Killing Heel Pain: Your Final Freedom from Plantar Fasciitis

By Dr. Karen Smith

Gold medal award-winning book written by a foot expert. Killing Heel Pain is the ultimate “how-to” guide for getting rid of plantar fasciitis as quickly and effectively as possible. The user-friendly layout features a “cut-to-the-chase” question-answer format, helpful anatomy illustrations and easy-to-follow “key points” and “action steps” for final freedom from this painful and life-intrusive condition.

Sufferers of plantar fasciitis will quickly discover straightforward answers to all of their burning plantar fasciitis questions, like:

What is going on inside my foot and why?
What can I do on my own to start healing?
Is it ok to keep exercising while I am healing?
Do I really need orthotics?
Should I see a doctor?
Do I have a heel spur?
Should I have surgery?
What type of shoes should I wear?
How do I keep my plantar fasciitis from coming back again?

The go-to guide for ANYONE with plantar fasciitis (whether you are already being treated by a doctor or are hoping to avoid an appointment).
*Gold medal award from the Nonfiction Authors Association

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dr. Karen Smith
• Release date: Jul 22, 2017
• ISBN: 9780998167541

Book preview

Smith-KillingHeelPain-Cover.jpg

Copyright 2017 by Karen L. Smith, DPM

Blue Viper Books

P.O. Box 45057

Phoenix, AZ 85253

[e-mail].

All rights reserved.

All art in the List of Illustrations: © 2017 Gary Cavanah and licensed exclusively to author Karen Smith, DPM.

ISBN 978-0-9981675-2-7 (hardcover)

ISBN 978-0-9981675-3-4 (paperback)

ISBN 978-0-9981675-4-1 (ebook)

Publisher’s Cataloging-In-Publication Data

(Prepared by The Donohue Group, Inc.)

Names: Smith, Karen L. (Podiatrist)

Title: Killing heel pain : your final freedom from plantar fasciitis / Dr. Karen L. Smith, D.P.M.

Description: First edition. | Paradise Valley, AZ : Blue Viper Books LLC, 2017. | Includes bibliographical references.

Identifiers: ISBN 978-0-9981675-2-7 (hardcover) | ISBN 978-0-9981675-3-4 (paperback) | ISBN 978-0-9981675-4-1 (ebook)

Subjects: LCSH: Foot--Care and hygiene. | Pain--Treatment. | Self-care, Health.

Classification: LCC RD563 .S65 2017 (print) | LCC RD563 (ebook) | DDC 617.5/85--dc23

Dedication

Dedicated to the attending physicians at Highlands Foot and Ankle Institute in Denver, Colorado. The influence of a great teacher is infinite, transcending time and touching generations yet to come. I am humbly and

forever grateful to you all.

Contents

Dedication

List of Illustrations

Introduction

Part I: Solace and Self-Empowerment

Chapter 1: How Do I Know if My Heel Pain Is from Plantar Fasciitis?

Location of pain caused by plantar fasciitis

Why the pattern of your heel pain is an important clue to your diagnosis

Painful heel conditions that this book does not cover

Chapter 2: Understanding Your Anatomy

The plantar fascia ligament

Why does my heel hurt?

Do I have a heel spur?

Much ado about a heel spur

Do I need to get an x-ray or an MRI to be diagnosed with PF?

Why do I have this problem?

Key Points to Understanding Your Anatomy

Part II: Self-Treatment

Chapter 3: Stretch and Pain Relief

What muscle, how, and why should I stretch?

How to stretch the calf muscle

Do I have to stretch forever now?

What medications should I take for my pain?

What can I do for immediate pain relief?

Key Points about Stretching and Pain Relief

Action Steps

Chapter 4: Shoes

Why surgeons don’t wear sneakers

Bad shoes, good shoes, and urban shoe myths

What really matters in a shoe?

A functional shoe guide (What are you doing in your shoes?)

Do shoes that are made for people with PF really work?

Is it true that going barefoot is better for you?

Key Points about Shoes

Action Steps

Chapter 5: Orthotics

What are orthotics and do I really need them?

How can orthotics heal PF?

Do I need custom orthotics to get better?

How do I select over-the-counter orthotics on my own?

But, I don’t want to wear orthotics!

Am I going to need orthotics forever or just until my PF goes away?

Key Points about Orthotics

Action Steps

Chapter 6: Lifestyle

Will exercising interfere with healing my PF?

Fitness options for recovering feet

Workout pearls of wisdom

If I lose weight, will my PF get better?

Ten smart strategies to a lifetime of lean

Key Points about Lifestyle and PF

Action Steps

Part III: What Your Doctor Can Do for You

Chapter 7: First-Line Treatments

Should I see my family doctor or a foot doctor?

What will my foot doctor do?

How many cortisone injections can I have?

What if I am terrified of shots?

Do I need to have a cortisone injection to get better?

Help! I am in a lot of pain!

Key Points for First-Line Treatments

Action Step

Chapter 8: Advanced Treatment Options for Plantar Fasciitis

Why can’t I get the special treatments that are available to professional athletes?

