Plantar fasciitis - help!

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  • BerryH
    BerryH Posts: 4,698 Member
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    Great suggestions here, thanks, I knew I'd find some MFP experts! :flowerforyou:
  • Tangerine302
    Tangerine302 Posts: 1,509 Member
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    I agree with the stretches that pull your toe area back toward your body. I don't know if plantar fas. is what I had, but my heel was bothering me and I tried putting gel inserts of different kinds in my shoe and it wasn't helping. I was limping on it and looked up the symptoms. It mentioned the plantar fasciitis. So after trying all these different things, I found a site that talked about these stretches. (just like the picture posted). I did them as I was out of different things to try and would you know it went away. I was happy! :) It didn't take that many times of doing it either. I was amazed! Good luck to you!

    Oh, I didn't use any kind of band, just used my hand to stretch my foot back.
  • Gr33nstars
    Gr33nstars Posts: 27
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    Poor you!
    When I ha it last year (too much walking on ballet pumps) I found the most helpful thing to reduce pain was some gel heel inserts from Boots in my shoes. They pushed the outer side of the foot up and in a little which lmost immediately stopped the pain. What also helped me get rid of it (but it took about 6 months) was regularly stretching the backs of my legs out which I now find I do habitually anyway - seems to keep it from coming back! The doctor advised strong ibuprofen (for anti-inflammitory properties) taken regularly for several months but I could never remember to take them regularly enough so can't vouch for this.
    Good luck!
  • BerryH
    BerryH Posts: 4,698 Member
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    Well I'm stretching, icing and massaging like pad. Runner's World had a special on it this month, conveniently. I'm taking a break from running (and ballet flats!) to concentrate on strength training and alternative low-impact cardio fror a while. Hopefully I'll come back stronger to start training for the London Marathon in a few weeks, but unfortunately I have to drop out of tomorrow's half marathon.
  • Lucylaser
    Lucylaser Posts: 94 Member
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    I had it so bad that I was in a walking cast for a month!

    I found that Ice, NSAID pain releivers, and rolling a tennis ball under my foot really helped. I also only wore my running shoes for about 2 months. My pain has completely resolved.
  • bonkers5975
    bonkers5975 Posts: 1,015 Member
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    I've been struggling with this for months now. I finally found a 3point lift from Footsmart that is helping more than anything. I wear it all day. It's two piece and one goes around the arch and fastens with velcro. The other goes around your ankle and then reaches beneath the arch and also fastens with velcro. It really supports the arch and alleviates some of the pain.

    Hope you feel better! :)
  • naturallykat
    naturallykat Posts: 118 Member
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    I got this from bar work, and these things helped:

    MBTs (seriously amazing but be warned, DO NOT under ANY circumstances use if wet or icy. I broke my leg on ice wearing these and they give you NO traction on any vaguely slippery surface. However, they are amazing and bliss for PF relief.

    Properly fitted orthotics helped, but up to a certain point.

    GOOD memory foam insoles - wish I could remember who I bought mine from. Best £15 ever spent, and certainly more use than the £65 orthotics I bought

    Rest - proper rest, for long enough. I was stuck between a rock and a hard place until I had 6 months enforced time off work - I broke my leg! That time in recovery was long enough for my PF to recover, and that along with good shoes and insoles has meant I am symptomless, apart from the very very occasional twinge.

    Wide enough, flat enough and cushioning enough shoes. I honestly think these are the most important thing. Forget heels for a good few months. I wear Hotter brand flats, which are not the most attractive (My mum's choice of brand, not mine, gives you an idea of style!) but the ones I have are acceptable style, and those insoles I was talking about. Basically, cushioned enough sole, and big enough shoes for your foot to spread out and function properly. There is a school of thought that says orthotics and shoes change the way we walk/run, and that too much support will actually weaken your muscles. I now have a lower arch than I did with the orthotics, but I figure its just the way my feet have adapted to me, my weight and what I'm doing work and exercise-wise. If I could go completely barefoot I would, so I try to stay as close to as nature intended as possible these days. It helps that I've done shed loads of research into horses and how horse shoes hinder their foot development, so I just transferred the theory and it makes a lot of sense to me!

    Hope you get relief soon.

    Crocs were the best thing since sliced bread for me. I currently wear hotter shoes with the memory foam insoles, and I am symptomless for the first time in 2 years.

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