And the Doctor says........
Well,
at the doctor's office today, he reconfirmed that the problem is indeed Plantar Fashiitis - an inflammation of
the connecting band(s) between the front of the heel to the toes. I got
a prescription for a stronger NSAID, a shot of cortisone, and a more
specific set of stretching exercises. Now I wait for a two-week checkup
to see if it's healing properly.
Assuming it is, I MIGHT be able to get back on the
trail by mid to late July. At first he hinted at the Fall, but backpedaled fast on that when he saw my horrified reaction.
The later it gets
the more impossible it will be to reach Katahdin by Oct 14th. The
alternate plan is to travel to Maine and Katahdin first and hike South
Bound (SoBo) back to Virginia where I left the trail. The concern there
is after getting restarted in Maine, having a relapse much further away
from home and help. At the moment, all I can do is contemplate all the
different possibilities. I really can't make any firm decision until
after my follow-up exam on July 9th. Such a quandary. And I do miss
the trail - A LOT!
In the meantime, I am still working on the photos and videos that I took during the first 2.5 months and 700+ miles of the Appalachian Trail.
2 comments:
Bob you need to check out custom made inserts for your shoes made by someone working with an orthopedic.
I had PF for years...going through the same routine of meds,gel heal pad, ice, exercise and rest along with shots from a needle that seemed to be a foot long...all of it did nothing to help...finally went to HP Orthopedics and had Reggie Jones make me a custom pair of inserts... for the first time in 18 months my foot did not hurt. I know you said you hurt it on the trail but it is also an overuse injury and that is probably part of it...good luck
The Hundred Mile Wilderness would sure be an awful place to discover that things aren't healed! Here's hoping for a speedy recovery!
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