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

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.

I have been icing and doing exercises. A friend gave me a "boot" he had with PF. I cannot wear this thing to bed - it is huge! - but I have been wearing it at home when I am sitting. It is still extremely painful, but not as bad as it was a week ago. I am going to just keep up with what I am doing - and see what happens. I have not ruled out seeing a podiatrist or a cortisone shot if needed. I am awaiting the Sketchers Shape-ups I ordered. I have a pair now, but they are shot. They seem to take pressure off the heel as you rock more toward the ball of your foot. They may help as well. I just came in, having been gone a good part of the day, and while painful, I can still walk!! Tib, from what I read on that website, the insole is something you can buy to replace one in the shoes. If the one you have wears out, you can remove it and buy a replacement. I did not get the idea that you could buy the insoles and use in other shoes - but I might be wrong.

I've had it twice -- once from training for a half-marathon in worn out shoes, the last time from walking and working (standing all day) on a foot with 2 broken toes. It isn't a heel problem at all and has nothing to do with heel or bone "spurs". It is an inflammation of the tough connective tissue on the bottom of the foot, and the inflammation sets it up to be tight and painful. Here is what I learned to not do: don't let a chiropractor take a hard instrument to it -- yes it will produce a temporary relief of pain, but also perpetuates the injury leading to longer recovery if not permanent damage to the supporting structure. I went to a PT the first time, got it taped, exercises, orthotics. Minimal help. What did help the first time was buying those gel heel pads and placing them under the arch of the foot (not the heel!); getting a tennis ball and standing on it several times a day (yes that hurts but it is effective) then rolling it front and back; doing heel & calf stretches either on the stairs and/or with a towel; and taking the maximum safe dose of ibuprofen for the maximum recommended number of days -- I could do this because I was on no other meds, and had no other health issues. Don't do that without your MD's supervision and approval! And, I went to a running store, had my foot scanned, and got shoes that were correct for my stride and arch. The second time was when I made the chiropractor mistake, because it wasn't clearing up with the methods from the first time (probably because the aggravating cause had gone on for much longer, foolish me). Shoe inserts helped, but it just wouldn't go away. I would be okay at work, but as soon as I sat for a few minutes (like at lunch, or driving home) the foot would seize up and I would be limping. What finally worked then, besides the other methods, was borrowing an immobilizer boot from a co-worker and wearing that whenever I wasn't at work -- even at night. That works because it keeps the connective tissues stretched into proper position. The socks and splints that you can buy over the internet or in a drugstore all work on the same principal. And it helped within just a few days!