Help! Is there a way to stop Plantar Faciitis in it's tracks!?

Beploveshomer

I've been starting to run in the past couple months and have been taking it slow, but in the past week I've been pushing myself a little harder than I probably should. Yesterday I felt a twinge of heel pain, and this morning I felt the all too familiar pain! I went through plantar faciitis a couple years ago and it was really bad, full on limping, excruciating pain, expensive inserts. I am scared to death it's going to get bad again and my newfound love of running and declining weight is all going to be done for awhile! I can't have that happen! Has anyone ever found a way to STOP it from getting worse, like immediately? Should I not run for a while? How long?

SarahLascelles1

My sympathies!
I've just got over a bout of PF.

A foot roller helped a bit (should be able to use something else), tens machine helped give relief, and calf raises on the edge of a step helped strengthen and stretch.

And the key was identifying the shoes that were causing it without me realising

CoachKatie814

Make sure you're warming up long enough/ properly and pay special attention to stretching after. Tight calves especially can contribute to plantar fasciitis. If you have a foam roller this is a great one to try http://mobilitymastery.com/learn-the-one-stretch-that-relieves-plantar-fasciitis-shin-splints-achilles-pain-heel-pain-and-compartment-syndrome/

skinny4me2be

I am doing chiropractic therapy along with stretching the calf, Hams, ankles and it's helped immensely

twinmom_112002

I roll with a golf ball. Thankfully I live in an area and work a job where flip flops at work is okay. I just put a golf ball under my desk and roll away through out the day.

Azdak

PF scares me like no other injury. Esp if you have had prob in the past, I would not run until the symptoms are gone. But I am hyper cautious about PF.

In addition to making sure you have good (newer) shoes and appropriate inserts, here are two articles I have found that I thought had good information:

http://www.running-physio.com/pf-new-research/

http://running.competitor.com/2014/06/photos/new-techniques-treating-plantar-fasciitis_96398

Good luck

drachfit

Stop running. Let it heal. There are a bunch of other kinds of cardio you can do to avoid irritating it, but if you keep trying to push through running it will become a serious problem and you won't be able to do anything for a while.

Bike, swim, row, power flow style yoga, kettle bell circuits, heavy bag, barbell complexes...

AmazonMayan

I never bought expensive inserts to fix my issues. I did toss the offending shoes. A specific pair of shoes had me so bad I originally went in for xrays because I thought I had fractures. Quite painful.

Getting better, supportive shoes and the night braces that keep my calves stretched fixed mine within days. My Dr recommended rolling my feet over frozen bottles of water and otc pain relief tablet until I was better.

The braces are otc and while I thought 25$ each was expensive at first, I still use them 2 years later when I get pain again - always from bad shoes. The braces were a great investment.

Chargunshow

I agree that tight calves exacerbate PF. Roll and/or stretch your calves regularly. In addition, you can freeze a water bottle and roll your heel. I also agree that good shoes and an insert are important...not a magic pill but will definitely help. Get fitted at a running shoe store for both (Superfeet are the inserts we sell at the running shoe store I work at.) If your PF is severe, you can also look into getting a Strasberg sock...a sock you wear at night that keeps your foot flexed.

It takes time...good luck.

Burger2066

My sister is a physical therapist and when I had an issue with this, she told me to buy a pack of marbles and a small tub to put them in. Using your toes, pick each marble up and set it in the tub. Do that on both feet a couple of times a day and it should help. I haven't had an issue since I started doing that several years ago.

kimberlee_45

I had the same thing. It's so debilitating! I found that stretching your calves and Achilles tendon helps so much. My fitness instructor told me to do that and it has helped a lot! Good luck!

Azdak

Chargunshow wrote: »

I agree that tight calves exacerbate PF. Roll and/or stretch your calves regularly. In addition, you can freeze a water bottle and roll your heel. I also agree that good shoes and an insert are important...not a magic pill but will definitely help. Get fitted at a running shoe store for both (Superfeet are the inserts we sell at the running shoe store I work at.) If your PF is severe, you can also look into getting a Strasberg sock...a sock you wear at night that keeps your foot flexed.

It takes time...good luck.

When I refer to "inserts", I'm usually thinking Superfeet or something similar (if it exists) as opposed to orthotics. Orthotics may be necessary for some people, but I think they tend to be over prescribed. Have had good experiences w/Superfeet--just have to be careful to get the right size.

ClubSilencio

I had PF for almost a year and tried everything. Finally, by some miracle, I noticed my foot was feeling better. After a few days of trying to figure it out I realized what was making the difference: I was sleeping with my foot outside of the covers!

Yes, it was summer time and I was letting the puppies breathe. A quick search found that many others have had the same success.

