BABYL OPTIONS: -*- rmail -*- Version: 5 Labels: Note: This is the header of an rmail file. Note: If you are seeing it in rmail, Note: it means the file has no messages in it.  0, unseen,, *** EOOH *** Path: yale!!loosemore-sandra From: loosemore-sandra@CS.Yale.Edu (Sandra Loosemore) Newsgroups: rec.skate Subject: [ALL] foot pain, plantar fasciitis Date: 19 Oct 1994 21:50:39 GMT Organization: Yale Haskell project Lines: 40 Message-ID: NNTP-Posting-Host: functor.systemsz.cs.yale.edu The issue of the Yale Health Plan newsletter that showed up in my mailbox today had an article on foot pain that's relevant to the ongoing discussion here. Here's an excerpt: Pain at the bottom of the heel, especially if worse when first arising in the morning or with prolonged weightbearing is frequently the result of plantar fasciitis. This is a painful irritation or inflammation of the dense band of connective tissue on the sole of the foot that helps maintain the long arch of the foot and participates in the transfer of weight from the heel to the ball of the foot when walking or running. Contributing factors include: tightness of the heel cord, worn or poorly protective shoes, flexibility and flattening (or conversely rigidity and height) of the long arch of the foot, and repetitive high impact activities. Treatment consists of reduction of inflammation and impact, stretching the heel cord and plantar fascia, limiting "bending" of the long arch of the foot, possible local injection at maximum point of inflammation, and, rarely, surgical severing of the attachment of the fascia to the heel bone. It should be emphasized that bone spurs in the origin of the plantar fascia are the result of the problem and not the cause of it, and any therapy directed primarily at the spurs without addressing the primary problem is symptomatic management that will not produce a definitive "cure". I've had plenty of personal experience with plantar fasciitis :-( and this description is quite accurate. My podiatrist told me that this is a very common ailment among skaters. The specific treatment he recommended for me included: * ibuprofen, massage, and ice treatment to reduce inflammation * custom orthotics and stiffer street shoes to provide more arch support * rest (the doc told me to stay off my feet for 6 weeks at one point) * elevating the feet when possible * stretching exercises for the achilles tendon and heel cord (Most of the rest of the article had to deal with bunions, hammer toes, and stuff like that. I don't feel like typing it all in.) -Sandra