What is the best way to cure plantar fasciitis?

What are shock waves and how can they heal my plantar fasciitis?

What is a shock-wave treatment like?

What is platelet rich plasma?

What is cryosurgery?

How do I know what the right treatment is for me?

Key Points Regarding Advanced Treatment Options

Action Step

Chapter 9: Surgery

Do I need surgery?

Will my foot doctor do the surgery?

What is the surgery for plantar fasciitis?

What are the pros and cons of surgery?

How soon can I go back to work after surgery?

Ten tips to maximize your surgical recovery

Key Points about Surgery

Action Steps

End Notes

Acknowledgments

About the Author

List of Illustrations

1-1 Location of heel pain associated with plantar fasciitis (PF).

1-2 Location of heel pain associated with the Achilles tendon.

2-1 Plantar fascia ligament (PF ligament) view from the bottom of the foot.

2-2 How to make your PF ligament visibly prominent.

2-3 Side view of the PF ligament and common location of pain.

2-4 The PF ligament in a relaxed state (without body weight).

2-5 The PF ligament with body weight.

2-6 Typical appearance of a heel spur associated with PF.

2-7 Appearance of a heel spur on an x-ray.

3-1 How tight calf muscles create added strain to the PF ligament.

3-2 Classic calf stretch.

3-3 Multitasker calf stretch.

3-4 How to stretch the calf muscles before getting out of bed.

5-1 Location of the subtalar joint (STJ).

5-2 How the STJ rotates without support.

5-3 Foot before and after orthotic support.

5-4 Effective orthotics for PF.

Introduction

How this book can help you

It is both a pleasure and an honor for me to have this opportunity to thoroughly explain and simplify the painful heel condition called plantar fasciitis (PF). I promise not to give you vague or flippant solutions such as just wear better shoes (and I won’t ask you to wear ugly shoes that you hate either!). Sometimes, we physicians mistakenly believe we’ve painted a wonderfully clear picture, when really a head nod from a patient simply means Okay, just finish what you are saying because it doesn’t really make sense and I want to ask my next question before I get rushed out of here.

My goal is to give you detailed answers to all of your questions, which can’t realistically be accomplished during a routine office visit for PF.

There is a lot of ground to cover when discussing PF. The amount of information and instructions dispensed on the first visit can be understandably overwhelming to someone who is in pain, apprehensive, and looking for answers. It is also typical and perfectly normal to think of more questions once a doctor’s visit is over.

Clarity is key

In my experience, reviewing quality anatomical illustrations is crucial to helping patients visualize and really understand the what and why behind PF. My hope is that the images in this book will provide you with some instant clarity about your painful condition and a better understanding and appreciation for your amazing feet.

An easy-to-follow-and-find guide

I use a question-and-answer format throughout most of this book because it is the best way to cut to the chase for those burning questions that patients commonly ask. The book is designed to be an easy read from front to back, but it also functions perfectly fine to skip around if that’s what you prefer.

You will also find a key points cheat sheet at the end of each chapter as well as action steps that provide precise direction. Even if you only spend ten minutes reading these cliff notes at the end of the chapters, your newly found knowledge and arsenal of solutions for PF will still surpass hours of Internet surfing.

Crisp and concise

You don’t need an in-depth review of human physiology or to fully comprehend biochemical nuances at the cellular level to get rid of your PF. But, to be confident that you are making the best decisions for your body, you will need to understand what is going on with your condition to comprehend the how and why of your treatment options. I do my best to give you the skinny on everything you need to know.

Straightforward answers

While I believe that some well-intended and useful information does exist on the Internet, seeking advice from Dr. Google involves weeding through biased opinions, advertisements, and bad, partial, or just plain wrong information.

I don’t have any hidden agendas or ulterior motives. This is your fluff-free guide to getting rid of your PF as quickly and effectively as possible.

I want you to gain confidence about your decisions and treatment options. Most importantly, I want you to feel assured that although healing takes longer than we like and sometimes more treatment pathways than we anticipated, you will get better.

Part I

Solace and Self-Empowerment

Pain is not only unpleasant; it can also be scary and is almost always inconvenient. People who develop PF understandably worry:

What is wrong with my foot—will it ever be normal again?

How long is this going to take to get better?

Am I going to have to take time off work?

Will I need to schedule multiple doctor appointments to get better?

When can I get back to my normal life?

Understanding what lies beneath the pain offers peace of mind as well as the power of knowledge. Gaining insight into the what is going on and why is central to understanding how different treatment options will be effective. Naturally, we are only likely to follow advice that makes sense to us.

Patients who have a better understanding of their condition reliably do better—they heal faster and more completely, with less chance of recurrence and less anxiety during the healing process.

Spending a few minutes of time in this section glancing at some fascinating illustrations and facts will have tremendous payoffs.

Congratulations on taking meaningful action for your health!

Chapter 1

How Do I Know if My Heel Pain Is from Plantar Fasciitis?

I can’t diagnose or treat a medical condition without personally questioning and/or physically