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Plantar fasciitis and heel spurs

walkwithme1
walkwithme1 Posts: 492 Member
edited January 3 in Fitness and Exercise
I have plantar fasciitis and heel spurs in both feet and need some relief. I manage my families restaurant so I am on concrete floors all day. I have had a successful plantar fascia surgery and spur removal on my left foot. I am reluctant to have surgery on my right foot because of the recovery time. Does anyone deal with this or have suggestions as to what will help? (I've also tried shots, therapy, rest, ice etc.)

Replies

  • GiddyupTim
    GiddyupTim Posts: 2,819 Member
    No. Not really. If you have had the surgery, that is pretty much the last resort. Did it help with that foot?
    I run a lot and I have had plantar fasciitis -- of varying intensity -- for the past 18 years.
    I use Superfeet insoles. You can purchase them at most running stores. I have them in all my shoes. I have not found any better insoles or orthotics.
    And, I stretch, stretch, stretch the bottom of my feet, however I can. The best stretch I have found is simply go down on your knees, with your toes underneath you, flexed toward the top of your foot, and the soles of your feet facing directly back toward the wall. Once you are on your knees you can push back a little, with your hands, on the ground, or whatever. Then you will really feel the stretch through the bottom of your feet.
    Hold that position for at least 30 seconds, longer is better. Do it two or three times a day.
    The idea for that stretch came from a medical research report that treated plantar fasciitis and found that the stretching was much better when the researchers had the subjects bend their toes up when stretching their feet.
    Good luck
  • icimani
    icimani Posts: 1,454 Member
    Years ago I suffered with it in one of my feet - I did all the exercises, wore the shoe insert, slept with a night splint, used ice, used the taping method recommended, etc. I ended up having surgery and I've never looked back. But all those things did let me schedule the surgery at a more convenient time, if that helps at all.

    Probably the things that worked for me were:
    - ice: freeze some water in a soda bottle and roll your heel and arch over that
    - wear good sturdy shoes with good arch supports ALL the time. Slippers were deadly!
    - use good shoe inserts for the cushioning and change them often
  • ezrida
    ezrida Posts: 36
    Hi
    I am here because of my wife and I created an account to answer you here.
    I have (had?) plantar fasciitis for more than a year now. Investigation of the disorder made me understood that treatment efficiency is very individual. Something that works for one will not always work for the other. There are many causes for plantar fasciitis so different treatments help different people.
    There are many treatment techniques that you can try. Did you try Taping? I have found it very useful. Read the article in the following link -
    http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/96375/duct_tape_cured_my_plantar_fasciitis.html?cat=50
    -I loved it and it seems to be exactly for you.
    There are a few Taping techniques you can find in here-
    www.plantar-fasciitis-elrofeet.com/plantar_fasciitis_taping.html
    Take care & Good luck
  • endlesoul
    endlesoul Posts: 98 Member
    Years ago I suffered with it in one of my feet - I did all the exercises, wore the shoe insert, slept with a night splint, used ice, used the taping method recommended, etc. I ended up having surgery and I've never looked back. But all those things did let me schedule the surgery at a more convenient time, if that helps at all.

    Probably the things that worked for me were:
    - ice: freeze some water in a soda bottle and roll your heel and arch over that
    - wear good sturdy shoes with good arch supports ALL the time. Slippers were deadly!
    - use good shoe inserts for the cushioning and change them often

    ^ This ^
  • walkwithme1
    walkwithme1 Posts: 492 Member
    I've done the taping before and it's help was minimal at best. I found halo heels (for the spurs) and strutz for the plantar pain. Should get them next week and really hoping they will work.
  • gregpack
    gregpack Posts: 426 Member
    I suffered form them for a few years. Getting the weight off really helped. Stretching the foot before bed helped some. One of the silliest things that improved it was a shiatsu food massage my family bought for me as a christmas gift. I sat it under my desk and used it while I was on the computer. it significantly improved my symptoms within a a couple of weeks. I know some people who claim relief by rolling their foot on a hard rubber ball, like a lacrosse ball. this would be a similar "digging" action to the shiatsu foot massage machine. They are only a couple of bucks so it might be worth try. Just don't overdo it at first.
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