Plantar fasciitis (heel pain)

JGillon2012
JGillon2012 Posts: 3
in Fitness and Exercise
Does anyone else suffer from this? I don't want it to slow me down on exercising but it's painful. If anyone else has this, any suggestions to ease the pain? I have done the stretching, icing, inserts. If I need to give it a rest, is there any type of exercise out there that I can do while resting my foot to keep my weight loss on track? Any help is appreciated.:happy:

Replies

  • lunatikchik
    lunatikchik Posts: 30 Member
    i use stationary bike when mine flares up along with he stretching ice etc

    mine gets worse on treadmill and asphalt, so i tend to do more elliptical i know boring but it gets the job down
    and i take spin class twice a week now which is bike
  • lucyford22
    lucyford22 Posts: 198 Member
    I had it but after losing about ten lbs the pain has lessened. I still feel it when I wear shoes that lack a good arch support. I just really try to keep it stretched out as it seems to hurt if I've been sitting for awhile. Sorry I'm not much help...but a good set of arch inserts make all the difference to me.
  • nouli12
    nouli12 Posts: 1
    Hi,
    My boyfriend had the same problem couple of year ago and his brother also suffered. They are both very keen golfers and play golf a few times a week. The only solution that worked for them was heel inserts/arch support inserts. We got them from ebay for £16 and you need to wear everyday for a few months I am afraid to get back to normal but you will see difference after a month. I am not sure how bad yours is but my boyfriend's was so painful he was not able to walk for longer than 15 minutes.
    I hope you feel better soon:smile:
  • joesbats
    joesbats Posts: 1 Member
    I too suffered from this little pain. Got it trying to play tennis with an extra 40 pounds around my waist. The stretching and ice helped but to get through the day I taped the bottom of my foot. A couple strips of wide medical tape running heel to base of the toes gave comfort and support. It didn't stop the pain but it made it manageable. Hope this helps.
  • thebigcb
    thebigcb Posts: 2,210 Member
    Please write this down


    INSOLES, footlogics(or similar), all the time

    End of Plantar
  • JGillon2012
    JGillon2012 Posts: 3
    Thanks so much for the fast replies. I will take everyones advice and apply it toward healing my foot. I will also look for those insoles! Thanks again, really appreciate it!:bigsmile:
  • Dublinmum
    Dublinmum Posts: 19 Member
    You will need an anti inflammatory like ibuprofen for a week or so. Once you bring the inflamation down, the inserts and stretching will stop it getting bad again
  • VeganVamp
    VeganVamp Posts: 28
    I have had this a couple of times, but my Mum had it for years at one point. The only thing that got rid of the pain for her were steroid injections, two courses of it and the pain has never returned. That was a few years ago now.

    It does seem like some people are just prone to it. It's a horrible pain :(
  • scottb81
    scottb81 Posts: 2,538 Member
    The best thing that worked for me was a night splint. I got it at CVS.
  • nabelaca
    nabelaca Posts: 5
    I have had it for years! I have done stretches, (still do) and I have arch supports. I have lost 25 lbs so the pain doesn't bother me as much. When it flares up I get a ice bottle of water I keep in the freezer and roll along the bottom of my foot til it becomes numb. I still force myself to exercise with treadmill and stand on it all day. I have had therapy 3 times so that didn't help either. Good luck.
  • thatjulesgirl
    thatjulesgirl Posts: 200 Member
    I've had it for the last year and it's pretty horrible. I find it really hard to find good sport shoes for exercising (I'm currently wearing my Orthaheel runners which are especially made with high arch insoles but are 100% leather so uncomfortably heavy). Would love a good recommendation if anyone has one - someone suggested Saucony but I don't know if you can get them in Australia.

    Best thing I've found for day-to-day pain so far is to fill a water bottle with water + freeze it, then roll your foot from heel to toe along it, pressing quite hard. Massage helps sometimes, and make sure you *NEVER* wear cheap, crappy, FLAT shoes (especially thongs / flip-flops).
  • Merci444
    Merci444 Posts: 222 Member
    Weight loss helps. I have had it for years but last year when I was about 15 pounds heavier, it was way worse. I had it so bad that my whole foot (feet) hurt and I would have those charlie horse type of cramps in it when I put my foot in a certain position. I used stretching, ice, night braces, arch supports everything that you are supposed to do, but seriously.. Weight loss was the only thing that helps.

    Mine is still there, it acts up at times and I have to still be careful with high impact, but it is manageable. Good luck!
  • dsjohndrow
    dsjohndrow Posts: 1,820 Member
    I tried everything listed above. Ice, splint, custom inserts, ice bottle, rolling it on ice, etc. Three additional thoughts: once it lessens, stretching in a hot tub, Active Release Technologies ( chiropractic) and the best, Sketchets Shape Ups with the cantilever. They got me back to running!
  • bunsen_honeydew
    bunsen_honeydew Posts: 230 Member
    I took ibuprofen for about 4 weeks, while driving/bussing everywhere so that it could heal up initially.

    I put orthotics in *all* my shoes and threw out the ones that couldn't take them (a couple of strappy heels)

    Don't walk in bare feet on hard floor, ever.

