Plantar Fasciitis- Workout hep needed!

deeksha_s
deeksha_s Posts: 79 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi,

I have been having problem walking first thing in the morning for quite some time. My left foot hurts badly but it gets better in sometime. After the checkup, I found that it is a condition called 'plantar fasciitis' and is very common as well. My doctor has advised me a few stretches but he did say that the problem will take sometime to heal.

In the meanwhile, I do not want to aggravate the pain but also want to continue with the weight loss/exercises. Can anyone give me a set of low intensity workouts that can help me through.

Also, if anyone's suffering with the same problem, any help/suggestion is very welcome.

Replies

  • Picklepip
    Picklepip Posts: 1 Member
    Hi - my mum had this really badly, tried steroid injections and everything, she could barely walk and was in agony. Two things finally helps her get rid of it. First, stand on the edge of a step so that just your toes are on the step and your heels are off the edge, slowly lower your heels and get a nice stretch in your calf, hold for I think 30 secs. Repeat a few times a day. The second thing she did was roll a bottle of water under her foot several times a day, but I think it was the step stretch that really helped.
    Hope this helps you too, good luck!
  • LadyPakal
    LadyPakal Posts: 256 Member
    Two things that got rid of it (eventually) for me with no medical treatment at all - always wearing shoes with good arch support and no going barefoot at all.

    First thing is the morning was the worst time - just out of bed and barely able to hobble.
  • deeksha_s
    deeksha_s Posts: 79 Member
    Hi - my mum had this really badly, tried steroid injections and everything, she could barely walk and was in agony. Two things finally helps her get rid of it. First, stand on the edge of a step so that just your toes are on the step and your heels are off the edge, slowly lower your heels and get a nice stretch in your calf, hold for I think 30 secs. Repeat a few times a day. The second thing she did was roll a bottle of water under her foot several times a day, but I think it was the step stretch that really helped.
    Hope this helps you too, good luck!
    Thanks a lot. Even my doctor suggested the step exercise but I've been ignoring it. I'll start taking it seriously. How long did it take to finally heal for you mum?
  • Shane37301
    Shane37301 Posts: 32 Member
    I had this issue in both feet when I was at my heaviest. The cortisone shots are no fun. I think what helped me the most (besides losing the weight) was the yoga pose "downward dog" and alternating bending knees to put more weight on the straight leg.

    It took a few months, but eventually the pain went away completely. I can even run now without any problems.
  • deeksha_s
    deeksha_s Posts: 79 Member
    Two things that got rid of it (eventually) for me with no medical treatment at all - always wearing shoes with good arch support and no going barefoot at all.

    First thing is the morning was the worst time - just out of bed and barely able to hobble.
    I know,mornings are the worst. I have lean on the wall just to reach the bathroom.

    I'll find some good shoes to wear at home, I am mostly barefoot at home. Thanks a lot.
  • meerkat70
    meerkat70 Posts: 4,605 Member
    Do do the stretches too. Shoes alone won't do the trick. :)
  • JDAlder
    JDAlder Posts: 153 Member
    Run barefeet all the time :P Got this once and it was almost impossible to walk. Best thing to do is to keep pressure off it. Another tip that helped soothe it was to take a water bottle and freeze it. Then just sit on the couch/chair and roll the frozen bottle back and forth on your arch. Hope this helps!
  • KelleyRob
    KelleyRob Posts: 97 Member
    My doctor told me to use a frozen bottle of water and roll my foot around on it a few times a day to help with the inflammation. Also said to use a hand towel and put over my toes and pull back to stretch those muscles before getting out of bed. Ive also had steroid shots. Good luck!!
  • deeksha_s
    deeksha_s Posts: 79 Member
    Thank you all! I am very scared of the steroid shots and would not like to go with it. However, as per most of the replies, stretches, cold water bottle seem the best solution. I'm gonna try it all.
  • nguk123
    nguk123 Posts: 223
    What sort of shoes have you been exercising in ?
  • halleymw
    halleymw Posts: 246 Member
    I don't think anyone else mentioned the workout help you asked for. The main thing I found when I had the fasciitis was that impact was murder on my feet. SO I would avoid the treadmill, and go either with the elliptical or the stationary bike for cardio. Be sure to do the stretches before you exercise.
    Mike
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    I've dealt with it for years before finally getting through it.

    No impact exercise for months, even when it starts to feel better, it's not.

    For comparison, I got a plantar sprain last year and it took a year before it really felt good enough.

    Get custom insoles in whatever shoes you do wear all the time. Don't need orthopedic Dr grade, you'll probably have some sort of running store or foot store locally that can make a pretty custom pair for around $100, much better than $300-400 for Dr ordered version.
    Shoot, online ordering if you feel comfortable making your own impressions. Watch videos of it being done first.

    Once the pain is gone after months of doing the 2 above things, start walking around the house barefoot, walking on tip toe. Any long walking you do still use insoles.

    When you can be home entire day and barefoot and no twinges of pain, don't use insoles in shoes when walking. But now you can exercise and do use them then.

    Eventually you can get rid of them, many months down the road. Barefoot jogging is what finally saved mine.

    But even there, gotta be careful, because it felt so good, that's how I got the plantar sprain on the other foot. Ugh.

    As to workouts, non-impact, but you can still lift weights for body transformation.

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