Plantar Fasciitis - Cortizone Shot Monday, Disney Saturday?!?!

[ginnymack]

Tell me it will be OK!

I had a flare up this fall and I religously iced, anti-inflamatoried, wore tennis shoes with my custom orthotics and it worked! Slowly my heel pain went away until one day I realized that I had not had any pain for several days!

Until last week...10 days prior to our trip, I started having pain again

I called for an appt with my orthopedist and they could see me on Wed before our trip on Sat I thought it was cutting it too close, so I said I would take ANYBODY and they were able to get me in at 9:00 am this Monday.

I am anticipating a cortizone shot. Anybody have any experience with that? I am under the impression that I should be feeling better in a day or two, which leaves plenty of time before my trip...or do you think I could be better off just skipping the shot and dealing with it?

Send me some good news! Well actually, I prefer honest news, I just hope it is good!

 

[quest4dl]

The best remedy for this ailment is regular stretching exercises. You hold onto the banister with two hands, stand on the last step with your heels hanging out over the step and let your weight drop by leaning back. This effectively stretches the muscle and is the best remedy for plantar fascitis. You need to do this quite often at the outset and can reduce your frequency and time hanging as the condition improves.

 

[LCPOAPA]

Hi there!

I hope you will be luckier than me. I had 3 cortisone shots in my left heel for plantar fascitis (sp)? None were of any help. Some were ultrasound guided. It was by far the most painful injection I had in my life.

I finally got things under control with 800mg of motrin 3 times a day for about 3 months.

Hopefully you will respond differently and it will resolve in time for your trip. Have a wonderful trip regardless.

 

[joandegennaro]

Sorry to say but you might not have releif from your pain with only 1 day. In fact you may find it more painful. When I had cortisone shots in my knee a few years back I couldn't walk for about 3 days. This is why I always schedule it for a Friday morning allowing me the weekend to recover. Sorry for the bad news...now for the good, you could always rent an EVC for a few days if you are not up to walking all over WDW. During the hight of my knee injury these things were a god-send in getting me out and about.

 

[soarinup]

I've had it now for two years, began running 20 years ago. Once you have it, you never get rid of it, it just takes a break every now and then. Good luck with your shots, stretching gives me relief.

 

[Luv2Roam]

I had it last year, to the point I was barely able to walk.
I went to a podiatrist expecting to get "the shot".
Instead I was prescribed pills.
I also went to wearing forms inside a stability shoe.
Hopefully you will get pills instead of the shot. I have heard how painful that is.

 

[Robin1]

Hi,

I'm also having a flare up and we are leaving this friday. Mine is in my left foot and so far I've had two cortisone shots since september. My last shot was just last week. It doesn't feel too bad but I'm in a surgical boot until I leave. My Dr gave me a prescription for 800mg of motrin and told me to take my boot with me in case I need it. I would ask your Dr about a boot at least it will give you some support.

 

[At World's End]

My DH has this problem. He has custom orthotics and his Dr. just recommended this type of sock.

http://www.thesock.com/

He wears it at night to stretch out his foot. Maybe it would bring you some relief, especially after walking at the parks.

 

[RMulieri]

Hi there!

I hope you will be luckier than me. I had 3 cortisone shots in my left heel for plantar fascitis (sp)? None were of any help. Some were ultrasound guided. It was by far the most painful injection I had in my life.

I finally got things under control with 800mg of motrin 3 times a day for about 3 months.

Hopefully you will respond differently and it will resolve in time for your trip. Have a wonderful trip regardless.

This has been my experience as well

 

[moxiemom]

Everyone is different but the Cortisone shots worked wonders for me! It was nearly instant relief - and lasted 3-4 months. The flip side is they are incredibly painful to get and it is not recommended to do it more than 3 times a year....frankly when I heard that, I was thinking I am not comfortable doing it more than once a year. Therefore, I don't run or do anything high impact anymore! oh shucks! This "treatment" has worked really well, no pain at all.

If it was bothering me though, I would absolutely get the shots before heading to the world. Good luck!

 

[Madhattr]

I too have found that daily 15 second stretching in a hot shower does wonders. That combined with orthotics and very rigid new balance shoes seems to work. Best of luck to you

 

[GiGi30]

I feel your pain! I had a separated bone in my foot while led to "Turf Toe" before our trip. My Podiatrist gave me steroids and pain meds to help and instructed me to come back before our trip for an injection. I did, about a week before, and it helped here at home. Not so much after walking 10-12 miles day. Little did I know that I would find out I was pregnant right before our trip and would have morning sickness as well. That meant absolutely no pain meds and no more steroids. I was on my own! I get morning sickness pretty much right after conception. My Disney trip was interesting!

Hope you feel better soon.

