Plantar facitis

HappyHope0123

Various things will help for various people. I developed PF after an injury to my right arch last June. First it was the PF was to me left foot (due to walking differently due to the injury to the right arch). Then when I was able to walk properly on the right foot, it too developed PF. I tried the exercises. I kept active, for a while, walking 5 miles a day with the help of ibuprofen. I rolled a frozen water bottle. I bought inserts. I used splints on my feet, went through several different pair of shoes. Here's the most helpful things I did
NO heels...NONE...I only wore flats with good inserts.
Ibuprofen, rolling a frozen water bottle, and topical arnica cream help temporarily relieve pain.
I finally 'caved' and went to the doc, who ordered physical therapy. We started with kinesio tape, which felt good, but was ineffective long term. 3 weeks into the KT, it felt the same. The PT used ultrasonic therapy, which again helped a little with the pain. Finally I agreed to use dexamethasone topically. She put it on a special pad that had a battery pack and delivered the dexamethasone (a steroid) topically to my most painful areas. With the very first treatment, there was incredible relief. I had a total of 6 of these treatments...right now, 6 weeks later, I have no trouble with the PF. I am so glad I finally went with the medication.

amywendt

I tried exercises, physical therapy, orthotics, rolling soup can under my foot, etc. I ultimately ended up having surgery on my foot last month. I am not a largely active person, just every day life was rough for me. I feel like I'm not progressing fast enough after the surgery but hoping to start exercising next week. I definitely feel the tightness in my calf now, so I agree that exercising and medicating the foot as well as the calf probably to a point go hand in hand. Good luck to you!

MountainHiker48

I had PF a couple of times, especially when I was training to do an Ironman. It just would not go away. I tried all of those exercises with rollers, golf balls, stretching etc and nothing worked. I finally bit the bullet and had a cortisone shot in my foot and within 2 weeks I was back to normal. Be aware that this is probably just a band-aid approach and that you have to eliminate the root cause, which can be a combination of the wrong footwear (i.e. running shoes) and an inefficient running stride where your leading foot plants itself so far in front of your center of gravity, that it just seems to induce PF because of the continuous stress from the pounding.

serendepity7

I have had pf for more than ten years; sometimes it is worse and sometimes somewhat better; currently I am doing thirty minutes treadmill daily and won't do more than that for fear of a really bad flare up. I take a topical ointment prescribed by my foot dr prn. Also when I have bad flare ups I go back to physical therapy; and I also have exercises that the physical therapist prescribes which all helps and I make sure and use balanced exercise; alot of bicycling and swimming balanced with a little walking, not running on the treadmill.

kenyonhaff

brewerfan13 wrote: »

Rocknut53 wrote: »

brewerfan13 wrote: »

It will never go away

Just curious...why would you think that?

Seems to get better with rest then reappears after starting longer runs. Those that have it have it forever.

That's not exactly true. If you have had it you will always have a tendency to it again. But that doesn't mean you can't have full functionality. I have had it. I was crippled. But I am hiking now, I'm able to run if I'd like, I do Zumba.... I'm fine, just dandy. No pain.

So while I may have it again at some point, I'm an example that it is something that can be fully functional with it.

But don't rush it. Lose excess weight. Do your foot exercises. Stretch.

MissMaggieMuffin

Physiotherapist recommended the night boot for me - that has worked well.

threnners

My doctor told me to get a pool cue ball, freeze it, and roll it around on the bottom of my foot. And it worked! There are also stretch videos on Youtube that help immensely as well.