I have been helped by Birkenstocks, glucosamine sulfate and vitamin C. But I have not been helped by stretching and exercises, and in fact I don't do any. Stretching nearly cripples me for two or three days afterwards -- so I avoid it. I am not "all better" by any means. But I am in sufficiently less pain than 6 months ago and can operate like a fairly normal person.
Personally, I would suggest that your No. 1 priority be finding shoes that you can stand in and work in fairly well -- just as a measure to buy yourself some time. If you can work and stand and go about your daily business with even a 40% or 50% pain reduction due to shoes, then you will have more energy and stamina to devote to real treatment. That's when you will have some decisions to make about what to try. You will finds LOT of suggestions for treatment through this board. Good luck.
spider-tf044.proxy.aol.com 17:19:05