We received an e-mail this week from Chad in Santa Barbara, concerning Tully Beatty’s recent article “A Season Long Thought Process,” and he had a question related to one bit of information:

In the article Tully says…

“Cortisone shots for severe plantar problems prior to Heilbronn in 2000 could be at the top of the all-time dumb list.”

I recently experienced the same problem, I had two Cortisone shots to combat serious (Ultimate induced) plantar fasciitis problems, continued playing Ultimate, and am now considering that decisions’ rank in my own bad ideas hierarchy. I wanted to ask Tully what he did finally to get better and how/if it has affected his training/playing.

We caught up with Tully, and this is what he had to say:

In the summer of 2000, the Raleigh LLama competed at Mid-Atlantic X Regionals as a warm-up for Worlds. Regionals was two weekends before the opening day of competion at Worlds. After losing to Spear in the semis, I took two shots of Cortisone in the afflicted foot.

For about a month it seemed like a great idea; and I was able to run, cut, sprint, pivot, jump, and stop pain-free while we were in Germany. By the end of the summer, the pain in the plantar was excruciating and it was clear I had done some damage. I’m not sure if it was nerve damage or tissue damage, but I basically had to hobble around on the ball of my foot, dead on the sesamoid.

I guess inactivity was the first smart move I made to get the healing started. Due to the pressures of grad school, I had to step off the Open team I was playing with that fall and I don’t think I cleated up again until WUFF Coed Nationals the following February.

After that, it was all I could do to not walk around in the house in me barefeet; I think that’s easier suggested than done. Curling or balling up a hand-towel with the toes also helped to strengthen the muscles in the feet. However, I think there was one exercise and one concept that worked best for me. Calf raises off the side of the bathtub assist in keeping the Achilles and the plantar stretched out, of course also forming Cussen-like calves; and similarly, all things are connected: Plantar; Achilles; calf; hamstring; lower back.

While I don’t stretch as much as I once did, I was diligent for about five years and I think that routine helped alleviate the fasciitis. 2004 was the last time PF was an in-season issue; I’ve never worn insoles and I’ve never worn a boot while sleeping, but those that I know who have, swear by them.

If any readers out there have any experience with recovering from Cortisone shots gone bad, or serious plantar problems, and have any recovery tips, let us know and we’ll be sure to pass it along.

UPDATE: Mike from Chicago wrote in about dealing with plantar fasciitis:

You wake up every morning, stand up, and as you flex your foot, you tear any newly healed tissue (and maybe some more of the old). I suspect this is why it is so persistent and hard to get rid of.

THE BOOT IS THE ANSWER. Sleeping with your foot in a flexed position allows the tissues to heal in the “stretched” position. You sleep in the boot and do some basic ankle rolls and calf stretches every morning for 2 to 6 weeks (depending on the severity) and PF becomes a thing of your past.

I tried inserts, exercises, stretching, strong anti-inflammatories, etc…nothing was working (the doc says try stop doing anything for 4-6 weeks…ugh) and I luckily stumbled across the boot. After 3 to 4 weeks of sleeping in the boot my PF was gone and has never come back.