Plantar Fasciitis?

hellojaxs

I have had it for over 10 years now with flares in both feet at times and most recently just in the right foot. Depending on how I tend to it will determine if its going to be chronic or acute. I have the inserts for running, walking and even for house shoes. The best investment however has been the Futuro foot guard I wair to bed at night. It keep the foot flexed so the muscles won't have a chance to tighten up on you when you relax. You can pick it up at Walgreen for about $35. I also use it during the day if I have a really bad flare up. I usually only have to have it on for about 15 minutes before the pain pretty much goes away. Finally, see a doctor when you can to get a proper diagnosis.

Auterrific

I am recovering from 2 foot surgeries for the same excruciating pain. The first surgery didn't work (thought it was solely plantar fasciitis) and I sought a second opinion and had surgery for tarsal tunnel syndrome, heel spur & release of more fascia. I couldn't walk a year ago and now I can. So, my suggestion is, unfortunately, go see a good orthopedic foot surgeon. They don't all recommend surgery. I was told that for those who have pain of 5 or below on a 1 - 10 pain scale, orthotics do the trick. Or, like someone else mentioned here, a simple cortisone shot may do the trick. You won't know until you have it looked at. I went to a podiatrist first, and a good one at that, and it just didn't go well for me. I am so thankful to be able to walk now. OMG It was AWFUL pain! I feel for ya.

caroline1851

I've had problems with my heel for the last 7 months. the first problem was definently PF. The dr. gave me a brace to sleep in to keep it stretched out during the night. I also got several steroid shots in it as well as prescription anti-inflammatories. One thing about PF is, yes, it hurts mostly upon waking or after a long drive, etc, but if you walk for a prolonged period of time, it can start to hurt again. Well, my PF is gone from the things i mentioned, but i have a bruised heel from running and the fat pad on my heel not being fat enough (go figure, haha). I got new orthotics, new softer running shoes and i'm resting for the next 2 months, not even attmepting to run, and keeping my fingers crossed that it will be fixed. That was one of my main motivators for losing weight also. An extra 20lbs is not great to be pounding on a heel. So, anyway, good chance you have PF, but could also have another problem as well. Go get checked out and good luck!!!

LG61820

I believe my PF started when I went all gung ho into C25K in the wrong shoes on the wrong surface. At any rate, I bought heel inserts that helped for a little while. I then found heel-that-pain.com which provides multiple videos of self help activities. They also sell a heel insert that is not too expensive and gives me great relief.

Two women in my office actually had surgery on their calves (?) and pronounced it successful. I will try many, many other avenues before steroids or surgery.

lucky48

I've had plantar fasciitis almost permanently now since my foot surgery to repair a torn Peroneus Brevis tendon in my left foot (this is the tendon that connects your ankle to the bottom part of your foot and allows you to go up on your toes. It also helps to prevent roll-outs of the ankle and helps with stability).

In my case, there is really nothing that I can do for it other than keep it stretched and loose. I also have to be careful with certain shoes or anything that happens to put pressure on a certain spot towards the rear of my arch close to my heel or else my entire foot will cramp. I do have a brace that I wear at night that does a motion similar to putting your fingers on the ball of your foot and pulling your foot back towards you so that it stretches the tendon, but I find it often to be painful and I don't wear it very often.

If you're just getting plantar fasciitis as a result from starting a new exercise program, the best thing to do is stretching, rest and ice therapy along with anti-inflamatories if you can take them. This is one of those injuries that if you don't let it rest, it's going to get much worse; the more you do, the more you aggravate it. I go crazy if I sit around for too long so I found swimming works well as an alternative exercise, just make sure you've stretched your foot good before starting as the pointing, kick motion can make my foot cramp as well if the tendon is too tight.

janesmith1

I've had it for more than a decade. I wear Crocs and it helps. I even run in my Crocs. The other thing that helped me get over some of my worst episodes is taking Glucosamine & Chondroitin. You have to be careful of the brands that you get to take for it as some don't work.

This brand works: Solgar & the other brand that works when I first tried it was Schiff....there was another brand I tried from the health food store thinking that all brands are alike and I spent like $150 on over 100 of them and it did not work. So be careful. That brand had a blue label. Solgar ones really work. Got me walking - I was stuck in bed and could not walk from PF. I found a forum which dealt with that issue solely - PF & heelspurs http://www.heelspurs.com which helped me with shoes (and I found Crocs through their recommendations) & also the G & C through their recommendations. I could not walk. The first day I made it down to the lobby of the apt building I lived in was really miraculous.

And now I just wear crocs. I also have mats from Nefitco that are 1.1 inches and I run on them & do exercises on them. http://www.nefitco.com/interlockingfloormats.html - hope that helps.

marialy21

I got my plantar fasciitis the day after my half marathon in San Francisco in November 2010, my physiotherapist thinks it was due to the terrain (steep hills). But I kept running through the pain which made things a million times worse, to the point by January 2011 I was limping severely.
I started seeing a massage therapist once a week who works on the fascia of my affected foot. This is not a treatment for the light hearted as it is EXTREMELY painful. But helps encourage healing. I didn't run for about a month. So now midway through February my foot feels fabulous. I went to physio a couple times and I'm getting new orthotics as my old ones were too rigid.
I work 12 hour shifts and it was getting so painful to be on my feet, I got Pennsaid from my family doctor and that in itself is a miracle for helping to relieve the pain! It is a topical medication that you rub on your feet 3-4 times a day.
Your massage therapist and physiotherapist can be your best friends during this time. They have so much advice to help you get through this!