Plantar Fasciitis....OUCH!!!! Any tips?

tlnurse
tlnurse Posts: 229 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I did a 1 1/2 hour work-out at the YMCA on hardwood floors yesterday....and have also been working on C 2 5K....and woke up with extreme right heel pain.:noway:

Am prett sure it's plantar fasciitis....any tips to make it go away and prevent it in the future????

Replies

  • Wolfe1759
    Wolfe1759 Posts: 81 Member
    Shoe inserts that give support under the arch are helpful. I also found that stretching my foot out in the morning before getting out of bed helped, because everything would tighten up at night. The only consolation is that it eventually goes away on its own, but it sucks while it's there...!
  • lynn14
    lynn14 Posts: 116
    Stretch, stretch, stretch!!! I suffer from it too, I now use KT tape to help support it when I do my run/walk intervals. The tape has helped a lot!
    Good luck!
  • rebelq
    rebelq Posts: 64 Member
    My husband suffered alot with it, the cure for him was getting really good shoes for walking, ex.... He stretched on a step every morning and every night as well. Hope it goes away fast for you!!
  • yo_andi
    yo_andi Posts: 2,178 Member
    Freeze a bottle of water. When you have pain, roll out the bottom of your foot (the arch) with the frozen water bottle. It'll help stretch those tight muscles and the ice will alleviate inflammation.
  • Topsking2010
    Topsking2010 Posts: 2,245 Member
    I would filled up a tennis can with water and freeze it, then roll it back and forth with my feet while sitting down!!
  • butterflylover527
    butterflylover527 Posts: 940 Member
    Ahhh, my doctor thinks I have this too. Here are some things he told me.

    -When you wake up in the morning, don't put any weight on your feet until you have supportive shoes on. This prevents a muscle from stretching out too much and prevents some pain.
    -This isn't prevention, but you can fill a water bottle about 3/4 full and put it in the freezer, and then your feet hurt roll your foot on it. The hardness and coldness will make it feel better.
    -There are stretches you can do to help and prevent the pain. Here are some: http://www.heel-that-pain.com/plantar_fasciitis/exercise/plantar_fasciitis_exercise.php
    -My doctor wants me on to take a medication to help with the pain (I totally forgot what it's called since I'm not taking it) so it might be worth a trip to the doctor's so see if he can help.

    -If your feet burn and get the numb feeling along with the pain, it could be low B12 so you could get some blood work done to double check that.
  • ILoveChaos
    ILoveChaos Posts: 3
    At runners stores(or online) they sell something called a strassburg sock,mine was around 50 dollars. You have to measure your calf to size it. A foot Dr. can get you a boot and inserts may help. There are also stretches you can do. Plantar fasciitis sucks!...Feel better soon.
  • 2hobbit1
    2hobbit1 Posts: 820 Member
    good shoes with a good arch support will help
    also stretching is important - before you get out of bed every morning use you foot and toes to trace the alphabet - the motion of flexing your foot toes and ankles helps to loosen and stretch the tendons. Ibuprophen helps and if it does not clear in a few week you can try the sleep sock brace that pulls your toes toward your shin while you sleep. The helps keep the tendon stretched.
  • butlerangelia
    butlerangelia Posts: 10 Member
    i'm a physical therapist asst and treat this quite often. really need to stretch out your calf muscles and your achilles tendon. you can do this sitting or standing. sitting: sit w/ legs stretched straight out and place a belt or towel just around under your toes (ball of foot) and pull back, hold stretch for a good 10 seconds and repeat at least 5 times. standing: stand w/ a wall in front of you and place heel on ground and toes up the wall, lean forward and hold for the same. do these first thing in the morning since this is probably when it hurts the most to get ready for the day and make sure to stretch before you train as well as after. also you can freeze a coke bottle full of water and roll it under your foot. i actually don't like it all the way frozen, so i add a little rubbing alcohol and dish soap to it. the hardness of the bottle doesn't feel good to me. hope this helped. good luck!
  • karen8272
    karen8272 Posts: 6
    I struggled for years with this painful condition, even had surgery on one of my feet to correct it. I wore orthodtics in my shoes, every morning and after being on my feet I felt I could scream. One day, while at the chiropractor, I mentioned something about having plantar fascitiis and the chiropractor laughed and said he could fix my feet. Boy did he ever, I have not wore my orthoditics in my shoes for years!!! I find that if I on occasion have to go back in and have my feet adjusted.
    If you are unable to go to chiropractor, ice your feet with a frozen bottle, rolling underneath the foot. Try and put good sturdy shoes on the first thing in the morning. Good luck
  • BadgerSensei
    BadgerSensei Posts: 45 Member
    Good shows. A friend decided to take me to get fitted for running shoes when I was dealing with it (and working a job with a LOT of walking) and while they were pricey, they almost single handedly cleared up the issue. Unfortunately, it seems it never goes away entirely, but I'm down to only the occasional flare up.
  • quiggley
    quiggley Posts: 32 Member
    I had it in both feet and nothing worked for me not stretching, Icing, Cortisone shots. I had to have Surgery on both feet and I did it at the same time. The bad part 18 months later pain is almost as bad so try everything else and I hope it works for you. I have another medical condition that puts extra pressure on my feet.
    I have a Friend who got a splint that she wears at night which stretches her feet and said it has really helped her.
  • Irish_eyes75
    Irish_eyes75 Posts: 475
    I suffered for weeks with that when I first started working out. I couldn't take the pain anymore so I saw a podiatrist. I got a shot (steroid?) and a boot (kept my foot straight up thus stretching the heel) to wear while I slept and it went away after a short time.