Makes sense since we sleep for so many hours. That time could be used for healing. Give it a try, it costs nothing.

I also roll my foot over a can everyday morning and night.

blues4miles

Another recommendation for superfeet here. Don't just put them in your running shoes, buy several and put them in the shoes you wear the rest of the time. For a while, don't go barefoot in your house, wear shoes with the inserts while you are trying to recover.

Also another recommendation for stretching. I walk about a half mile before my run, stretch out my calves, ankles, legs after the walk and before I start my run.

There are things you can wear to bed that are supposed to help. I never tried that, but try to mimic the stretch that that thing does to your foot every night. During the day while I'm sitting down, take your shoes off and draw the alphabet in the air with your toes. Similar to the marble exercise suggested by someone above.

For now? Take at least a week off running. Do all this. When you come back if it's still hurting, take two weeks off, and repeat. Also used a tennis ball on my heel while I was still recovering from it and that seemed to help.

GiddyupTim

Um......All this advice to stop running? Plantar fasciitis does not heal in one week, or two weeks, or....(though the pain may improve dramatically in a short time). The plantar fascia is incredibly tough tissue, incredibly strong tissue. When it gets torn it does not repair itself right away.
Get a pair of Superfeet insoles, or two. Maybe a pair for each pair of your shoes. The reason that PF can seem so difficult to treat is because every time you walk or run, you depress the arch again, and the tender, healing tissue gets ripped again, and you are back where you started. The Superfeet give you adequate support and prevent that re-ripping from happening, allowing the healing process to progress.
I have put Superfeet in my shoes and continued to run. Mine got better.
The other thing you have to do is gently stretch the bottom of your foot. I do hero's pose (yoga) twice a day, with the soles of my toes flat on the floor and the sole of the rest of my foot facing the wall directly behind. Once you are on your knees, and in the position, push back slightly. You'll feel the stretch along the bottom of your foot.
That stretch is extremely effective. If you don't believe me, google: planatar fasciitis and DiGiovanni. He's a doc who realized stretching was key to recovery. He also figured out that if you bend the toes back you can get a better stretch than if you just stand on a step, for example. In a trial he did, he had 90 people, who had severe PF that they could not get better for over a year, perform a toe-bended back stretch. Something like 90 percent of those people, for whom nothing else had worked, got drastically better or completely better.
Good luck

cafeaulait7

I taped the OTC insert to my foot for a week so that my arch never could move far, even at night going to the bathroom, etc. That made mine go away. I always catch it in its tracks, so I don't know if this works for anyone who has the chronic problem.

My insert had a pad in the arch that looked like these (although mine I had to tape to hold it there, so these look better):
http://thumbs3.ebaystatic.com/d/l225/m/malvWhFjW1OsXcsXeR1EUug.jpg

jgnatca

If I had a flare up I'd be careful with the running and never, never, ever forget the stretches. If you want to nip this in the bud. Which it sounds like you want to.

Adc7225

I hear you . . . I had that some years ago and after never thinking it would go away it finally did with the help of a great podiatrist. Recently I had that little twinge of discomfort and I got my heel cups out and wore then as much as possible including putting them in my socks and sleeping in them so during that middle of the night trip to the restroom I was not causing any issues. I was actually shocked when I realized just after a few days the foot was not hurting at all. I would agree with others that it would be your best bet to try and nip this as early as possible, the less inflammation the shorter the healing process.

sllm1

I use Super Feet insoles.

pafmarwak

I agree with the post about shoes. Ankle exercises and foot/calf stretches also help. Don't walk barefoot on tile floors.

cwolfman13

My foot roller is one of my greatest assets...a tennis ball works well too. I roll my feet twice per day for about 2 minutes regardless of whether I feel it coming on or not. I also use Super Feet insole to support my very high arches. I do all of my stretches regularly. I'm also not an avid runner because running a lot aggravates things...I'm a cyclist and just very occasional runner.

fastfoodietofitcutie

Birkenstock's saved me. I wear them all the time and never go barefoot. This has prevented a recurrence of plantar fasciitis for me.

WaterBunnie

I had PF for around 6 months, it cleared but now I'm suffering with a similar pain behind my knee and sometimes further up leading to hobbling around after exercise, but it's definitely not a joint thing. Is this related?

thebuz

I would like to add that you should stretch your hamstrings also. Tight hamstrings can cause tight calves that can cause PF. I really focus on stretching from hips down when I get the dreaded PF twinge and I seem to nip it in the bud. Runners are notorious for having tight hammies. This is a great link for stretching out your hip girdle also. http://www.njsportsmed.com/files/myrtl_routine.pdf

Good luck!

lgoldfarb

CoachKatie814 wrote: »

Make sure you're warming up long enough/ properly and pay special attention to stretching after. Tight calves especially can contribute to plantar fasciitis. If you have a foam roller this is a great one to try http://mobilitymastery.com/learn-the-one-stretch-that-relieves-plantar-fasciitis-shin-splints-achilles-pain-heel-pain-and-compartment-syndrome/

Thank you for posting this. I've had it for over a year, I can't stand it anymore, nothing I've done has helped yet. Going to try this as soon as I get home.

ncfitbit

+1 to superfeet and stretching the calves. Someone told me to draw the alphabet with my toes before I got out of bed each morning and that is very helpful. Also, I have stopped walking barefoot on my tile floor. That tends to do me in. I ALWAYS wear shoes!

