Plantar Fasciitis and Cortisone Shots: Email Correspondance

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I am so thankful to the Golden State Warriors for the great enjoyment they brought to the San Francisco Bay Area and fans spread around the world.

In the last few years I've increased my activity level significantly, taking up running and power lifting. After about a year of running, I started having horrible pain in my heel and achilles, which my PCP and Chiropractor diagnosed as Plantar Fasciitis. I spent about six months doing everything I could to take care of it. Icing, massage, rest, adjustments, you name it. In this time, my physical activity has been extremely limited, as I haven't been able to put any weight on my heel without pain.

I finally saw a podiatrist today, who decided to do a cortisone injection and gave me a boot to wear for the next three weeks. Somehow, with all of the questions I had, I forgot to ask what has been at the forefront of my mind for the last six months. I imagine that I should ease back in to physical activity, but how soon? I'm willing to do whatever I need to prevent future injury, but am REALLY missing all of the activities that I had grown to love. Any suggestions for the best way to get back to normal? Thanks!

Dr Blake's comment:

     Thank you so very much for your comment to the post on cortisone shots. After a cortisone shot, you must wait 2 weeks to see what the overall effect is. I always consider that I may have to do up to 3 shots minimum of 2 weeks apart in an effort to bring the pain level down to 0-2. Remember with each shot you can not do anything that hurt before the shot for 2 weeks. Then, at 2 weeks you gradually start adding what hurt before the shot and see where you stand. This is how you decide on the 2nd and possibly 3rd shot. Continue to ice 2 times daily because it really helps the shot (s). I have many patients in your boat to have to wear the boot completely for 3 months, with another 6 weeks of gradually weaning out of the boot. So, now that you put yourself in the Immobilization/Anti-Inflammatory Phase of Healing make sure you do it right!!! And, I always love MRIs to tell me where I am at, but you need to wait for 2 weeks after a shot to do the MRI. Good luck my friend.