    If the pain is unbearable and seeing a doc is an option I do recommend, however, a lot of people I know, including my husband have worked through it on their own.

    Here are some stretches:
    http://www.heel-that-pain.com/heel_pain/stretch_exercise.php?gclid=CLG1jrKyu7ICFQJx4AodX2YAcg
  • Shirlann46
    Shirlann46 Posts: 430 Member
    I'm dealing with it right now. Was so painful I had to stay off my feet for 3 weeks. Went to the Dr.s and had to get Shoe inserts to support my heel. Plus do a Massage on my foot from Arch to the heel - a soft circular motion to the count of 10. You pull your toes out(like stretching/bending toes) to stretch your foot then do the Massage. It has helped me with Massages and the inserts. Also had to get new NB Shoes(800 to 900 Series) or better. That has helped, too.
    I know what you mean OUCH!!! If nothing helps the next move for me is a Cortesone(misspelled, I know.) shot.
    Hope this helps- Good Luck- Hope your foot feels better soon.
  • losing80pounds4me
    losing80pounds4me Posts: 14 Member
    I have plantar fasciitis, my doctor recommended to get the brace that you wear at night (which is found by the ankle braces and ace bandages) Also what I have found that helps me a lot is to use a tennis ball and massage the whole foot this will definitely help to relax the tension in the tendon. Hope this helps and GOOD LUCK!!!
  • sbilyeu75
    sbilyeu75 Posts: 567 Member
    When I had it I did swimming for my cardio and rolled the frozen bottle under my foot. When I started running again, I did barefoot running and my Plantar Fasciitis, shin splints and knee pain went away. So now I only workout in Vibrams, however, I would try another minimal shoe.
  • Laddiegirl
    Laddiegirl Posts: 382 Member
    Freeze a bottle of water. When you have pain, roll out the bottom of your foot (the arch) with the frozen water bottle. It'll help stretch those tight muscles and the ice will alleviate inflammation.

    ^^^This. I had an awful case of PF a few years ago and this really, really helped! I still do it after a day that is tough on my feet (I work retail and walk an average of 7-9 miles a day at work) and it really helps.
  • shellydd
    shellydd Posts: 156 Member
    Shoe inserts that give support under the arch are helpful. I also found that stretching my foot out in the morning before getting out of bed helped, because everything would tighten up at night. The only consolation is that it eventually goes away on its own, but it sucks while it's there...!
    all great suggestion. it's a horrible thing to have and take ALONG time to get over. when i was told i had it......i literally cried. wears sneaks with GOOD arch support every moment of the day. avoid going barefoot AND stretch your feet BEFORE you stand in the a.m. (from the bed). use a small can....like a soup can. good luck
  • lfelzani
    lfelzani Posts: 3
    I am currently a Doctor of Physical Therapy Student; when we discussed it in class, my orthopedics professor said that an overnight splint works best for plantar fasciitis because it is a low-load-prolonged-stretch (which is the best type of stretch there is); and it will stretch the fascia that is prone to getting tight overnight.

