Anyone know about Plantar Faciitis?

I have had this condition for 8 years before I could afford to seek treatment and after 3 months of physical therapy it was cured. Then I had ankle surgery and not using my leg caused the PF to come back in that foot. In my case this condition comes from my (naturally high) arches flattening when I stand which also caused my foot to pronate (roll in) which is why arch supports are so important. The tendons and muscles run from your toes around the heel and up the back of your calf (your toes attach about mid calf) which is why the stretching is important to do not just in the foot. Arch supports are a must whether it be in the shoe (Dansko, Birkenstock, Orthoheel etc.) or orthotics you purchase to put in shoes without arch support. When you stand in the morning you put a lot of pressure on those tendons it immediately causes inflammation so it's too late to stretch to prevent further discomfort. You'll only be treating the symptoms and not the cause.

These area some of my recommendations:
1. Always wear shoes with arch support.
2. Make sure to stretch your calves before getting out of bed.
3. Stretch your arches by rolling on a frozen water bottle (especially if already inflammed) or a wooden rod (I got a piece from my local hardware store - closet rod)
4. Stretch toes by getting on your knees and tucking your toes under and apply pressure. You will be able to sit on your heels in this position as you get better.
5. A foam roller can also help get knots out of your calf (and any other body part) by rolling your calves over it. If they're tight it WILL be painful but the more you do it the better it will get. If it gets easier you can rest one leg on top of the other to increase resistance. This will have a similar effect to what a massage therapist would do.
6. You can also try deep tissue massage from a licensed massage therapist (they have them at some physical therapists office).
7. Put an ice pack on your heel after a you have been on it for an extended period of time and let it rest. If you don't let it rest and heel you will have chronic inflammation.
8. There are also foods like turmeric and cinnamon that are said to reduce inflammation so try adding those into your diet.
9. Decreasing or eliminating your intake of red meat, dairy, and refined sugar and eliminating caffeine can also help inflammation.
10. Seeing a podiatrist, physical therapist/massage therapist, and chiropractor will help. See the podiatrist first so they can give you an analysis for your specific situation first.
11. Yoga - with downward dogs has helped me a lot!!!

Cortisone shots didn't help me. It just hurt and maybe helped 1 day. My physical therapist said my muscles were tight but also weak so I had to work on strengthing my arches so they could support themselves without arch support, but this will also make them tighter so streching is EXTREMELY important. 3 times a day is best and especially before you get out of bed or from sitting for an extended period of time. Also, a good therapist is key as my issue was never resolved when I went to see the second therapist so I'm having to work on it on my own.

Good luck!

Sent you a message, its what worked for me

Ouch...yes it is painful. I have noticed over the years it would happen in stages as my weight went up......but then would do the same as my weight went down. For me it last a couple days on average. I found shoes that supported and soft enough...that helped me a lot. I use Merrills slip on moc. Not great looking but work. Also found that a double bourbon worked in the evenings...good lunck

I had plantar fascitis for 2 years - it was very painful and discouraging. Supportive shoes (specifically with arch support) is key. I recommend Asics or New Balance sneakers or Danksos. I can honestly say that switching my footwear made a huge difference. Over the counter orthotics and stretches are very helpful. I also had my husband massage my feet often. He would rub his thumb up and down the arch of my foot - it felt so much better after he did that. Tennis ball and frozen water bottle stretches mentioned prior help. Patience! Mine took quite a while to heal but it does get better.

I had issues with this too, the doctor was useless. Basically said to stop wearing high heels, even though I told her I wear trainers 24/7!

I did some googling and loads of people recommended a shoe insert. Pain was gone in no time and has never come back.

http://www.scholl.com/en-GB/regularorthotics/Page.raction

Nicks x

How bad is it? I have custom orthotics for it and I am cured of my pain. I wear crocs around the house. Also, you can roll your arch on a frozen water bottle. Stretch your calves and loosen up enough to do a toe touch. Be careful of treadmill expecially with incline. That can send me back into pain (it clears in a few days). If this stuff doesn't work see a foot dr. They can fix it. It takes several months to become pain free.

I haven't read all your responses but I am just getting over this myself. Started in September and I tried to just run and walk through it. Got so bad though I had to stop. Changed sneakers, no relief. Saw podiatrist for arch pain and burning pain in my foot through arch and heel. So awful. He gave me stretches to do, a taping regime for when I workout, icing guidelines and I eventually got sport orthodics for my sneakers. I also wore a stretching sock/brace thing every night for a month to help stretch out the arch.

I've run on them several times now without pain.

Nothing can replace rest though, I had to let it heal for a good month before I took that first run on the orthodics. Its such a frustrating thing. It took me a good 4 full months to recover.

I got it when I started running, saw a sports massage therapist and had her really massage into the knot. She told me about the tennis ball trick, but I didn't have one. My local drug store (Boots) has a roller designed specially to stretch out feet with Plantar Faciitis, now I use that regularly after I've done a long hike or run and pain is gone.

It helps to know what is causing it so you don't make it worse!

Plantar Faciitis, It was the most painful experience I have had the misfortune of experiencing!

My husbands co-worker ( pharmacist) told him that the muscles in the back of your calf should
not be tight, to massage it until it's loose. I followed his instructions and it was so painful, but
believe me I started to feel relief so much faster than all of the other exercises I'd been given.

I bought the orthotics which are not that great and I had the cortisone shots, they did work.
It comes back every now and then but I quickly massage my calf until it's loose and it works!
I hope this helps you, . AM

Yes, it hurts!!!

The best thing for me was to wear shoes ALL the time. Even if I got up in the middle of night and walked to the bathroom I put shoes on.
Try advil and some ice for immediate relief and wear shoes!

I had a wicke case of PF, but I was just the opposite. I started doing everything barefoot, including working out. I rarely wear shoes around the house, and I just got a pair of Merrell Barefoot shoes to wear to work. My feet are completely pain free now, and have been for 9 months. Going barefoot strengthens all the little tendons and stabilizers in your feet that go unused when wearing shoes.

I had a really bad case in both of my feet. I have to agree about the DO go barefoot part. My pediatrist stressed to never go barefoot and I was listening to him. I tried the frozen water bottle, rest (wasn't on my feet more than 10 minutes in an hour), stretching, tennis ball massage, orthotics, cortisone injection, professionaly fit shoes, night splint, cam walker (24/7 boot you wear to mobilize your foot) and none of it worked. I wound up getting an unrelated back injury that resulted in my sciatic nerve being irritated ot the point I couldn't wear shoes because of the pain. Ironically, going against the advice of my pediatrist and not wearing shoes cleared up my plantar facitiis within a week. I went from not being able to walk because of the plantar fasciitis to being pain free (well plantar fasciitis free) within a week. Going barefoot everywhere isn't really an option so I was wearing the Vibram 5 Finger toe shoes. I highly recommend going barefoot even though the pediatrist will tell you its the worst thing you can do.

Good info here, thanks!

For shoes, find a good athletic store locally that specializes in shoe fit. It typically will be a runner's store. They will analysis your gate and help you find the right shoe.

I gave up and started cycling. I first got Plantar Fasciitis when I was in the Army and not obese but overweight and never got fully heeled until after my discharge, starting a sedentary lifestyle and becoming obese. Anytime I started to get active by playing soccer or even elliptical machines, it would flare up. Fortunately, I started cycling and found that I love mountain biking.

Maybe when I get down to the Normal BMI range I will try again but with a bone spur I may be helpless. I never liked running anyway.