Anyone else suffer from plantar fasciitis???

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sarahf3092
sarahf3092 Posts: 147 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Not sure if this was the correct topic to put this under but needing some advice!

I have previously suffered from a really bad case of plantar faciitis in which I was on crutches for months and only recovered through steriod injects. Since I have started exercising again I have felt pain in these areas of my feet during certain excerises but have experimented with a couple of different pairs of trainers and try to alternate what feels like the best support depending what form of exercise I am doing that day. Bad news is now it has come back - woken up this morning and I can barely walk, but in no means will I let this defeat me and my new exercise and health kick!

Does anyone else suffer from this or have in the past? Really just looking for suggestions or too see how others cope with this if they have had it.
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Replies

  • LadyPakal
    LadyPakal Posts: 256 Member
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    I have had it - cured it by never going barefoot, wearing shoes with good instep support (I have a high instep) and resting them on the worst days by not standing around too much. Used to be so bad I have been known to crawl on my knees to the bathroom in the morning. Losing weight has helped as sometimes if I stood around a lot I'd get twinges but not any more.

    I've taken up cycling - if you pedal on the balls of my feet it keeps the pressure off the bad bits.
  • bluebirdlx
    bluebirdlx Posts: 39
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    I get flare ups once in a while. I just have to take Ibuprofen and rest it. After a couple weeks it goes away on its own.
  • sarahf3092
    sarahf3092 Posts: 147 Member
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    It's horrible pain isnt it though! I've tried good instep supports also but found last time once it got a hold none of these really worked. Have you tried the sleeping brace things? That hold for support?

    Might try cycling - although I hate how uncomfortable they are to sit on haha. Suppose my main issue is I don't want to just sit and rest it - might be the only option though :(
  • cshelto44
    cshelto44 Posts: 27 Member
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    Oh yes! Had surgery on both feet. I did everything under the sun and nothing worked. Had no choice in the matter except to go under the knife. Best thing I ever did! I feel your pain :(
  • sarahf3092
    sarahf3092 Posts: 147 Member
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    Oh yes! Had surgery on both feet. I did everything under the sun and nothing worked. Had no choice in the matter except to go under the knife. Best thing I ever did! I feel your pain :(

    OMG! Surgery?! What did they do exactly? And more importantly - did it work?!

    I hope it never comes to it but at 21 when they say it always comes back its never a good thing!
  • dalemckeown
    dalemckeown Posts: 46 Member
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    I had plantar fasciitis at the start of the year, it was an absolute nightmare. Like you I could not walk for weeks, let alone do any kind of exercise.

    I went and bought a new pair of running trainers, after having my gait and running style analysed. I would highly recommend you do the same, from a local running shop. They usually know their stuff, and will recommend a pair of shoes that suit your running style. I also use kinesio tape, as it seems to help me.

    I am trying doing some smaller runs - 1 mile a day for a week and then seeing how it goes.

    If you can barely walk again now then please for the love of god do not continue exercising on it. You will end up doing more damage, and therefore have a longer down time.

    The best thing you can do is reduce the amount of impact and pressure you are placing on you foot. This means no running, cycling, rowing, etc. Stick to swimming.

    And obviously, go back to your doctor. You have probably started exercising too soon after your initial injury.
  • sarahf3092
    sarahf3092 Posts: 147 Member
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    I had plantar fasciitis at the start of the year, it was an absolute nightmare. Like you I could not walk for weeks, let alone do any kind of exercise.

    I went and bought a new pair of running trainers, after having my gait and running style analysed. I would highly recommend you do the same, from a local running shop. They usually know their stuff, and will recommend a pair of shoes that suit your running style. I also use kinesio tape, as it seems to help me.

    I am trying doing some smaller runs - 1 mile a day for a week and then seeing how it goes.

    If you can barely walk again now then please for the love of god do not continue exercising on it. You will end up doing more damage, and therefore have a longer down time.

    The best thing you can do is reduce the amount of impact and pressure you are placing on you foot. This means no running, cycling, rowing, etc. Stick to swimming.

    And obviously, go back to your doctor. You have probably started exercising too soon after your initial injury.

    Yeah the walking is horrific - cancelled my gym class tonight :( just get super worked up when I feel I can't exercise.

    Doctor's appointment made for tomorrow morning though so will see what they say! My orignal dose of it was actually almost 3 years ago so don't think it was too soon after initial injury.
  • dalemckeown
    dalemckeown Posts: 46 Member
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    Fair enough. Good luck!
  • kellster111
    kellster111 Posts: 113 Member
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    I have suffered on and off for the last 12 months and found that physio helped, freeze a water bottle and roll that under your foot twice a day, sports massage and a good stretching routine for the calves and quads. My symptoms are worse when I wear high heels a lot so i try and alternate between flats and heels.
    I run 2-3 times a week and I make sure I have good supporting shoes and I stretch after every run.

    At one stage i was taking high dose anti inflamatories but since doing all of the above I don't take any.

