Anyone else suffer from plantar fasciitis???

2

Replies

  • Zepplipop
    Zepplipop Posts: 33
    I have it in both feet, bursitis in my left foot and a heel spur in my left foot. I can barely walk sometimes because my feet hurt all the time. But I'm pretty tough I just take some ibuprofen and keep going! So far the only treatment I've received is steroid shots and night splints. Hoping it just goes away.

    Edited to add-- I also hope losing my weight will help too.
  • sarahf3092
    sarahf3092 Posts: 147 Member
    Yeah ill definately look up the massage and stretching techniques - definately worth a shot at the simpler things initally. Hopefully it will help it before it gets even worse.

    Thanks for all the support everyone :)
  • FlaxMilk
    FlaxMilk Posts: 3,452 Member
    I already had good quality shoes, so I am wearing TWO inserts in my shoes now. One is a general full foot insert for people who exercise or on their feet a lot, and the other is a heel only insert for plantars.

    I hate to go around with shoes at home, so I grabbed these from the store: http://www.asseenontv.com/strutz-cushioned-arch-supports/detail.php?p=371775

    I got everything I needed from Walgreens. My foot pain is practically gone, and when it is there, it is nothing compared to what it was so I can deal. Going pure barefoot is a big no no. Any time I try to do that, I hurt and quickly. I will wear the strutz all the way up until when I get in the shower.
  • Cderziotis
    Cderziotis Posts: 2
    I had it in my left foot, spoke to my podiatrist and received platelet rich plasma therapy (PRP) it was a simple procedure where they remove the plasma from your blood and inject it into your foot: you are off your feet for a few days. it does take a few months to have your own platelets regenerate and heal yourself but I haven't had issues in years. I suggest you speak to your doctor and ask him about PRP and search online, there is a lot of info out there. good luck.
  • Christina9388
    Christina9388 Posts: 18
    I used to suffer from plantar fasciitis also and I found that spinning/cycling was the only exercise that I could do without causing pain (like running or walking). I've been spinning for a year and a half and have not had any flare ups since. If you're looking to be active without the foot pain, I suggest taking a spinning class or going outside for some cycling. Good luck!
  • ALBY777
    ALBY777 Posts: 2
    Yes I had it a while ago. It was excruciating first thing in the morning. Thankfully the pain subsided during the course of the day. It has gone now but can come back I am told.
  • Docpremie
    Docpremie Posts: 228 Member
    I was having a severe problem with plantar fasciitis a few years ago. I tried the Orthaheel brand of flip-flops & they made a world of difference. They really fit your arch (I have high arches), so they support the arch & keep the tendons stretched. I've had a terrible time finding tennis shoes for a variety of reasons. I've tried all the major brands. When I started exercising again, my heels started to throb. I checked out the Orthaheel website & they now make sandals & tennis shoes. I got my tennis shoes 3-4 weeks ago & no more heel pain whatsoever! If you check out their website, they will also give you the names of local businesses that carry their shoes. Luckily I found a local small family owned business which sells really high quality shoes. I was able to be fitted for the tennis shoes. Since the Orthaheel shoes/company was started by a podiatrist, I find I need a smaller size than most of the current trendy shoes. They are truly made to fit your feet & have appropriate support everywhere. They also have a wider/appropriate foot box, so I don't have problems with irritation & numbing of my fore foot.

    I highly recommend the brand!!! I wear Alegria shoes for work, as I'm standing a lot (I'm a neonatologist, newborn intensive care physician, and work 26-28 hour shifts.)

    http://www.orthaheelusa.com

    By the way, when you first get them, don't wear them for long stretches the first few days. Your feet need to adapt to the shoes & vice versa. You should "break them in" over the course of a few days. The enclosed pamphlet that comes with the shoes gives instructions about initial wearing.
  • marylou1976
    marylou1976 Posts: 106 Member
    I have it, have had it for about 3 years, I've had the steriod injections, also a treatment called shock wave therapy, both worked for a while then it came back! I am currently seeing a orthapedist and I have inserts for my shoes, they are brilliant, I still have pain but nothing like before. I have fallen arches. I am also a sports therapist and the exercises advised by other people that have replied are good. I have the website for the place I got my insoles at home, I will email it to you. And as for getting running shoes and getting your gait analised etc, running shoes are for running, only buy running shoes if you intend to run, you need a good pair of walking shoes/trainers with good heel support. My orthapedist told me it is pointless getting your gait analised as if that is the way your feet/body leans then it is the way it should be, he said unless you are an elitle althelete it makes no difference at all
  • sarahf3092
    sarahf3092 Posts: 147 Member
    I have it, have had it for about 3 years, I've had the steriod injections, also a treatment called shock wave therapy, both worked for a while then it came back! I am currently seeing a orthapedist and I have inserts for my shoes, they are brilliant, I still have pain but nothing like before. I have fallen arches. I am also a sports therapist and the exercises advised by other people that have replied are good. I have the website for the place I got my insoles at home, I will email it to you. And as for getting running shoes and getting your gait analised etc, running shoes are for running, only buy running shoes if you intend to run, you need a good pair of walking shoes/trainers with good heel support. My orthapedist told me it is pointless getting your gait analised as if that is the way your feet/body leans then it is the way it should be, he said unless you are an elitle althelete it makes no difference at all

