit MY FEET. (I’d tried all the store-bought inserts to no avail.)
The inserts cost $50 and only fit into whole tie-up shoes–such as tennis shoes. After we learned that this “worked” for me, he ordered some shorter inserts with less arch lift that I could wear in dressy, flat shoes.
Next a beautician told me that I could most likely wear Mephisto shoes, even though they are expensive. I first bought some Mephisto sandals, and they worked because the pad of the shoe conforms to the sole of the foot allowing the arch to be lifted naturally. Heidi was the first Mephisto sandal I bought.
Now I wear Mephisto whole shoes with the thinner inserts made by the podiatrist and Mephisto sandals. I like to shop for shoes at The Walking Store. Except for wearing high heels, I look like a normal person. No one knows that I can walk ONLY because I’m wearing the right shoes with the right insert or the right sandals. Ularia in several colors is my summer, dress sandal. I have since learned that there are some other shoe manufacturing companies that make shoes similar to Mephisto. Naot’s Ashley is a favorite pair. Merrell also make shoes I can wear. There are probably other companies, but I’ve not learned about them yet.
$100 to $200 seems like a lot to pay for shoes, but if it means the difference in walking without pain and not walking at all, it is WORTH it. Now you understand why I wear the t-shirt from Kansas City, “Will Work for Shoes.”
Oh, and BTW: I have this condition because I was born without a metatarsal arch in my toes. I always thought other people had deformed feet when I saw their toes arching up. Now, I realize that my feet are lacking the arch. That’s why they are flat and almost curved downward. Just saying!
Article by Richard Lovey