    Hope your symptoms improve.
  • sarahf3092
    sarahf3092 Posts: 147 Member
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    That's some good tips there. Thanks though I hope they improve soon also.

    Thanks everyone for advice - good to know your not the only one suffering from it!
  • kcworkingdiver
    kcworkingdiver Posts: 25
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    My husband, boss and two friends have it and are cured by using Walkfit inserts (you can get on internet and are very cheap) - they feel like you are walking on a tennis ball at first, but for some odd reason they have worked for them.
  • thatjulesgirl
    thatjulesgirl Posts: 200 Member
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    I've had it for almost two years - not excruciating-can't-walk pain, but it's always there. I quickly threw away all my cheap, unsupportive shoes and now all I wear is Orthaheel. Find shoes with really good arch support and wear them *all* the time.

    As far as exercising goes, even though I lift weights which obviously doesn't involve much walking, when it was really bad I started swimming instead. Definitely takes the pressure off and I really built up my cardiac fitness :) The frozen water bottles work really well and you can't really go past proper, painful sports massage.

    Good luck!
  • nettasue35
    nettasue35 Posts: 190 Member
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    I had it a few years ago. I had to wear one of those walking cast for about 6-7 months, had physical therapy. now when it tries to flare up I do the exercise they had me do at home.
  • sarahf3092
    sarahf3092 Posts: 147 Member
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    My husband, boss and two friends have it and are cured by using Walkfit inserts (you can get on internet and are very cheap) - they feel like you are walking on a tennis ball at first, but for some odd reason they have worked for them.

    Will have an internet search to see what these walk fits are like! worth a shot
  • Lupercalia
    Lupercalia Posts: 1,857 Member
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    Mine resolved when I changed my diet. I had a number of issues with various tendons and ligaments, also arthritis. Those things (and other health issues) cleared up when I stopped regularly eating certain foods my body doesn't tolerate well.

    Prior to that, I had tried all sorts of things to help with plantar fasciitis, including different types of shoes, no shoes, wearing shoes constantly, wearing different sorts of insoles, wearing splints at night, massage, and stretching (this actually helped somewhat).
  • sarahf3092
    sarahf3092 Posts: 147 Member
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    I've had it for almost two years - not excruciating-can't-walk pain, but it's always there. I quickly threw away all my cheap, unsupportive shoes and now all I wear is Orthaheel. Find shoes with really good arch support and wear them *all* the time.

    As far as exercising goes, even though I lift weights which obviously doesn't involve much walking, when it was really bad I started swimming instead. Definitely takes the pressure off and I really built up my cardiac fitness :) The frozen water bottles work really well and you can't really go past proper, painful sports massage.

    Good luck!

    That's a problem as well on day to day basis I probably don't wear the right shoes but sometimes they just so expensive. Thanks for the advice - might look into a sports massage also
  • HDG1972
    HDG1972 Posts: 10
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    I had it really bad 4 years back. I have very flat "Fred Flinstone" feet. I had done several internet searches and started taping my feet before I went to bed, tried steriod injection in the heal, changed out and bought new tennis shoes. The only thing that helped me right from day one was a pair of Crocs RX Relief. From the day they came in the mail and still to this day I wear them 90% of the time when im on my feet. Granted they are not the most beautiful shoes but in my opinion a better alternative to the severe pain of plantar fasciitis. I am a nurse and on my feet A LOT and these shoes were a God send for me.
  • sarahf3092
    sarahf3092 Posts: 147 Member
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    Sounds like its alot of trial and error for some people. Steriod injections cleared it up for me last time but it was absolutely agony which is not good!

    Crocs are wonderfully comfortable im just not sure they would go very well with my day to day smart dresses etc for work!

    Just wish we could click our fingers and it would be gone!
  • anubhavsharma18
    anubhavsharma18 Posts: 63 Member
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    I have it from last 2 years in my right foot. I stopped jogging due to this which caused weight gain. Since January 2013 i have started to run again and now i run 5 mile a day. Pain is there when i start running every morning but it goes away after 1 mile. In the end i do lot of stretching followed by rolling my foot over frozen water bottle and massage. I have also started using night splint which has helped a lot. I also avoid walking barefoot and wear silicon heal caps in shoes.
    Lost 16 pound and it seems that things are improving with weight loss.
  • ChristineS_51
    ChristineS_51 Posts: 872 Member
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    I have had plantar faciitis - knowing when you get out of bed in the morning you are going to have pain stabbing up your legs is so horrible!

    Things I did
    Good supportive shoes
    Rested - to get exercise I used stationary bike
    Before I got out of bed, whilst muscles still warm and relaxed do leg stretches, including tipping toes towards knees, relax, repeat.
    Sitting on chair, put a tea towel on the floor, with bare feet, put your foot on the floor at the edge of the tea towel and try and "crunch" the tea towel towards you
    Hot pack to the foot, then apply ibobrufen gel to the painful areas
    Lost weight!!

    It will get better eventually.
    PS I wouldn't let anyone near me with a knife!!

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