Anyone had a cortisone shot in the heel????

I just had a cortisone shot in both ankles when they inserted the needle they shot it with a freezing liquid not very painful until he relocated and gave me another injection with the needle still in I felt some pressure for a few hours about six but the following day I am pain free well worth it compared to the everyday pain I suffered all day long for more than a few years I also have fitted orthodic insoles that offer support

This link shows how to do a stretch that really benefited about 90 percent of about 70 patients with chronic PF (That is, people who had tried many other things for at least one year with little or no improvement).
http://www.urmc.rochester.edu/ortho/foot-ankle/_documents/plantarfasciitisteachingsheet.pdf
I do the same stretch by sitting down in a yoga "hero" pose, except that I put my toes underneath me, so that the bottom of my toes are on the floor and the sole of my foot points at the wall behind.
Do it at least twice a day.
It takes some time, but that and some Superfeet insoles in your shoes will do the trick.
I have had plantar fasciitis off and on for about 20 years. I keep getting it because I played soccer -- hard ground, cleats, lots of twisting and torquing.

So basically the shot is just a quick fix...it isn't going to solve my problem?

Most likely not.

I struggled with PF for several years back in the 1980s. I remember spending time in a sports med clinic for an internship and watching someone get a heel shot. I said to myself --"no way would I ever do that". Fast forward 5 years and over a 24 month period I probably had 6 or 7. Not being able to run will make you do things you never thought you would. They were uncomfortable, but not unbearable.

They brought a few weeks relief, but never a real fix. In the end in was time and stretching and a small change to the sole of my shoe that solved the problem. The problem with PF is that the causes/damage are structural and biomechanical. So if you don't address those, you aren't really treating the problem.

This I delivered beer for budweiser through the 90's and had PF (severely) and went in for cortisone shots in both heels for several years. The shot was alittle uncomfortable but wasn't terrible.. but it isn't fixing the problem it more or less masks the problem. I spent that time learning stretching movements to do daily (several times daily) and finding the right shoe support and overtime it continued to get better. I have severely bad knee's and did cortisone shot in both knee's for 8 years and then switch to Synvisc and now Euflexxa. They drain my knee's before the injections so I am no stranger to needles... My Ortho gives the numbing shots (did this for my heel shots as well as knee's) and it does help, well except for the knee's, the needle they drain my knee's with doesn't feel good at all.. lol I would suggest finding a good foot doctor that you can get cast for some orthotics for your shoes, support is key along with daily stretching with PF.... Best of Luck

I've had them several times. They are unpleasant, but not unbearable. It brought relief for a month or two.

Crazy, one of the things that helped me the most was a shiatsu foot massager that my wife gave me one Christmas. I put it under my desk and used it any time I was on the computer. It really helped over the course of a few months. I think that helped more than the shots or orthotics. I now roll them out with a lacrosse ball a couple times a week-painful, but it seems to help keep the trouble from coming back.

Yep - I've had several heel shots for the same reason... I am extremely needle-phobic and was terrified but actually it didn't hurt at all! It was a course of 3 shots over a six week period, until the last shot when the needle broke off in my heel, not once but twice, And it did help for a few months, but then nothing - the pain came back as bad as ever. The only thing that helps is to stay off your feet until it stops hurting. Icing helps a little but it's temporary. I had custom orthotics made & they helped for a while too, If you have a job that keeps you on your feet, good luck... Surgery is also an option.:flowerforyou:

I had a cortisone shot once. When it came back I was instructed to stretch my foot every morning with a towel. I had to flex it as much as I could every morning. After a while the pain subsided. I bought MBT shoes about 3 years ago. I couldn't feel any heel pain in them. All the pain is gone now. I still stretch every so often. The key was pulling the towel back as much as I could to really stretch my Achilles tendon.

Been there and had the shot for the same reason. I got the shot , trying to cure the problem, before testing for a job that required I walk a mile under 17 minutes then a running test under 35 seconds. I past the test, got the job, and the problem is gone. I haven't even worn my inserts in months. It hurt at the time of the shot, but, I forgot about it quickly. For me it was worth a few minutes of discomfort.

Hi there

I would recommend see a podiatrist 1st as the cortisone actually stiffens the muscle which can then lose flexibility and cause more trouble later

Do you get the " screaming feet like stabbing pains after getting out of bed or resting that go away after a few minutes ??

I too have plantar fasciatis in both feet , i am very flat footed and walk around barefoot a lot but didnt actually start having any problems until i had a hip replacement done .I used to walk with probably 60-80% weight on my left side being weakest meaning that right side didnt get much weight bearing . Now i walk perfectly straight the weight has shifted putting more pressure on right side . took about a year after hip surgery before plantar , ankle etc started *****ing badly . did scans etc no bone spurs or other .
GP said get cortisone shots which i did , yes it can hurt a lot and they give you a local anaesthetic 1st and i wasnt allowed to drive myself after . personally i didnt feel iy much at all , the doc and nurse were amazed and kept saying how brave i was , i said i had 5 kids so that was nothing compared to labour lol .

worked only short term so i went to a podiatrist who immediately had a fit . why did i get cortisone etc , well i said if the GP tells you something you kindve have to trust they know what they are talking about ???

Anyway i ended up getting orthotics fitted , yes probably more expensive but once you get through the 1st couple of months and everything settles down you dont have to wear all the time , i only really have flare ups when i am either barefoot too long or wearing gumboots for hr or so without the orthotics , my feet also roll in at the ankles so the orthotics stop that which also stops the plantar issue

ok so hopefully this helps you decide , and either way it works for you

goodluck
cheers eyleene

I have plantar fasciitis and it resulted in a very painful heel spur. I could barely walk on it without crying. Working out doing any weight bearing activity including walking was out of the question. I had a cortisone shot in my heel in April 2013 and it has resulted in a significant decrease in pain. I still have some off and on but nothing compared to before. I should go for another one but haven't done so because it isn't bad enough right now.
the shot isnt as painful as I expected it to be and they do inject freezing in as well so its not too bad. The pain of the heel spur and plantar fasciitis was worse than the injection itself.

I did get them in both heels. I thought it hurt quite a lot, but it worked. The specialist I saw didn't address the cause of it, though, so the heel pain came back. At that point I went to a different doctor who told me I needed to buy better shoes.