 

[msp2mco]

When I was first diagnosed, I had my foot tightly wrapped by a PT. It worked well for a few days because I left right after that for a trip to Quebec City where we walked constantly. Good luck~

 

[ginnymack]

I feel your pain! I had a separated bone in my foot while led to "Turf Toe" before our trip. My Podiatrist gave me steroids and pain meds to help and instructed me to come back before our trip for an injection. I did, about a week before, and it helped here at home. Not so much after walking 10-12 miles day. Little did I know that I would find out I was pregnant right before our trip and would have morning sickness as well. That meant absolutely no pain meds and no more steroids. I was on my own! I get morning sickness pretty much right after conception. My Disney trip was interesting!

Hope you feel better soon.

I am sorry...but this post made me laugh a little -a sympathy laugh - because it sounds so much like me!! I went the Turf Toe route last summer and it has taken almost a year to resolve. Miserable pain for sure...much worse than my heel pain now!

I will definitely try the streching exericses. I am very torn about the shot - my mom has had a total of 3 - the first one worked within 3 days and kept her pain free for 6 years. The second totally missed and did no good. She tried again several months later and it worked within 24 hours and she is 9 years and counting with that shot! If I react like she did, then the shot is a "no brainer"...but of course there are no such guanrantees.

Fortunatley, I only have pain for a minute or two when I stand after being stationary for a period of time. The pain is more intense the more active I am...hence the Disney worry! I am lucky that I am not miserable every step I take, but I fear that it could turn into that if I don't stay on it.

Thanks for sharing your experiences, everyone! keep 'em coming!

 

[SnoWhiteRabbit]

Eek gads! I feel your pain -- I've had this -- ouch! But, I have never had a shot...can't offer advice, just wanted to say Good Luck!!

 

[aimhi]

I'm so glad I saw this post. We leave in 9 days and I have been stressing out about this I was just told I have Fibromiagia sp? With a side of planter facetious great timing right. I was proscribed nubatone and it kills my stomach, so then was given mobic and had a allergic reaction to that. So, I was going to call Monday to ask for something else it looks like motrin is the way to go. I've been doing some stretching but didn't know about the stair one so will start that asap. Thank goodness for this thread help

 

[mrbghd]

I can't speak to the specific condition but I can tell you a couple of things about the injection. First, it is entirely possible that the day after the injection the pain will be much much worse and that lasts for a day or so. This is a condition known as "cortisone flare." Mention your plans to the doc prior to the injection and see what they have to say. I get an injection about 2-3 times a year for a shoulder issue and 1 or 2 times I get "cortisone flare." It's not serious, but it's painful since the medicine doesn't fully disperse and just sits there until absorbed into the body. Have fun on the trip.

 

[creativeamanda]

OP--I had my worst flare up ever last Christmas when I was there by myself. I did not, nor will I do, the cortisone shot. I've found replacing my shoe inserts helps, along with icing my foot every night, taping my foot, and the exercises in the shower.

Unfortunately, this is a lifelong thing that a cortisone shot is only putting a bandaid on. In the end, I decided that exercise and taking the extra 50 pounds I have on me means more than the pain and I've learned to live with it. I'm not saying you have extra weight, just saying mine is in direct correlation to my weight gain.

 

[d1gitman]

former sufferer here...knock on wood.

i suggest buying some heel cups. they sell them at cvs, walgreens, etc...i believe dr. scholl's makes some. it was the only thing that worked for me.

 

[mom2taylorandemily]

The problem with Plantar Facitis is that when you get out of bed in the morning and step on the floor, the excruciating pain that you feel is the "re"-injuring of the muscle in your foot, so the best way to begin to heal it is to stretch it out well before you get out of the bed. My podiatrist gave me this to do and I must tell you it worked and I haven't had a flare up in 6 years and my last flare up was 6 weeks before I went to Disney. I was feeling very little pain before I left and was in no more pain than that upon my return and we walked our tails off every day. I will give you the steps he gave me, it takes about 15 minutes every morning before you get out of bed, but is sooo worth it!!!
1) Wrap a heating pad around your ankle and heal area to warm it up well.
2) Take a towel or Bathrobe wrap or belt and loop it under the ball of your foot.
3) Pulling both sides of the towel, wrap or belt pull your foot into a flexed position until it just tugs at the muscle and hold it for a 15 sec. count, do this a few more times pulling a bit further with each pull.
4) Reheat with heating pad.
5) Repeat step 3 and 4 two or three more times until you have done so for 15 minutes.

You have to stretch the muscle without injuring it every morning, it tightens up in your sleep and when you step down is just rips and re-injures it. I also recommend getting a good pair of New Balance shoes, they have high arches in them that will keep the arch up and the muscle flexed and stretched out as you walk. Again, this has worked for me and I swear by it. I've recommended it to several friends who were trying to avoid surgery to correct theirs and they tried and avoided surgery. Give it a try, what have you got to lose.