Heel pain after COVID-19 vaccine

Posted by kneadmuscles53 @kneadmuscles53, Apr 14, 2021

Five days before my first Covid 19 vaccine, after several hours of shopping and walking, I suddenly developed a bruised feeling under my right heel. Thinking it was from poorly fitting shoes, I next day switched to more padded and supportive shoes with a good arch support and gradually it began to subside. One hour after receiving my first vaccine shot, after sitting in my car all the hour, I stepped onto the parking lot to go shopping and felt the pain in my heel so strong that I couldn't walk! I sat down to stretch and massage my foot and then limped into the store to briefly shop. I lived very far away from any doctors, so wanted to stay close to the vaccine clinic for a while longer to make sure I had no serious side effects. For a few more days I researched causes of heel pain and called my doctor about it. I had guessed it was Plantar Fasciitis because the symptoms and relief from suggested therapies matched my own. My doctor suggested the vaccine caused inflammation and said to take tylenol if I needed it along with stretching, massage, icing and using arch supports. Two weeks after the second vaccine shot, along with intense self therapy, the pain is very gradually subsiding. It is very upsetting because I have never had any type of foot discomfort in my 72 years and some people in medical blogs said their intense discomfort wouldn't go away. Finally, yesterday I discovered wearing Nike Hyperdunk basketball sneakers with Heel the Pain inner soles completely eliminated the discomfort along with continuing the manual therapy. If it returns, I will visit my doctor. Is anyone else suffering from this condition and what is your story?

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kyengler | @kyengler | Sep 13 6:36am

In reply to @nehajain "My heel pain started after the first shot of covid vaccine (Pfizer) but I didn’t think..." + (show)

@nehajain

My heel pain started after the first shot of covid vaccine (Pfizer) but I didn’t think it was the vaccine. It was bad some days and then I didn’t notice it much. Attributed it to being on my feet a lot. Took the 2nd shot and then 3rd booster and my knees started to pain really bad after a long plane flight. I thought it was the long journey. But my friend a physical therapist told me to see my Dr. X Rays revealed moderate arthritis . Couldn’t believe it. I was not overweight, very active, never ate junk food, healthy vegetarian diet. Took NSAIDs pain meds prescribed. Physical therapy, the heel and now knee pain kept getting worse. first in one knee then both. Eventually within 2 yrs my arthritis was severe. The heel pain continued. I had to get a total (not partial) knee replacement surgery last year (3 yrs since the booster shot)! I am only 52. Too soon to get a total knee replacement. Now 1 yr after my left knee replacement I am considering right knee replacement. The pain in my heels has continued and now I have pain all the way up to my neck and scapula (shoulder blades). I have taken a 1) steroid shot in my heels - no improvement. 2) Orthotripsy in both heels (not covered by insurance) - audio shock waves in heels - mild to no improvement, 3) Stem cell shots in both feet. 30-40 % improvement so far but I have to wear 4) Custom molded insoles from the Running Store (Roadruner) / Walking Store. And use it in classic crocs. That is the only thing that helps with my heel pain. I have go wear them all the time. I used to be able to walk around barefoot before the covid vaccine. I did not make the connection before between the covid vaccine and my arthritis until another friend of my mind had the same effect after the booster shot and her arthritis was even more severe and in smaller joints too all over the body. Now I am starting to get elbow joint pain , neck pain (x ray shows mild arthritis but the pain is bad when pressed and stiff). I am doing regular physical therapy for every joint. Managing the pain with percussion massager very night and heat pad as well as Ayurvedic medicated oil. I also got tired of all the side effects from pain meds and switched to organic USDA certified Ayurvedic herbal medicine and they have helped me manage the pain. But I feel like I will have to live with this all my life. I am dreading getting my right knee replacement surgery done now. And now I also have really bad neck pain. The heel pain continues - lesser than before after the stem cell injections. But still cannot walk barefooted more than a few steps. I specially miss going to the temple as it it required to be barefoot. I read some NIH research on knee arthritis post the covid vaccines. I personally know of 4 people besides me who had the same effects after covid vaccine in the US.

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I am dealing with very similar symptoms but mine started from a virus. My last booster had been 6 months before, so it wasn’t that. I had a fever and joint pain for about 3-4 days. Ever since, all joints, but especially heals have gotten progressively worse for 3 years. I’ve tried all the drugs and nothing works. Good luck!