    Thanks will definately take this advice on board. I'm not really a runner no, more gym classes / dance / attack etc and then just the usual day to day routine and walking. Would be good if you could send the website - worth a look at what others are usuing/wearing!
  • sarahf3092
    sarahf3092 Posts: 147 Member
    I had it in my left foot, spoke to my podiatrist and received platelet rich plasma therapy (PRP) it was a simple procedure where they remove the plasma from your blood and inject it into your foot: you are off your feet for a few days. it does take a few months to have your own platelets regenerate and heal yourself but I haven't had issues in years. I suggest you speak to your doctor and ask him about PRP and search online, there is a lot of info out there. good luck.

    Never heard of this before! Will have a google and read up about it - definately worth questioning doctors on.
  • Mary1NYS
    Mary1NYS Posts: 15 Member
    I had it on and off for 7 years and it totally stopped me from running! I tried everything! Finally I had orthotics made for me out of cork and it finally went away! I ride a stationary bike now and I still stretch my toes back every day. I'm still always afraid of it coming back!
  • pfeif93
    pfeif93 Posts: 2
    Yes, for years.
    1) See an orthopedist. Get the right support. All that 'soft heel' stuff is crap. I can wear my hard silcon inserts for 14 hours and I feel great.
    2) Stretching. Preferably Yoga is the best thing you'll ever do. Just beware, start slow. If you're a beginner, the start is a beginner class. Many people start Yoga and they hurt themselves because they're trying to do what the person next to them is doing. You have to elongate your ham strings and everything connected. It takes a while to undo years of doing nothing. :)
    3) Ice - All those steroid (the worst thing for your body) do is reduce swelling. That's what ICE does.
    4) If you run...learn to run on the balls of your feet.

    Since I started this 5 years ago, if I have a flare up, I just do 30 minutes of yoga for 2 days and I'm good. Previously, I couldn't put a pair of shoes on.
    Good luck!
  • ames105
    ames105 Posts: 288 Member
    Stretch your feet, morning (before getting out of bed) and night.

    Wear a brace (I bought mine at Target) to sleep in.

    Tape up your feet for support with athletic tape (Google how to do it). The taping worked wonders for me as I was able to continue exercising. I even wore the tape to work inside my shoes, it helped that much and felt so much better.

    Rest is important.

    Rolling a frozen bottle of water with the bottom of your foot is good too (icing it down).

    Good luck to you!
  • eganita
    eganita Posts: 501 Member
    I had some issues last fall, which I believe were brought on by using old shoes running around on a cement surface. I did stretching, icing, rest for about 2 weeks, etc, before it started feeling a bit back to normal. At one point, I was having trouble walking, but I don't think my injury was as severe as yours (I also never did steroid shots or anything).

    It started to bother me again, so I made the decision to go to a running store and get properly fitted for shoes good for my stride, foot type, etc. I haven't really been having any problems since (Some minor soreness here and there, but nothing major). The people at the running store told me that I had actually been over-cushioning my foot. I thought I was doing a good thing with extra cushion, but I was actually doing damage. I recommend checking out a local running store. Hope that helps... good luck with your injury.
  • Trilby16
    Trilby16 Posts: 707 Member
    I've had it. It's a nightmare. The things that helped me probably the most was to never go barefoot and to wear these hideous Skechers Shape-ups that are the cushiest shoes in the world (they don't shape you up, tho') whenever I could. Meaning I couldn't wear them to work but wore them every minute I was NOT at work. Also, I used sports tape to give my arches more support. You can find instuctions for how to tape your feet on YouTube. It provides SOME relief.
  • tiger1022
    tiger1022 Posts: 1
    My coworker has had it twice - once in each foot.

    A couple years ago, when it happend with one foot, I had heard about a laser treatment place. She checked it out because she was desperate for a solution. After about a month of sessions, it was better and has not reoccurred.

    In January of this year, she got it in the other foot. She went through the same laser treatments, plus additional foot stretching by a physio person after each session. This time it took over 3 months, but it's all better now.

    Supposedly, the laser treatment will cure it so that it doesn't come back. Fingers crossed for her!
  • mgore0404
    mgore0404 Posts: 65 Member
    I don't suffer from it any more, but I use to when I was on my feet serving at a restaurant. Plus I was around 340 pounds. It seemed as I started loosing weight the pain just went away.
    I have a question. Kinda personal, so you don't have to actually answer it, but do you take any kind of anti depressants or anything for mood stabilizers. My mother's boyfriend was taking a pill for anti depressant and one of the side affects was plantar fascitis. He quit taking that pill just because of the pain he was feeling. So it's something to think about maybe.
  • ahiddenlink
    ahiddenlink Posts: 42 Member
    I had/have it. My best luck has come from losing weight and strengthening the muscles as well as stretching them whenever I feel that ache. Buying the correct shoes has helped as well. As someone else noted, I've learned to run more towards the mid-foot balls of foot strike and it doesn't flare up too much anymore unless I push it too much. I had it pretty bad where I could hardly limp along on that leg for a few months like two years ago but I've worked hard on getting stronger and more in shape and I hardly have issues with it anymore.
  • sarahf3092
    sarahf3092 Posts: 147 Member
    I have a question. Kinda personal, so you don't have to actually answer it, but do you take any kind of anti depressants or anything for mood stabilizers. My mother's boyfriend was taking a pill for anti depressant and one of the side affects was plantar fascitis. He quit taking that pill just because of the pain he was feeling. So it's something to think about maybe.

