Joanne I didn't know you had had that problem for 12 years. My problem is clearing up. I have done much of what you said, but one thing I was told to do was to stand on a step (the ball of your foot) and let your heels go down. I was told that a major problem with PF is that the back of your leg and the achilles tendon need to be stretched. gandbb, I have heard that you should not allow surgery if at all possible, and it looks like you are proof of that. However if a doctor told me that I needed surgery, I am not sure that I would resist. I have heard and read that heel spurs form when you have PF, but they can go away on their own - that they are not the problem. I am so sorry your heel is numb. Does the doctor think you will regain full feeling? My sister had a Plantar's Wart removed, and it was so huge that they messed up the nerve on her foot. I think she is ok now. That was about 15 years ago. I often sleep with my feet hanging over the bottom of the bed - especially when I think my legs are tightening up. Another source for good shoes is the online shoe stores. You need to ask an involved question to the first person you call so that he or she will put you in touch with the manager. I said that I am a pronator and need shoes that have the grey on the inside from the heel to the arch. I also said that I wanted real good running shoes. The manager told me the best brands for me, but said that you should not get a running shoe for walking. I had wanted a running shoe thinking that the wear and tear from running would require a shoe with better support. He said that when you run you land on the ball of your foot, so all the support in the shoe is for that pressure. But walkers need good support on the heel since that is where they should land. So now I know to get pronator walking shoes. Asics fit me well since my toes arch and I have a high arch. But I still put inserts in them. Sammy

Oh my goodness! I can't believe you asked this question! Seriously! Two weeks ago, my feet were really sore. I realized I had been wearing the same running shoes for almost a year. I wear them 8 hours a day at work, and I'm on my feet those entire 8 hours. The grips had worn away, so i figured it was time for new runners. I searched high and low determined to find just the right pair. They had to have thick cushionie soles. I find runners these days have NO arch support like they used to. Salesclerks now point you to the Dr Scholls inserts which cost another $20+ on top of the price of the runners. Anyways, I wore the runners to work and my left foot was still sore. I just figured it was from the bad runners and would feel better soon. That night I was in bed and my foot felt 'tight'. I pulled my leg up and rubbed the bottom of my left foot and not only did I hurt myself, I felt a big lump on the tendon in the middle of my arch! first thing I thought of was cancer. LOL Next day I googled, "lump on bottom of foot" and a page full of 'planters faciitis' sites popped up. I read everything I could, then went to you tube to see what phyical therapy I could do. I bought a set of "Barefoot Science" insoles. They retail for $50 where I work, but I get a discount. They still cost more than the $25 Dr Scholls at the shoe store.... But they are the only insoles we sell that list planters faciitis as one of the things it helps. Let me tell you, step one inserts are very soft. It doesn't bother my right foot, but holy cow, my left foot gets sore. I have to force myself to walk normally, and not on the outside of my foot. What's the point of the inserts if I don't use them right? Right? I also stretch my foot whenever I remember. (like now...) I roll my foot over a can of furniture spray. LOL I need to find a decent sized tennis ball (yeah, they're all the same size, i know. figure of speech) to roll under my foot. I've only used the inserts since Friday and IMO, the lump does feel a little smaller and it hurts a lot less already. I keep forgetting to ice it. But the thought of an ice pack on the bottom of my foot..... yeah, probably not going to happen. LOL I don't see the point in seeing a doctor for this right now. I would have to go to a walk in clinic as there is a severe dr shortage in Alberta. Sit there for hours with people who are actually sick and contagious. Then have the doctor tell me he has to refer me. By the time I get the referal, my foot will be fine. thank goodness for google and you tube!

I had a heel spur once and it was very painful. My Doc said that he could order out surgery, but that would be his option of last resort, but if I insisted, he would do it. His recommendation was to try other things first because the surgery can be as bad as a the malady and the healing time might be the same as alternate choices. The xray showed that I had a calcium deposit that was poking the achilles tendon. (The achilles tendon runs down the back of the leg, flattens out like a belt and wraps around the heel and thense crosses the arch of the foot to fasten parts behind the ball of the foot.) The cure was to see if we could shrink the deposit and prevent agitating the tendon as much as possible. I had been wearing dressy shoe-boots that had a 1 inch lift in the heel. The first move was to ditch the shoes and wear something with a softer heel and no elevation. Changing footwear was enough to soften the load to the heel; A change in diet and more liquids to reduce the calcuim deposit helped. The deposit shrank on its own and that was the last of it. Healing time was 3 to 4 months, During that time, I used caution to prevent bruising that area. After that, I chose shoe heel constuctions that protected the heel and avoided any heel lifts. Fortunately, the problem has stayed away for more than 20 years. Originally, I developed the problem at a picnic when I ran to first base after batting the ball. By the time I got to first base, I had injured the tendon and was a cripple.

Bigbaby, this is just my opinion, but I would like to suggest that you do wear your Birkies to get to the bathroom from the bed and perhaps buy some crocs to wear to the pool. Water can't hurt them. About the exercises: Before you get out of bed every morning, sit on the side of the bed and move your feet in circles, then write the alphabet with your toes. The doctor didn't tell me this, but before doing that while I was sitting up in the bed I bent my leg so I could easily reach my foot. I massaged the arch of my feet ( I had it in both feet )with my thumb and then just gave my feet a general all over massage. Once I got out of bed or when I stood up after sitting in a chair I stood about two feet from a wall. I put both hands on the wall. I can't remember if you have it in one foot or both. If it is one foot, put that leg behind you. Keep it straight and stretch til you can feel the back of your calf stretching. While doing this you will need to slightly bend the knee on the leg in front. You don't want to stretch that one. I cannot remember how long to hold that stretch, but I would say maybe 20 to 30 seconds. Do not bounce while stretching. Just do it slowlly. It will help alleviate some of the pain you normally feel when you first get up. You can do that stretch several times a day. I still do it occasionally. When I had PF I found a message board , but that was a few years ago and I have no idea what it was or where it was.Sorry I can't help you there. Linda