    You can find them on amazon; just type in Plantar Fasciitis Night Splint.

    Hope that helps! Let me know!
  • tlnurse
    tlnurse Posts: 229 Member
    Thanks sooooo much for all your tips! It is sooooooo painful in the morning....I dread tomorrow. Got better during the day today after doing lots of stretching and Aleve.

    I appreciate all your help! (Has to get better by next Sunday as I'm going to Costa Rica hiking in the rain forest!!!):sad:
  • kjm3579
    kjm3579 Posts: 3,974 Member
    When I had it I did swimming for my cardio and rolled the frozen bottle under my foot. When I started running again, I did barefoot running and my Plantar Fasciitis, shin splints and knee pain went away. So now I only workout in Vibrams, however, I would try another minimal shoe.

    I can't stand to run in my "professionally fitted" running shoes but run with no pain at all in Vibram FiveFingers.
  • CyberEd312
    CyberEd312 Posts: 3,536 Member
    Stretch, stretch, stretch!!! I suffer from it too, I now use KT tape to help support it when I do my run/walk intervals. The tape has helped a lot!
    Good luck!

    Ditto!! Stretching is the best thing you can do and I am a big believer in Kinesio taping!! Best of Luck...
  • km202
    km202 Posts: 112
    I had tried stretching, inserts, antiinflammatories, everything...
    If it is too bad, you may need to consult a doctor. I had surgery on mine last year and it is such a relief. The surgery was well worth it!
    Good luck.
  • Snail313
    Snail313 Posts: 214 Member
    I stretch, use frozen water bottles, take an ibprofen, wear inserts and use a night splint. I am on my feet all day as a CNA and I am always in pain but doing those things really help.
  • nis75p06
    nis75p06 Posts: 114
    I have it in both feet. I used night splints, stretching, icing, weekly injections of lidocaine, and monthly injections of corticosteroid, and custom orthotics. All of these helped somewhat but nothing healed it fully until I changed jobs and was no longer standing/walking for 12 hours a night. I still wear the orthotics and do the stretching, but don't need the injections or the splints anymore.
  • gazelleintraining
    gazelleintraining Posts: 107
    I used to have it, and I found the following really helped me:

    -Don't wear flip-flops too often or for too long
    -Massage/stretch arch/heel of foot before hopping out of bed in the morning. Rolling over a tennis ball or small bottle of water is good, as is massaging by hand
    -Buy cushion-y fitness shoes. I really like Saucony ProGrid Trimuph and Grid Cohesion models because they have a lot of cushion

    Best of luck--know that it can go away. I used to have it every day, and now I get it a flare up only now and then, and it's super-mild (usually when I wear "bad"shoes).
  • RuthSweetTooth
    RuthSweetTooth Posts: 461 Member
    Lose 10 pounds
  • effcla
    effcla Posts: 33 Member
    I have been suffering from PF for years. Went to a podiatrist and got expensive inserts for my shoes, had to wear running shoes for a couple of months (all the time) and it cleared up. Well surprise! It came back and continues to flare up on a regular basis. I have a pair of Fitflops that I wear at home all the time and put them on before I walk first thing in the morning. Much as I hate it, I no longer buy cute sandals because 9 times out of 10, they have absolutely no support. I have a dog that needs to be walked twice a day (she's very active) so I rub my heel with Biofreeze before putting on my socks and walking shoes.

    The PF is another reason I am talking off 25 lbs. I think less weight on my foot may help. I refuse to get cortizone shots. I have a friend who went that route and after the shots were done (her insurance would only pay for so many) the pain came back.

    I bought one of the soft night splints from Foot Smart (it's an online shoe store). They also have other items to help with the pain.

    Good luck and welcome to the club. :-(
  • divemunkey
    divemunkey Posts: 288 Member
    Wearing minimalist shoes fixed mine. I think losing some weight helped, too, though, but I'm giving most of the credit to the shoes.

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