Suggestions for plantar fascitis treatment

Xiaolongbao

I fixed mine by running consistently in vibram five fingers. I'm now transitioning to new balance shoes, trying to build my ability to run in off the shelf stuff. I think for me it was a biomechanics issue, I was heel striking. The vibrams made me midsole strike.

xiao long bao are some of the tastiest things in the world of dim sum.

I'm glad to be appreciated :-) (oddly as a vegetarian I don't actually like them... it's just the first word that popped into my head when I signed up).

Personally I love my Merrill barefeet shoes for running now although I still try to walk around as much as possible in vibrams or barefoot.

rocky503

First off have you been dx with PF by a foot doc? I had PF for over 18 months (did it all: split, walking cast, rolling and icing, etc.) The best thing that ever worked was deep tissue massage of the offending foot. This provided pain free bouts that lasted a few weeks at a time.
In my case my bout of PF was followed by a neuroma in the same foot (why I'm asking if you foot pain has been properly dx). I couldn't even walk a mile and I am generally an active person. For that I turned to Cortisone shots which helped me be pain free a couple of months at a time. Had a few rounds of these but it isn't something you can rely on forever because the steroid thins the tissues and may cause tearing. Neuromas never get better, they are enlarged thickened nerve tissue.
Finally, I had surgery. And after 10 months to a full recovery I was pain free once again and now I am able to run and walk, jump etc with out any foot pain. I wear arch supports in my exercise shoes but also walk bear foot too.

For strictly PF few people need surgery but some do end up going that route. Also PF sometimes leads to bone spurs on the back of the heel.

TheLoneMarmot

Some people say never go barefoot anywhere, others the opposite.

Personally, I have found that strengthening the arch by going barefoot around the house, or in minimal slippers helps a lot.

A good stretch for me is to place one foot on the thigh of the other leg while sitting. If done for the right leg, the right knee would now be horizontal and to the right. Then, pull the big toe/first few toes of that foot toward the knee and hold. Repeat ten times each side, three times a day.

Also, there was a specific article about this (with suggestions for treatment) in the NY Times this week:

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/04/24/ask-well-healing-plantar-fasciitis/

Rocknut53

Thanks all for the suggestions on dealing with PF. I was hiking 4-5 miles/day and apparently did too much too soon in most likely the wrong boots and my PF that I haven't had problems with for years came back with a vengeance. After a month of not doing much it is finally mostly gone. I am so ready to get back to hiking.