Plantar Fasciitis and Working Out

halleymw

whether there is a heel spur on the xray means NOTHING. If you have pf, you have it. The only exercise I can do is the bike, can't even do the ellptical for more than 10 minutes or it flares up. Never tried the rowing machine as my gym doesn't have one, but I don't think the feet would like it.
Mike

BekaBooluvsu

I've had plantar fasciitis for 13 years. Also have fibromyalgia (chronic pain) for the same 13 years. With that said I feel like mine was directly related to my diet. I ate pizza, soda, candy you know all the stuff you shouldn't have. 73 days ago I decided to focus on my nutrition and I have to say my pain has been drastically reduced. I no longer take prescription or Over-the-counter pain meds.

I jog(high intensity short time) walk (low intensity and long time) and do strength training right now. I still have pain but the more I do the easier it gets.

LoosingMyLast15

hi all,

i'm new to having PF was diagnosed last october. podiatrist gave me 2 cortisone shots (not at once) which temporarily helped, stretching exercises and a soft sleeping boot. everything was great up until 3 weeks ago when it returned. it's only in my right foot. stupid foot. i run, i love it and i'm not going to stop and my podiatrist knows this - he just shakes his head.

since the shots were temporary i don't want to get them again i want to fix it. i plan on returning to my podiatrist after next week's race - yes yes i know the race is only going to irritate it even more. i'm stubborn. right now i'm doing my abc's (with my foot), calf raises, roller, icing, foot flexes. what else can i do? oh and i wear over the counter orthotics (for right now - next apt w/pod going to get fitted for good ones for running).

i thought about buying a pair of low compression socks (trainers performance socks) will this help?

LoosingMyLast15

bump

just_Jennie1

Oh, and I was told emphatically to NOT do cortisone shots because it's only a short-term fix. I was really considering that too.

Yes, it's temporary but it IS a viable option.

My husband was in so much pain that he HAD to get cortisone shots as well as take anti-inflamatories. The main thing that he did was stop running. He only had to get maybe 4 of the shots (he does not like having to do anything like that but the pain was so bad he conceded) but it took well over a year for it to heal.

He also got custom made orthodics for his shoes (mostly his runners) and they helped a LOT.

just_Jennie1

I've had plantar fasciitis for 13 years. Also have fibromyalgia (chronic pain) for the same 13 years. With that said I feel like mine was directly related to my diet. I ate pizza, soda, candy you know all the stuff you shouldn't have. 73 days ago I decided to focus on my nutrition and I have to say my pain has been drastically reduced. I no longer take prescription or Over-the-counter pain meds.

I jog(high intensity short time) walk (low intensity and long time) and do strength training right now. I still have pain but the more I do the easier it gets.

Your fibromyalgia or your plantar fasciitis was due to your diet? I can see the former but not the latter. PF is caused by a tearing in your faci which is the tendon that runs down the middle of your foot and basically holds it together. It tears from things like running, walking, being on your feet all the time. Not your diet.

yogacat13

I had plantar fasciitis and now I don't. I had no choice but to do lots of walking when I had it (I live in central London so you have to walk basically everywhere). I even had to walk half an hour to get to the physio. Here's my advice for knocking it on the head:

Firstly, get some epsom salts or dead sea salts and soak your feet in warm to hot water with about half a cup of salts every night. My physio was so impressed at how well this worked that she started advising other patients to try it.
Second, tape your foot/feet when walking (a sports medicine guy or physio can show you how). This helps immeasurably.
Thirdly, see a physio if you can and get them to use ultrasound on it.

Avoid cortisone shots if you can - my mother tried that with hers and ended up with nerve damage (there's too many nerves in the feet for this to be really safe in my view after witnessing that).

yogacat13

AWESOME AWESOME AWESOME responses from everyone! Thanks so much. I'm a person that can admit my faults and I must confess that I'm not consistent with the stretching. I know I know I know... please don't shoot me! But now that I've read so many people saying "STRETCH...STRETCH...STRETCH" I think I definitely have to now. I had an x-ray done when I first went to the doctor and he claimed there was no heel spur, but I know I could see one in that x-ray (of course he's the one with the degree) and I also can feel it when I push on my heel. But what I feel most, is when I'm walking, my foot starts almost cramping up. I have to stop, stretch out my toes in my shoes, lean and press forward on a wall in order for it to go away. I tried the cold bottles under my feet and that hurt so bad right when I got to my heel that I stopped. I was also told to eat pineapple to help with the inflammation. Anyone else ever been told that?

