Naemanson, have you considered heel spurs? I didn't know what they were, thought they were calcium deposits on the back of the heel...they're not.

For about a year, I had terrible stiffness when I got out of bed in the morning. It would disappear after about 6 or 7 steps. Many people I knew complained of foot pain, so I just thought it was standing too much, hard floors, or something temporary. Finally one day the pain was so bad I went to see a friend who is an orthopedic surgeon. The X-rays immediately showed heel spurs (calcium deposits) within the heel part of my feet. This is the result of chronic tendonitis. If I had known earlier (when the stiffness) started, I might have prevented them.

Three things have made me pain-free.

1) Never, never, never under any circumstances go barefoot. Not even across the bedroom floor to turn off the alarm clock. I use the sports flip-flops (like all the teens wear) for house shoes.

2) Wear a good athletic shoe with arch support and heel cushions. I go to a running store to get fitted.

3) Do the runners stretch to stretch the achilles tendon.

The only time I have pain is when I go to the beach. Even though I wear shoes to the water's edge and then get on a raft, there is something about walking in sand that does damage. For an acute episode you can freeze a bottle of water and roll your arch on that.