Plantar fasciitis

[Wessex]

With extended rounds and more walking under the new park and loop regime does anyone know if any consideration has been given to those who suffer from Plantar fasciitis or similar conditions.I am now referring myself to atos under a business referral
because I cannot cope with purely walking duties , on a bike I can cope but both one knee and foot are too painful when doing trolley duties.At my office there are only a handful of bike duties and these have been assigned to more senior posties than myself .My lino is a very sympathetic but I fear I can no longer cope.Very interested to hear of anyone in or having been in a similar situation .Thanks Wessex

In retrospect I realise that even a bike duty would still be unmanageable due to foot and knee.I have delivered on my goodwill only but the pain and risk of aggravating the condition I have with my knee means any delivery duty is now untenable.Looks like the end of the delivery road for this postie

[clashcityrocker]

Try this to get over the problem. Do these exercises before getting into bed at night and before getting out of bed in the morning. Lie with the legs out straight and the knees stiff. Use the muscles of the feet to pull the top of the foot up towards the knees. You will know this is working as there will be a stretching sensation in the calves. Hold that stretch for ten seconds and relax. Do that cycle five times. This movement once learned can be done in any position such as standing or sitting and that will help to reduce the problem. Also this next movement is difficult until it is mastered. Squat down so that the heels remain on the floor. In the beginning you may have to hold onto something to maintain your balance. Keep working on it and with time you will be able to sit there without holding on. Try to do that for thirty seconds. Those moves should stop the complaints of pain. The only thing is that once you stop doing these movements there is a chance that it will return. The alternative is injections that are very painful or surgery.
Source(s):
physical therapist

[Wessex]

Thanks Clash

[not me]

With extended rounds and more walking under the new park and loop regime does anyone know if any consideration has been given to those who suffer from Plantar fasciitis or similar conditions.I am now referring myself to atos under a business referral
because I cannot cope with purely walking duties , on a bike I can cope but both one knee and foot are too painful when doing trolley duties.At my office there are only a handful of bike duties and these have been assigned to more senior posties than myself .My lino is a very sympathetic but I fear I can no longer cope.Very interested to hear of anyone in or having been in a similar situation .Thanks Wessex

I've developed this through the longer walks(about ot get longer)
drugs and heel pads are all that keep me going

[Wessex]

With extended rounds and more walking under the new park and loop regime does anyone know if any consideration has been given to those who suffer from Plantar fasciitis or similar conditions.I am now referring myself to atos under a business referral
because I cannot cope with purely walking duties , on a bike I can cope but both one knee and foot are too painful when doing trolley duties.At my office there are only a handful of bike duties and these have been assigned to more senior posties than myself .My lino is a very sympathetic but I fear I can no longer cope.Very interested to hear of anyone in or having been in a similar situation .Thanks Wessex

I've developed this through the longer walks(about ot get longer)
drugs and heel pads are all that keep me going

I have been taking ibuprofen and have gel insoles but now realise I have to take professional advice as to what my problem is .
Light duties / indoor work has already been assigned to those who cant cope with the new duties due to existing medical conditions , so I suppose I might face medical retirement ?

[pokos27]

you may be taken off a walk or will go in the locker or if you go long term sick offered ill health retirement, its a very nasty condition

[Mezza]

The stretching exercises already mentioned are a must do daily routine.
One of the best things i found was to get a plastic bottle ( one with plenty of ribs or bumps in it. fill it with water and stick it in the freezer. When it's frozen just roll it under the affected foot untill your foot can take no more of the coldness and put it back in the freezer. You can repeat this as often as you like, i usually do it when my PF is playing up, sitting in front of the telly on the sofa...it really eases the pain.

[not me]

With extended rounds and more walking under the new park and loop regime does anyone know if any consideration has been given to those who suffer from Plantar fasciitis or similar conditions.I am now referring myself to atos under a business referral
because I cannot cope with purely walking duties , on a bike I can cope but both one knee and foot are too painful when doing trolley duties.At my office there are only a handful of bike duties and these have been assigned to more senior posties than myself .My lino is a very sympathetic but I fear I can no longer cope.Very interested to hear of anyone in or having been in a similar situation .Thanks Wessex

I've developed this through the longer walks(about ot get longer)
drugs and heel pads are all that keep me going

I have been taking ibuprofen and have gel insoles but now realise I have to take professional advice as to what my problem is .
Light duties / indoor work has already been assigned to those who cant cope with the new duties due to existing medical conditions , so I suppose I might face medical retirement ?

the doc will give you Dicloflex or the like
you will be amazed at the difference it makes
however its just a sticking plaster really as it only masks the problem

as for indoor work. I actually do indoor duties sometimes and its no better as we have a concrete floor and it causes me as much pain as a walk

[Wessex]

Thanks for all the advice everyone , I always assumed i had pf ,self diagnosed , but I'm wondering if I actually have a similar ailment.I was always too worried to make a fuss with it because it was sporadic and I'm sure like many a postie you shrug off the pain as part of the job.The other thing was I was uneasy about mentioning it in case I lost my job but frankly I feel ,now ,for myself and the job that I must seek advice from the medics /atos and be guided by that.I'll let you know how I get on but feel sure there must be many off us that are sadly in the same boat.

[97gaz]

I

[hannie2002]

i just ordered myself some of these for the pain in my feet and shins they might be good for you as well as they are defo working for me.


http://www.specialistsocks.co.uk/Insole ... _info.html

[Mezza]

I got PF originally about 18months ago now, ended up taking nearly 3 months off work having physio and finally a cortisone injection (which did nothing). The exercises are the only real cure, but it can still come back from time to time, the coke bottle thing i mentioned earlier was the best treatment i found, but things like gel inserts for shoes helps - just get a larger pair of shoes to accomodate them. Also remember you can always ask for a doctors note to enable you to wear your own footwear if needed.
I ended up seeing a specialist at the hospital who said the condition was most likely caused by poor fitting footwear. Funny cos having been a postie for several years i never had the problem until i wore the new magnum shoes when they came out.
Atos were both good and bad with me. The first person i spoke to on the phone new the condition inside out and said i would never be able to do a delivery again! You can imagine the shock this presented, my job was obviously at threat and at 44 i'm too young to ever want ill health retirement. the next person that rang me was looking to get me back into work asap on light duties leading to a full duty after 6 weeks, which worked out ok for me.
It's a serious condition that apparently affects anyone who walks alot (posties, policemen are top of the list), carries any weight, is tall, and women who constantly wear high heels. RM should really take better care of employees affected with this, as it is most certainly a job related illness.

[scooby]

think i have some think like this to bad pain in back of ankles when i get up in the morning find it hard to walk down stairs at home and keeps me awake some times been taking ibuprofen also seam to get shin pains when 1st start on my post round im sure its the shoes they give us. i got the cat ones at this time still no good

[ldsposti]

I had that problem drugs and the like no good dont fancy the injections, but then i saw a posting on here for SKETCHERS shoes and wow have they worked just like walking on soft sand now i have no problems at all.

[BELIAL]

Interesting question. PF is a form of RSI produced as a result of repetitive impact degeneration. Each footfall will produce minute tears in the plantair(accentuated by load ),the cumulative effect producing painful inflammation and/or lameness . Quite how the CWU has failed to get this condition classified as an industrial illness ,I just don't know. Maybe more union officials should do stints on delivery?