And yes, pineapple does help with inflammation. It's the bromelain. You can buy the bromelain supplements as well, jsut make sure you take them on an empty stomach.

justifit

Ouch PF! I am experiencing the pain of PF. All of the information is so helpful. I will try anything. As of now, I am still able to work out but have to watch my moves closely. I stretch and ice my feet which helps but once I start any dancing or aerobics it can flare up. My other mistake...HIGH HEEL SHOES. I love to wear high heels once a week (Saturday night) and even once a week has killed my legs, knees and feet. I did notice that if I strength train with leg exercises there is less leg pain. I am in comfortable shoes ALL THE TIME (except and occasional Saturday) even in the house sometimes. I find the most comfort in keeping my shoes on. I can't give any better advice that has been given but just know you are not alone. Let me know how and when you are healed.

froggiebecky

I've had PF for about a year now. When I was diagnosed, the docs took me off of any exercise that involved running, jumping, or stretching my calf muscle (squats, lunges, etc). I was also banned from dancing, and I was only allowed to keep wakeboarding/snowboarding because it involves wearing big supportive boots. This is the rest of what I've done/tried:

*Closet clean out: All flip flops, cute flat sandals, ballet flats, any shoe with no arch support: GONE. Banned from the closet forever. I had to replace this with a pair of old-lady orthotic shoes (I found the cutest ones I could), new arch-support inserts for my gym shoes , and a pair of shoes for the house. The docs recommended trying birkenstocks, but I was happy with a pair of crocs. These got worn from the second I put my feet on the floor in the morning 'til the minute I went to bed at night. Any new shoe purchases need to have 1/4-1/2" heel to take the pressure off the fascia. --You mentioned that your job involves standing. You probably need some new work shoes with proper support. Heels have been temporarily banned for me, but aren't the culprit, so they can be added in when I'm pain free.

*Acupuncture/dry needling. This hurt like heck, but man, it worked. Along with serious massaging from a physiotherapist.

*Strassburg sock: I had the soft version, someone else I know got the hard-framed one. We both had a lot of success with this.

*Taping: Started out being taped all the time, and has gradually decreased. I should probably still tape on occasion, but don't.

*Ice/stretching. I hate having cold feet, so I wasn't very compliant with that. Stretches, yes, but only after the acute phase has passed. I started stretches after 3 months, and had to stop because the pain was getting worse. Just now adding them back in with some success (7 mos. into treatment).

*Massage. I did this a lot in between needling sessions. My docs recommended I "find someone who hates me and ask them for a foot massage."

Up next for me is more massage, and possibly some Graston Technique to break up the scar tissue. I don't have the morning pain much anymore, but I get tired/sore if i walk long distances, stand for a long time, or jump around (went to a social dance recently and couldn't walk for 45 min the next morning). I also get incredibly sore on long plane flights (I travel for work)--the last time I was on a 6 hour flight I was nearly in tears (even with compression socks). So I'm not quite there myself.

Don't be afraid to try different things. People seem to develop this for different reasons, and, as one doc told me, lots of things help, but no one thing helps everyone equally. It's really about finding the combination that works for you. Keep an open mind and try to not get discouraged.

Riiseli

Another sufferer. Went for a six mile walk yesterday. It was not good, but I can't quite help myself plus dogs need the exercise as well. I found this blog post to be very helpful http://fitfunmom.com/2012/12/03/how-to-recover-from-plantar-fasciitis-heel-and-arch-pain/

Roaringgael

Oh, and I was told emphatically to NOT do cortisone shots because it's only a short-term fix. I was really considering that too.

I had the cortisone shots in both my feet under ultra sound. It works, it gives relief if you can't get any any other way. It worked better on one foot than the other, just the luck of the draw.

Arch supports stop the tendon from being stretched flat when walking, supportive walking shoes are a must.
A regular daily anti inflammatory like Mobic (meloxicam) for several weeks.
The exercises that everyone mentions.
I found alternating heat and ice useful.
Massage.
I'm a nurse but was lucky enough to have a job where I could still get off my feet occasionally through the day.
Concrete floors are really hard on the feet.
Hope it settles for you.
Swimming is probably the best option but calorie deficit is the answer to weight loss.

I haven't had the PF back since the injections 2 years ago.

readthat

I have had this in the past and it has again returned. The thing that helped me the most was the night splint (made a huge difference) and lots of stretching of your whole leg. Calves and hamstrings especially. This time the pain was in a different area, so I didnt recognize it right away as planter fasciitis, so I was late to start all this stuff.

Something new though, a massage therapist recommended reflexology for plantar fasciitis. I tried it yesterday. I don't know about all the claims they make with that, but it was a very indepth and stretching massage and my feet feel better today already. I can totally see this helping a lot.

pyrowill

I'm not sure if it has been suggested yet or not but you can get inserts for your shoes from Pharmacies that can be quite good for PF.

Riiseli

Another sufferer. Went for a six mile walk yesterday. It was not good, but I can't quite help myself...

Now I've helped myself since March, which has been a pain, but the reward has been being heel pain free for maybe a month now. I finally dared another longer walk yesterday. Didn't feel a thing then and don't feel a thing now. I'll still be careful, but yippee! I'm sure losing 28lbs has helped the process even though I've been on a hiatus from rigorous logging and way laxer with my eating for nearly three months (and as a result have only lost like 4lbs during that span). But now that I'm finally starting to believe I can really walk more, we'll see how my weight will develop. I'm hoping to get back on track in September, which has been my plan for this hiatus all along. Now it'll only be with an added bonus of more exercise.