Surgery: Worth It?

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Welcome back. :)

You're probably wondering by now: "So, surgery...was it worth it?"

My answer to that question is yes - at least for me. Did I see amazing results right away? No. Did I feel better right away? No. My experience was quite the opposite, actually. Things got worse before they got better.

But wait a minute - before you get discouraged, let me explain - and remind you, again, that everyone's experience will be different.

My doctor told me that it would be at least 6-8 few weeks before I noticed any results. Until then, I would feel about the same as I did before surgery, which is exactly what happened. Unexpectedly, though, I went through a brief reduction in pain for a month or two before the pain came right back, as sharp and persistent as it was before the surgery.

So: I felt the same, then felt better...and then went back to square one with my pain level.

(Reminder: my surgery took place the second week of November in 2017. I would say that the little relief I felt was around January of this year, before the pain came back full force between March and May.)

I'm sure that I don't have to explain to you how infuriating this was. If you've been through the same thing, you already know how I felt. Even if you haven't had surgery, you know the pain and frustration of PF all too well.

By this point, I had been through so much - physical therapy, cortisone injections, custom orthotic inserts, numerous doctors, and, of course, surgery, among other things. I didn't know what it was going to take to ever get any relief - if I ever would - from PF. Apparently, as I would soon find out, my doctor didn't either.

I decided it was time to see my doctor again in May. The following month I would be vacationing in St. Lucia, and had planned a few excursions which would require some walking. I didn't expect any miracles to happen before then, but wondered if there was anything else I could possibly try to get a little relief.

If you've never seen your doctor at a loss of words, I hope you never do. It is truly disheartening. I don't put any blame on my doctor whatsoever; he is an intelligent professional with lots of experience. Unfortunately, I just happened to be one of the worst cases he (and my 3 other podiatrists) had ever worked with, and when I went to see him in May, he admitted that there wasn't much left to try.

We discussed 4 possible options:

1. Using a TENS machine. (TENS stands for "transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation.") I'd never used a Tens machine until my aunt, who suffered with PF pain for a long time, told me about it. For whatever reason, no doctor had ever recommended it to me, which is why it's so important to do research on your own. A TENS machine uses light electric currents to stimulate damaged nerves - in this case, the plantar fascia. (I will discuss this more in a future post.)
2. Contacting a pain management specialist, which I never followed through with. To me, a pain management specialist meant the prescription of pain medications, and that was not something I wanted to deal with. Don't misunderstand me - if a pain management specialist is something you'd like to try, or has worked for you, that's great. I'm sure they can be a lot of help to people suffering from PF. Personally, it just wasn't something I was comfortable seeking out. 
3. Cork heel lifts. When my doctor suggested these, my first reaction was, what?! But I'm already wearing custom orthotic inserts - you want me to wear these too?! It sounds counterintuitive. Adding a heel lift to your already sore foot seems like a terrible idea. Isn't your heel under enough stress with PF? Well, yes, but as I explained in my Physical Therapy post, the heel bone is connected to the Achilles tendon, which attaches to the calf muscle. (The plantar fascia meets the Achilles tendon at the heel bone, and runs along the underside of the foot.) By lifting the heel, pressure on the plantar fascia is relieved. This can also release tension in the calf muscle, which, for people suffering with PF, is usually very tight. 

   

   http://www.footmedictechnology.com/stretching-and-plantar-fasciitis.php

4. Achilles lengthening surgery. Lengthening the Achilles tendon could possibly alleviate tension in the plantar fascia. You're probably thinking the same thing I was when my doctor suggested this: another surgery?! Unfortunately, in persistent cases of PF, multiple surgeries may be required. But, as my doctor said, surgery should always remain a last resort option. I think that, at the moment, I would rather deal with a foot that is about 50% better than go through another procedure. 

Admittedly, I left my doctor's office feeling pretty discouraged that day. It seemed that there was very little left for me to do, and I began to accept the fact that I may have pain in my feet for the rest of my life.

But then something unexpected happened. Within a few weeks, I started noticing less pain in my foot! Other than wearing the heel lifts I hadn't done anything differently, so this came as quite a pleasant surprise (and just in time for my vacation.)

What happened? Honestly, I don't know. Do I think it was the heel lifts? No, and I'll explain that later. It's now the end of July, and I haven't seen or called my doctor since the beginning of May. I think that it's possible the healing process took much longer than expected - at least 6 months. I'd be interested to hear from any of you who have had a similar experience with PF surgery, or any other surgical procedure, that had a longer recovery time than expected. Any thoughts?

In my next post, I will discuss heel lifts more in depth.

I can be reached with any questions on my Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/plantarwhat/ or through email: wsmalls12194@gmail.com.

Thanks for reading,

Becky