    No worries - I used to take something along these lines but that was after my first case of PF as it really impacted on me mentally. Not on anything like that anymore, so think its just exercise and knock on from my ankle being sore again. A bit of weight loss may help - have about a stone and a half to reach my goal - its getting their without the pain though! Thanks for the input though never realised this could cause that!
  • sarahf3092
    sarahf3092 Posts: 147 Member
    Since I started this 5 years ago, if I have a flare up, I just do 30 minutes of yoga for 2 days and I'm good. Previously, I couldn't put a pair of shoes on.
    Good luck!

    Thanks for your advice - will try this out and hopefully if it flared up again I could then do same!
  • sarahf3092
    sarahf3092 Posts: 147 Member
    Can't beleive the amount of responses though - thanks! so much to take on board.....will be a busy night of internet searching and reading up more on alot of these tips. Whilst rolling my foot over a frozen bottle too I think !
  • weelass36
    weelass36 Posts: 5 Member
    I have noticed that with the weight loss and my morning yoga has improved it greatly! I only feel I slight stretch now when my feet hit the floor in mornings. However, I can't do marathon standing anymore. My morning yoga is Jane Fonda AM/PM yoga.
  • coolcat190969
    coolcat190969 Posts: 9
    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.

    I suffered from it, but one of the main causes for it is overweight. After losing about 10-lbs i noticed that it bothered me less. after about 15-lbs it was gone entirely. Before i started MFP, it bothered me so bad that i could barely walk without favoring my foot. Now, after losing almost 40-lbs, i am running 5-K almost every day.
  • csheltra26
    csheltra26 Posts: 272 Member
    I tried one of those boots you wear overnight and that didn't work. Actually made it worse. I had it in both feet. Also had cortisone injections in both feet and didn't help. I paid for custom orthotics and I couldn't wear them they were just too hard and uncomfortable. It took several months but one morning I woke up and it was gone in both of my feet. What worked for me:

    No flat shoes - I wore flip flops to death at the time living in Phoenix
    Ice bottle rolled under my feet
    Stopped running but still did other exercising
    Lots of stretching!!
  • Sarahlascelles
    Sarahlascelles Posts: 41 Member
    I've had problems with it in the past, and still have occasional flare ups. Things that helped me;
    - steroid injections treated the initial flare up
    - calf stretches - apparently I have a tight achilles tendon which contributes to the PF, so the best way to manage that is calf stretches
    - flat shoes - on the rare occasions I wear heels I risk a flare up
    - taking up belly dancing, which has helped with general posture and balance and so on

    I was once given some foot exercises but these made it worse!
  • wendyc5056
    wendyc5056 Posts: 9
    I suffered from PF for about 3 yrs in which a lot of my weight gain happened due to not being able to walk. After a year of different dr solutions in which nothing helped I finally had surgery as well. And I agree, it's the best thing I ever did and so thankful I agreed.

    The way it works is they put a small cut in the main tendon and as it heals, that cut is filled in creating a new extension to the tendon.

    Every once in awhile my heel will hurt so I toss in my custom orthotic inserts. Also, I NEVER wear cheap shoes anymore. I went to a runner's store where they observed my gait and fitted me with the best tennis shoe and insert for my gait and arch. That's all I wear now. Very seldom wear heels and I got special permission to wear an all black color of my tennis shoes for work. They're expensive for me to buy instead of my employer paying for my uniforms and shoes, but I attribute my ill fitting uniform shoes as part of the reason I developed PF in the first place. Well worth the investment.
  • sarahf3092
    sarahf3092 Posts: 147 Member
    Well ive got a bottle ready to stick in the freezer when I get home for a start - its something!

    Thanks for the advice - maybe a good reason for some new sturdy shoes!
  • nolachick
    nolachick Posts: 3,278 Member
    BUMP!
  • ezrida
    ezrida Posts: 36
    I had plantar fasciitis that hurt a lot in the beginning. After a month or so I managed to get control of the pain and only then started to stretch. There are more stretching exercises that I did and also some strengthening exercises. The exercises helped me to get rid of the plantar fasciitis totally. You can see a good review of both stretching and strengthening exercises in: http://www.plantar-fasciitis-elrofeet.com/plantar_fasciitis_exercises.html
  • sarahf3092
    sarahf3092 Posts: 147 Member
    Thanks - going to try all these stretches out, away to the doctors in an hour first to see if they can do anything to help also and what they suggest. Also bought the Walkfit that some one suggested earlier for my shoes so hopefully they will arrive soon! Determined to get back to the gym!

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