Osteoarthritis and Plantar Fasciitis strengthening

karenholst68

Hey, all of you out there with knee and heel pain! I'm Karen and I'm 100 lbs overweight. I developed heel pain during my last pregnancy as well as gaining about 60 lbs. That was in 1996. Since then, the knees and extra 40 lbs have given me trouble no end. I ended up going to my GP for a PT evaluation and a temporary Disability placard. PT was the worst experience and my knees were swollen and achy several days following my appts. I followed up with my GP and she prescribed Motrin which made my stomach bleed. Then she prescribed Vicodin at 1500 mg. which barely took the edge off. I cried in constant frustration at the pain I was going through. I was walking with a cane that belonged to my grandfather and holding onto walls to get around. Then I developed sciatica. I started self-medicating with 2000 mg. of Tylenol every 3-4 hours just to cut the pain enough to get out of bed, use the bathroom, eat, and sit in a chair for awhile. Not ONCE did my doctor tell me to lose weight. Not ONCE did my PT tell me to lose weight. After a month of the Tylenol with no relief, I quit and gave up. I just figured that either I was going to have to live with pain the rest of my life or my liver was going to fail and it really came down to: which pain was going to be worse? So, while I was struggling with my disabilities, my Disability placard expired and I went back to my GP to get her to sign the renewal form. I had quit sessions with the PT because of the pain, so my GP wouldn't sign the renewal. It was a struggle just to get out of my car, let alone walk to store entrances from the parking lot. I felt like she didn't believe me, that all I wanted was some kind of privileged status or something! I was SO MAD!! I told her that I would give anything for just ONE day without the kind of pain I was going through. I guess I got through to her because she mailed me a signed extension that week. But all of this made me realize that if I really didn't want to live with constant pain, I would have to do something about it myself. I read as much as I could (still reading!!) to educate myself, and started doing stretches with my heels before getting out of bed every morning, and every evening when I go back to bed. I never,ever go barefoot anymore, and I'm saving up for a pair of really supportive sandals that I don't have to bend over to buckle. My knee pain, once thought of by my GP as chondromalacia patella until xrays proved osteoarthritis, is gone through modified squats to strengthen my leg muscles: a year ago, I hired a personal trainer to help me kick my pain. He knew just what to do and now, even though I still have sciatica episodes when I stand or walk too much, normal daily chores are doable again. I have NO swelling or pain in my knees anymore, just my feet. With weight loss, I am hopeful that will diminish, too. If anyone is going through even a fraction of the pain I have been, GET HELP. Don't stop looking just because the doctors or coaches or whomever don't take you seriously. Your pain is real and your level of tolerance is different from everyone else's. Pain is a signal from your brain that something is wrong with you, so respect it and find the source! I have-and am-learning so much, and I still have a long way to go! The journey WILL be worth the struggle!