This question is for sufferers of plantar fasciitis. I’ve had it for years, and recently I quit my job because it got really bad (that job required a lot of walking & standing, & I had to take public transportation). Right now, it is a lot better, but there are still days when it gets really aggravated by physical activity. I want to get a new job soon, so I’d like to know if anyone else has been able to cope with discomfort & pain during work caused by this condition.
1) Should one look for a certain type of job, such as one that doesn’t involve standing/walking for long periods?
2) Has anyone actually been able to get special accomodations or benefits from their employee when the plantar fasciitis is pretty limiting or debilitating?
I gather that PF does not qualify as a work disability unless someone has undergone unsuccessful surgery for it. Let me know if I’m wrong. (I’m not considering surgery, it has not gotten that bad & other treatments are still helping).
Plantar fasciitis (PF) is a painful inflammation of the thick layer of stengthening tissue under the skin of the foot.
The longer you have to stand, especially on hard surfaces, the more the plantar fascia is stretched, and inflammed. (I know from experience – had a shift job that would sometimes keep me on my feet for more than 24 hours at a time).
You can help it by doing plantar stretching exercises regularly, and NSAIDs like motrin or naproxen can improve the inflammation, but if you’re still standing long periods, it’s going to be a problem to get rid of it for good. One of the most important things is to get some shoes with a good arch support and don’t continue to wear them when the padding has given out.
As far as jobs go, if you’re standing in one place, you can ask for (or get your doctor to request) a pad where you are standing, but getting disability with PF is going to be hard.