Accepting foot pain as TMS

Hi All,

I'm looking to gather some stories/opinions on whether my foot pain could be TMS so that I can accept that diagnosis. I absolutely believe in TMS and that all sorts of pains I've had my entire life were really TMS. I fit the perfectionist, do gooder personality and many of my pains have disappeared with no real explanation.

This foot thing though has been hard for me to accept. I work on my feet all day for one so it seems legitimate that one might have problem with feet. I was diagnosed with PF and had pain in both feet for several months. There was no explanation for it's initiation except that I work on my feet. Then the right foot healed on it's own, also with no explanation. After re-reading the TMS books, I did get my left foot to recover, but in the process I did tear the plantar fascia. Well the doctor said I did anyway and there was a pop and a tremendous amount of pain. But after that, the pain went away and I resumed all activities.

Fast forward about 6 months and the left foot started hurting again. Yes there have been some stressful life stuff - I bought a house and moved my life after 16 years in one city. There is definitely some financial worry attached to that move and career concerns as well. It only hurts after resting it, especially in the morning after sleeping. It is mostly in the ball of the foot, but it isn't painful to the touch. It does move around at times which is suspicious. It mostly doesn't hurt in the ball of the foot at work, but in the heel. Yet even that will disappear for periods of time with no explanation. The morning pain however is consistent and I basically have to limp for 15 feet or so before it let's up. I can still run, ski, hike, etc with no pain, but I can have increased symptoms after running.

Intellectually I think it's TMS, but I'm having a hard time truly believing it because of a fear I have that I did damage it with the tear and also because I do stand all day long. It does seem plausible that that could cause pain/injury. However, I can never understand why the pain is in the morning after resting it and not during activities that would be damaging it.

Nothing helped the PF so I'm not treating this round of pain with anything. I'm just worrying about it and worrying about worrying about it!

If you have any similar experiences that you could share, I would appreciate it! I think that if I just find enough similarity in my situation to those who were cured via a TMS approach, I will be able to cross the threshold into truly accepting it really is TMS and then I'll be on my way.

Thank you in advance--
Vanessa

 

I’ve had phases of PF on and off over the last few years. I saw a podiatrist who DX’ed PF via ultrasound and who recommended various calf stretches and foot rolling exercises.

Along with most of my complaints and issues my PF never really seemed to fit a traditional structural explanation to me. I never had the morning pain and stiffness but this is considered to be the defining presentation of PF. The thinking is that whilst at rest the fascia contracts to the shortened position and the first few steps of the day ‘break’ this contracted position and loosen the fascia on the tendon band.

I always found that whilst hiking and running the first few miles would be painful but then this would seem to loosen and then it would be ok. An hour or two after exercise and the pain would return though. This wouldn’t always be the case however and there barely seemed any real rhyme nor reason as to what caused specific flares and the variation in intensity levels.

Interesting, one of the treatments for PF is shock therapy which basically is the tendon being reinjured in the hope of the healing process being instigated. IMO it’s crazy to pay for this...instead of following the outdated advice of rest and recovery for PF why not just do your own version of shock therapy by just ignoring the discomfort and pain and carrying on exercise regardless, it’s less painful and far far cheaper. I have to say every episode of PF I’ve had has been resolved through carrying on running through it...yep, it can be frustrating and painful but eventually it just seems to fade away.

N.B

When I had the ultrasound on my foot that showed the inflammation at the heel insertion that defines PF my immediate thought was that being a 50 year old runner and hiker that I’d bet my last penny that if they had scanned my other (non PF and pain free) foot then it would have showed exactly the same inflammation.

 

Just to add to my post. Do I think PF is TMS? I’m not sure. Whilst scans can show inflammation of the tendon insertion I bet the vast majority of people over 20 would have this and would probably be pain free.

IMO it is the TMS mindset that you can bring to this that is crucial. Whilst foot pain is a bummer as it’s something you are reminded of at every step, it isn’t serious and it won’t kill you. It’s easy to get fearful of it but this just feeds into the loop. I remain 100% convinced that regardless of causality that PF is best treated and eradicated by bringing a carefree and fearless attitude towards it. When I molly coddled and rested my foot nothing changed but when I just accepted it and went back to my usual daily activities and exercise levels it faded away pretty quickly.

 

Thank you for sharing! I actually have less pain since posting and reading your response. My morning pain has reduced and I've noticed no pain after times of resting during the day. I've also had no pain at work for the last week. It is good to be reminded that you aren't making it worse even if it hurts.

And yes, when I had my first round of PF, one day I just decided I was done resting and stretching and doing all these therapies. Instead, I just went for a hike and it hurt, but it wasn't worse. Then I went for a run and again it wasn't worse. After that I felt like the whole thing was BS and then it went away.!