Plantar's or Spurs - No more running or new plan?

BRobertson23

Hello! Over the past several weeks my heel has been in pain. I used to run regularly, but since May of last year, I decreased the amount that I ran. Within the past month I've developed a serious discomfort in my heel that seems worse in the morning when I wake up and walk on it then later in the day, but the pain is constant. I believe it could be either plantar fasciitis or a bone spur. This morning it was pretty bad and I attribute it to the fact that I hiked a couple of miles with my husband the night before. I know that I can get inserts to help with my feet for the immediate, but I'm not wanting to eliminate the ability to be active, so I guess my question is what do you do to help strength/assist yourself to be able to run and walk without the back lash of pain or do you suggest a different form of exercise that gets you your activity without more foot discomfort....and yes, I will be scheduling a Dr visit to confirm or deny my own assessment, but I'm trying to find a new plan in the meantime.

CorneliusPhoton

Morning heel pain is a classic symptom of plantar fasciitis. Of course, a doctor's visit is appropriate, but it won't hurt to try some of the stretching that helps with PF. You need to do a LOT of stretching of your calves and achilles every day, and stretch and manipulate the plantar fascia with your hands every morning. The pain comes because the plantar fascia is too tight. While you are not moving and stretching overnight, it tightens up even more. Here's what helped me:

Every morning, before you get up, flex your foot up and at the same time press your fingers into the plantar fascia. You can feel it as a tight tendon running through the center of your arch. Massage it, press on it, and try to loosen it. Do this as much as possible. Your pain is due to this tendon being too tight. You can also roll your foot around on a tennis ball to do the same thing.

Stand with your toes propped up on something and your heels on the ground. You should feel a good stretch of your achilles tendon. Best to stretch like this after you have been up and walking around for awhile. Do it twice a day.

Get some shoe inserts. I started out with PowerStep (https://www.amazon.com/Powerstep-Length-Orthotic-Insoles-Original/dp/B011R81LBU/ref=zg_bs_3780081_3), which helped a bit. Then I got myself some Orthaheel shoes. They have high supportive arches and provided me with immediate relief. I wore nothing but Orthaheel sneakers or flip flops for about a year. They also have shoe inserts if you don't want to buy the shoes. I got my stuff from FootSmart. I believe that by simply walking around with shoes that pushed up on my arches is what cured me. Your results may vary. Good luck!

Cherimoose

Search youtube for "plantar fascia stretch" and do it hourly. If you have high arches, stretch your calves hourly too. Wear Superfeet or Powerstep insoles, but only for activities that cause pain, and eventually wean yourself off them once the pain goes away (arch supports weaken the arch).

peaceout_aly

Although I don't have this condition, I have terrible feet and a condition called a collapsed arch, which required full reconstruction of my left foot and will most likely require the same surgery on the right foot. I have screws and an implant in one foot and another foot that is so flat the bottom resembles the base of a boat because it has collapsed entirely. I thought I would never be able to work out but after a lot of conditioning and the right shoes, it has been possible. I suggest investing in Asics, they are designed for people with feet issues. Definitely head to your doctor and see about the little stick on pads that help a lot with heel pain, and Google band work for your condition. Stretching helps also!

browneyedgirl749

I have plantars and heel spurs in both feet. I went to a podiatrist that ended up giving me 2 cortisone shots (4 weeks apart). That has helped with the major pain I felt in the mornings (pain so severe I couldn't walk). I still have some discomfort, but that is the heel spurs. I had x-rays taken, that's how I know I have them.

I have had to completely change my shoe wardrobe. My doctor suggested I wear Vionic Shoes, or get PowerStep inserts. I did both. I do stretches at night, sleep with a night splint, and roll a frozen water bottle under my foot.

Check out YouTube for some stretches. There are so many! I do as many as I can. Walking is my go-to cardio. All of this has helped me be able to continue my hour long walks.

nowine4me

I developed planters while training for a half marathon. I ran through it for months, but eventually got a cortisone shot which has helped. Stretch, stretch, and stretch more. Rolling your foot on a frozen water bottle or spiky ball also feels good.

30kgin2017

A podiatrist is probably a better place than your dr for this one.

In addition to suggestions above, I was also told to wear a compression sock all day for a few months (only 1 foot was affected for me). With footwear change, no barefeet and sock I recovered in about 3 months but I also havent been exercising for about 1 month. I plan to continue wearing the compression sock while exercising.

