Thought I would give a brief summary of what is happening with my feet. Thinking that as hiker/backpackers, others here on this site may someday enjoy plantar fascitis.
I'm one of the 6million who entered the medical community seeking remedy for this innocous yet often debilitating condition.
As some of you know it arrives randomly, leaves randomly, can vary from an irritant that lasts a week, a month or a lifetime. In rare cases those suffering from p.f. can end up in a wheelchair.
The treatment scheme goes like this:
1. physical therapy---stretching the calf muscle until you think you can stretch it no more and then stretching some more
2. drugs: non steroidals are the norm and you can minus Viox now
3. steroid injections--directly into the fascia where it meets the heal cup, now this is a pain you will never forget when he/she fishes the needle around in your foot to deliver the steroid (betamethasone valerate) into several spots
4. orthotics
I have failed all of the above and now in contention (eg submitted to insurance and praying for coverage) for Ossatron therapy
5. Ossatron--machine which bombards the heel cup and attaching fascia with high energy sound waves....much much akin to lithotripsy in kidney stones (been there too)....wont be able to walk for a week afterward, will be able to hobble lightly around the house/work week afterward, no hiking for 2+ months post. 80% success rate
6. Open radical surgery--- physically separating the plantar fascia from the heel cup.....if Ossatron fails.
So I'm off the trail until Spring at the earliest. If I'm one of the rare who end up housebound with p.f. I'll have a drawing here at WB for gear.
If any have any questions let me know and I'll try my best to answer.