Work outs for Plantar Fasciitis

Biking (indoors - spinning) & rowing come to mind as great workouts.

Have you seen a PT for your pain?

I forgot... I also have custom insoles for my shoes... are you seeing a Podiatrist?

I am so sorry you have this pain. I know first hand how it is to live with this. Stretch your feet before you even get out of bed (toes towards shins) Loose a little weigh, get good shoes.

Take Ibuprofen for inflamation. (800 mgs as often as recommended for three days in a row.) My podiatrist friend told me to do this.

It takes a while to go away and you think it never will but it does.

Biking (indoors - spinning) & rowing come to mind as great workouts.

Have you seen a PT for your pain?

I have PF and rowing actually makes it worse. You don't realize when you're rowing but you are constantly flexing and relaxing your foot. That night I am in a LOT of pain.

I alternate between hot and cold on my foot, take Ibuprophen, do stretches regularly, and suck it up (a lot). Not that I'm advising that last one. Cortizone shots = RELIEF!

This may sound weird, I went to 2 doctors and a podiatrist twice and was only told that I would have to buy expensive insoles to make it better, but I did some research and bought some barefoot running shoes (new balance minimus) and running and working out with them my pain is all but done..

worth a try since you said you do run.. try it barefoot and midfoot strike instead of heal strike (this took some practice to change my running style)

Being prone to PF may mean that running is not a good option for you in terms of exercise. But I really think that you should talk to a podiatrist or orthopedist (probably an ortho) with a specialty in sports medicine. Having someone to oversee physical therapy will mean getting the best advice in what exercises you can do while you're recovering. It's a better option than trying stuff out that people on a messageboard suggested.

I'm pretty much been stuck using the elliptical. It doesn't seem to make it any worse.

Okay, but it doesn't seem to be getting any better, so maybe you should stay off your feet?

I've been doing physical therapy for a month now, and haven't seen a change.

So sorry that you are suffering! I suffered for several years with it myself first in one foot then the other. I tried everything...massage, stretching, icing, orthotics...nothing cured it. I finally tried Cortizone shots, first in the one heel, it took about a month before it started working...since then I have been pain free!!! Then 2 years later it started with thee other foot, got a shot in that heel as well...no more pain! It has been a year and a half for the one foot and 3 and a half years for the other with no pain! I wish you all the best!

My doctor told me to do the elliptical that it was fine, and wouldn't deter healing.

Ok, I'm just saying because I have a friend with PF whose orthopedist just told him to stay off the elliptical because he was going on two months with no improvement... Hope yours gets better soon!!

BUMP

Hello,

I too suffer from planter fascitis coupled with heel spurs on both heels. I was set for surgery two years ago in November but decided to see a wholistic physician for a second opinion and he changed my life. He treated me through accupressure not just on my feet but throughout my whole body. Everything is connected, my doctor told me. He also changed my diet considerably and I lost 35 lbs, which also helped my feet. Mostly raw vegetables, no bread, no sugar, no starches, and limited dairy until the calcium in my heels started absorbing. I found this lowers my inflammation and acidity and helps my heel pain considerably.

Personally, I have come to realize I cannot run, it is just too hard on my knees and feet at my age of 48. I also noticed I need shoes with a lot of arch support in them and put away my pretty high heels. As you know, the whole problem with fascitis is the tendons are not getting stretched the way they need to and inflmmation sets in. I wear Clarks and Rykas and sometimes other kinds of shoes if the support is there and they allow the stretch of the tendons I need. If they hurt, I don't wear them, period.

For excercise, I started learning to country dance, first line dancing and then couples dancing, which means I wear boots, very comfortable. I continued to walk and hike but always wearing shoes that support my feet and ankles. I also swim and recently took up the eliptical machine again and biking. I also bought some Orthoheel sandals from QVC, which I lived in this summer. Try them, they're great.

It is key when you have pain to lower the inflammation in the body through diet. Two years later, I am very active, still no surgery. My feet have gotten stronger during time and I do pretty much anything I feel like doing including lots of walking, hiking, dancing, swimming, eliptical, etc,. I leave the running to the people who haven't had foot pain yet.

Hello,

I too suffer from planter fascitis coupled with heel spurs on both heels. I was set for surgery two years ago in November but decided to see a wholistic physician for a second opinion and he changed my life. He treated me through accupressure not just on my feet but throughout my whole body. Everything is connected, my doctor told me. He also changed my diet considerably and I lost 35 lbs, which also helped my feet. Mostly raw vegetables, no bread, no sugar, no starches, and limited dairy until the calcium in my heels started absorbing. I found this lowers my inflammation and acidity and helps my heel pain considerably.

I totally agree with this person about diet and fighting inflammation in the body!

I forgot... I also have custom insoles for my shoes... are you seeing a Podiatrist?

My custom orthotics have done the most good for me. Up until the last few days, I was taking NSAIDS pre-workout, but it's killing my stomach and I'm going to have to go back to the Vicodin pre-workout.

Last winter, I did a lot of water aerobics, it was the only exercise that I could do pain free at that time. My treadmill walking is painful, not going to lie, but I do it anyway.