I do have inserts for sneakers but dont wear enclosed shoes for work etc which meant I only wear inserts for exercise. If I wore enclosed shoes and thus inserts more I think that would have helped too, although footwear upgrade included more supportive shoes than I was previously wearing.

kenyonhaff

STOP RUNNING! That's #1.

Whatever you'll be doing for the next couple of weeks will not involve any running and probrably not any prolonged walking or standing...

BRobertson23

Thanks for the info! I will certainly look into all the stretches. I have very high arches and wore inserts with asic shoes for my first half marathon and several 5K races. Since then I haven't updated my shoes, so I guess I was my own feet killer. I'm looking forward to getting into these stretches and finding relief. Thanks again!

mgalovic01

If you've been landing on your heal when you strike the ground, you may want to consider striking the ground more-so with the front part of your foot. Your calves will absorb more impact, and reduce the stress on your heal and joints.

MeanderingMammal

BRobertson23 wrote: »

.....Since then I haven't updated my shoes, so I guess I was my own feet killer.

I'd suggest that your shoes will be lifed out as well and probably need replaced. Given the condition you're not going to get a solid gait analysis until the pain subsides.

Depending on the quality of the shoe I'd generally anticipate about 400-500 miles out of a pair, although somewhat less for lower end shoes, if you're particularly overweight or if you're inexperienced.

With high arches and insert it's possible that you're an under-pronator. PF can be reasonably common there but when you get back into running you'll get some benefit from working to relax your posture.

Baydogger

I've had PF more than once and the sneaky little bugger is trying to get me again! I continue to run but stretch the fascia daily with an accu ball and stretch my calves, achilles, etc. NSAID's as needed, always wear birkenstocks in the house etc etc. if I need extra help I see a PT to get me through a flare-up. Train smart and rest when needed. good luck!

jagodfrey08

I suffered from PF for a long time. I had to wear a brace for about a month or two before it cleared up. I found good shoes also helped. I have a problem with overpronation, which didn't help. Check into a good ankle brace and wear it religiously. Also, get good arch support in your shoes. I found the Brooks Ravenna shoes were the most comfortable and helped my PF quite a bit.

amywendt

Good luck. I'm not a runner but would like to do so. I'm currently recovery from Tenex surgery which is a newer, less invasive pf surgery. Hoping it works for me and hoping exercises are enough to help you.

girlwithcurls2

Baydogger wrote: »

I've had PF more than once and the sneaky little bugger is trying to get me again! I continue to run but stretch the fascia daily with an accu ball and stretch my calves, achilles, etc. NSAID's as needed, always wear birkenstocks in the house etc etc. if I need extra help I see a PT to get me through a flare-up. Train smart and rest when needed. good luck!

This.
And the advice to stop running. I got it in June of 2014 and ran until August ("It will get better..." didn't happen). By August, running was out of the question due to severe pain. This made work hard. It made standing and making dinner hard. It made Life hard I started swimming and doing a water cardio class. By January, I saw a podiatrist because in spite of my own PT (I've had it before with the same foot), it stopped improving. I got a shot and things got better--temporarily. We had a planned hike up Mt. St. Helens in July, so my podiatrist suggested shots in June and July. That seems to have done it, HOWEVER, I don't run 5x/week anymore. Swimming is still my primary exercise. I still do all of my stretching/PT religiously. I also sleep in a gigantic, supportive boot. Oh, and like one of the other posters, I have overhauled my entire shoe collection. If my orthotics won't fit in them, I won't buy them. I also have a few pairs of super nice, expensive shoes that don't need orthotics.

Take people's advice. PF is nothing to mess around with. Why keep running in pain if it means it won't ever go away? Find something else for now, and nurse that foot back to health. Then you can build up your running again, and run forever

Good luck

GiddyupTim

The stretch that this guy developed helped about 7 of 8 people who had serious PF. it helped me too, dramatically. It's easy to do, too.
http://jbjs.org/content/88/8/1775.full
https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/MediaLibraries/URMCMedia/ortho/foot-ankle/documents/plantarfasciitisteachingsheet.pdf

girlwithcurls2

GiddyupTim wrote: »

The stretch that this guy developed helped about 7 of 8 people who had serious PF. it helped me too, dramatically. It's easy to do, too.
http://jbjs.org/content/88/8/1775.full
https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/MediaLibraries/URMCMedia/ortho/foot-ankle/documents/plantarfasciitisteachingsheet.pdf

Awesome info! Thank you! I'm always looking for ways to keep my PF at bay.