Calibrate

I suffered from Plantar fasciitis for a couple of years when I was heavier and running on a treadmill, or just from daily walking in heels at work. I started getting acupuncture for some other health issues, like headaches. I told my acupuncturist about my Plantar fasciitis and he said he would see what he could do. After 8 weeks, my Plantar fasciitis was gone and never to return! Still had my other issues but I was thrilled to have that pain gone. Have since lost 80 lbs, sometimes will feel a little tinge after a hard workout and run, but for the most part, I am cured. Something to think about, can't tell you why or how, but it worked for me.

thebuz

Calibrate wrote: »

I suffered from Plantar fasciitis for a couple of years when I was heavier and running on a treadmill, or just from daily walking in heels at work. I started getting acupuncture for some other health issues, like headaches. I told my acupuncturist about my Plantar fasciitis and he said he would see what he could do. After 8 weeks, my Plantar fasciitis was gone and never to return! Still had my other issues but I was thrilled to have that pain gone. Have since lost 80 lbs, sometimes will feel a little tinge after a hard workout and run, but for the most part, I am cured. Something to think about, can't tell you why or how, but it worked for me.

I second this. My first bout with PF was in both feet for well over a year and was doing physio with little improvement and the physio did 2 sessions of acupuncture and it was gone. I was a cynic and she did say that she notices it helps about 50% of her clients. Worth a shot if it's getting bad. It never returned after that and I was almost crippled with it. Now I just get a twinge and I nip it in the bud early now as I put a lot of time on my feet running/walking and never want to get sidelined with it again.

Beploveshomer

I think I'm beating it! I didn't run for a couple days to rest it and I used some tips I got here, the best being the rolling pin!! That's a great feeling, it hits the worst spot and it kind of hurts at first but then it warms up and totally loosens up it up. Also I've become fanatic about stretching my calves on my front steps after every run, the only time I feel it now is if I'm walking barefoot on my heels too hard.
Thanks everyone!

JulesAtkinson1

<<<<Suffered it several times myself. You have been given lots of excellent advise, and I didn't read through them all, so if I'm repeating, I apologize in advance. I found Superfeet inserts are the best other than prescription, and I've tried MANY. I always stretch my feet with a band before getting out of bed (placing it under the balls of my feet and pulling back to stretch the fascia), NEVER go barefoot, especially in the morning ( I have a pair of old crocs I putter around in indoors), never wear flats unless I have the inserts in them or wear ones with a small heel, only wear orthotic flip-flops (like vionic orthaheels) and ALWAYS stretch my calves and plantar fascia after a workout. I stretch the calves and plantar fascia at one time with the exercise where you stand close to a wall with one foot behind you and one foot toes up on the wall at an angle, while placing my hands on the wall and leaning forward. I roll my feet with a tennis ball when they are really sore and with a frozen golf ball when they are less tender. When mine flares up badly, I stop running on surfaces and use my elliptical at zero resistance and pedal slowly. It doesn't burn as many calories, but it's exercise and better than stopping altogether. If you don't have one, try walking instead of running, or walking the first few minutes of your run. I would never recommend stopping it altogether, but I do recommend cutting back or choosing a less stressful way until your heal. And if you have ankle issues (I do, I broke my right ankle several years ago and should have gotten surgery but opted for a cast), until you fix the ankle problem, plantar fasciitis will re-appear. I'm working on mine now with a friend who is a PT. I'm hoping I can strengthen my ankle ligaments/tendons enough this problem will completely disappear. Otherwise, it's ankle surgery, and I'm really trying hard to avoid it.

JulesAtkinson1

WaterBunnie wrote: »

I had PF for around 6 months, it cleared but now I'm suffering with a similar pain behind my knee and sometimes further up leading to hobbling around after exercise, but it's definitely not a joint thing. Is this related?

WaterBunnie, you may have tight calves. Try stretching them after a workout with any of the exercises mentioned here. Tight calves can lead to tight hamstrings, trust me. It's all connected. Also, get checked for leg length discrepancy. This can throw off your gait and cause your type of pain as well.