    Rolling the foot on a golf ball helps a bit
  • peachNpunkin
    peachNpunkin Posts: 1,010 Member
    I suffer with it every day and it is a horrible pain. Unfortunately, I have to be on my feet for my job, but I have yet to find relief for it. There are days I just want to take a pocket knife to them. I have done therapy, insoles, stretching, resting, icing. Nothing has really helped, and I refuse to get steroid shots. I don't want my soft tissue distroyed by steroids.
  • gtahvfaith
    gtahvfaith Posts: 6
    I had this pain for over a year! Someone suggested I buy a new pair of shoes specifically designed to help with PF. I bought a pair of New Balance sneakers. The cost was expensive ($120) but the pain was gone within a week!
  • DanaJ1983
    DanaJ1983 Posts: 14
    walmart sells an arch brace which will help as well. It is just a small piece of stiff fabric that squeezes the arch. I wore it almost nonstop, took it off to sleep, and the plantar was gone in about 5 weeks
  • chrisa8170
    chrisa8170 Posts: 466 Member
    The wife uses a nightsplint and that certainly reduces the pain she was getting, she also uses it to 'rest' when she has over done the walking etc. It has been sucessful as she has not had to resort the the prescription meds for a coupls of months now.
  • wizbeth1218
    wizbeth1218 Posts: 358 Member
    My friend gave me inserts especially for PF called Heel Its. They have done wonders. I'm sure you could Google them.

    And Google videos for Taping for PF. That was a huge help for me too.

    Other than that... Stretching. Lots of stretching. I think I'm stretching all the dang time. But it helps. :)
  • tomsow
    tomsow Posts: 4 Member
    get a tennis ball (or something harder like a base ball) and step on it and roll it up and down, side to side for 5 mins each day before running! helps release tension and aold scar tissue! also, if it gets really bad (due to running, im guessing?) stop for 2 weeks and just do weights, full body works out, after the two weeks start running again, slowly- with good shoes and running technique... visiting a chiro would be very very beneficial!
  • GabriellaMaria
    GabriellaMaria Posts: 150 Member
    wow, there is so much advice on here... i have PF, and didnt realise thats what it was till i started reading these posts!!
    am gonna try steroid inj, as they helped my frozen shoulder.must say the pain is excruiating!!
    have shapers trainers, insert orthotics, and find nothing really has helped the pain. cant take anti infammatories, as on wafarin...
    guess need to reduce the weight by abt 40lb really.....:frown: :frown: :indifferent:
  • Foxywake
    Foxywake Posts: 18 Member
    Hi I had this recently and ended up needing weekly physiotherapy. I still needed to exercise though to continue my weight loss and after my sessions could barely walk due to the pain. The Physio's suggestion was to use ice packs and also roll something (like a golf ball) under my foot. This proved rather tricky, so I got a can of soup, put it in the freezer and when totally frozen, using a thin towel (like a tea towel) to prevent skin burn, roll it under your foot for a good 20-30 minutes. It is uncomfortable to start with but with the cold and the continued pressure, it eventually feels great and really soothing. It really worked for me and now I am pain free.
    Hope this helps :smile:
  • Asprina
    Asprina Posts: 5
    I have been having a really bad flare up. I get pf but I also suffer from (easiest way to explain it) flat feet. The Muscle that supports the arch has loosened and dropped causing my feet to be flat. My podiatrist has made me special inserts for my shoes by casting my feet. They usually work well but lately they haven't been. The last time it flared up, he told me it's from the treadmill and I am NOT to ever get on one again... Not with how bad my feet are. When the podiatrist exams your foot moving it back and forth and just sits there and goes woooaaaa and wow and wants to show another Dr there the lack of elasticity I have in my feet, yeah I say they're not good. Some days I have no choice but to give in to what my feet say and not exercise but just try to get normal everyday things that must be done, done. Other days I say screw you to them, take one of my meloxicams and get on my eliptical anyways. usually after the first 20 mins of pain on there my feet go numb and I can really throw myself into a good workout. I have been seriously thinking of getting a cortizone shot. He offered the last time I was there but I told him no because at that point the meds were working so I didn't want it but now... My feet are interfering with everyday life no matter if I take my medicine or not. He also said shoes do play a huge part. A life of a shoe is only a few months. The only shoe I have found to work for me is new balance. My orthodic fits perfectly in them and they are very comfortable plus they come in a wide variety of widths

    Ohhh and soo far losing weight has but hasn't helped. Since I have lost some weight I have been getting more active, and always going and always on my feet trying to stay busy and the more I'm on my feet, the more they hurt.
  • AlmstHvn
    AlmstHvn Posts: 376 Member
    Great thread and loads of good advice.

    My PF started up after walking on treadmill for several months. After trying some generic inserts and such, I saw a podiatrist. I got customized inserts and a steriod shot, plus they showed me the stretches and icing you've seen mentioned here. I switched from treadmill to bike and elliptical, which helps a lot. Certain other exercises (walking lunges) cause it to flare up, though.

    A friend of mine has had surgery on both feet to treat hers, and has had bad experiences with that. My take-away from that is to keep up the ice and stretches and try to avoid the surgery at all costs. (I think she had a trigger-happy surgeon, myself).
  • ezrida
    ezrida Posts: 36
    Hi
    For me it all started with plantar fasciitis. The best cardio exercise for someone with plantar fasciitis is swimming and riding a bicycle. I used to run and I got plantar fasciitis so I started to swim and cycle. Today I’m better with my PF so I ended up as a triathlete. I have finished my first olympic triathlon race two months ago. It did not all happen in one day - I am talking about 3 years now.
    There are many things you can do to treat your PF although I understood that treatment efficiency is very individual. If something works for one it will not necessarily work for the other.
    I have found taping very useful. Taping will keep your foot from getting injured again and will help you get through your daily routine and exercises.
    I found a very informative website in:
    http://www.plantar-fasciitis-elrofeet.com
    Take care & Good luck

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