Plantar Fasciitis

katimama · April 2013

I've had plantar fasciitis since September 2012 and will be seeing a podiatrist today (I've only seen my primary doctor regarding it before).

For those that have/had plantar fasciitis, did you get treatment for it? What type of treatment? Did it work, and if so, did the results last?

So far I've just done the stretches, bought inserts for my work shoes and purchased new, supportive sneakers (none of which have done much to help).

From what I see online, there is no "one size fits all" solution, but I was curious as to others experiences.

Lyerin · April 2013

I finally got over it after probably 6 months. I stretched every morning before I got out of bed, wore supportive shoes all day long and made sure I had good sneakers. I hated wearing shoes inside my house, but I couldn't get over it while walking around barefoot (now I can without issues).

I did have a shot in my heel to try to bring down the inflammation, and it was the most excruciatingly painful thing I've ever experienced (and I've had two kids AND broken my tailbone). I don't think the shot did a whole lot for me.

For me the stretching was key. My podiatrist had me "draw" the alphabet with my foot every morning before getting out of bed. It sounds totally silly, but it really gets you to put your foot through the whole range of motion. I also stood on the edge of the stairs and dropped my heels and stood there for a minute or two, several times a day.

dawnna76 · April 2013

I got a pair of go walk slippers and wear them in the house and that has all but solved my problems. I never go barefoot or flip flops anymore!

garnet116 · April 2013

It took a few months, the main things for me:

Never, ever be barefoot/in socks on floors, even around the house. I always have to wear shoes with inserts.

Orthaheel Tide flip flops. I wear these all summer long. No joke. These are wonderful for PF.

I did a few exercises I found online, but once the pain went away, it stays away as long as I follow my #1 rule of always wearing shoes.

The shoes I wear either have Orthaheel inserts or Superfeet inserts. Your podiatrist will get you the right insoles.

Good luck!

Trilby16 · April 2013

I've written this before but here is it again. I had PF severely in both feet. It lasted about 6 months. What fixed it for me was not a doctor-- saw one and he didn't have much to offer other than orthotics which my insurance wouldn't cover so I didn't get.

What fixed mine was never going barefoot-- I wore Skechers Shape-ups, which are super-cushy, all the time that I wasn't at work. I also taped my feet with sports tape as needed for some relief. There are videos on YouTube that tell you how. At work, I wore mostly low heels with heel cushioning. Flats are to be avoided! One day, I realized my feet were no longer hurting.

karriecook · April 2013

I also got a Cortisone shot in my foot and it helped me a great deal. I don't recall the shot hurting that much, but he numbed the shot site first. I took anti-inflammatory meds and did exercises. Also iced it frequently (frozen water bottle and rolled it in the arch of my foot while stepping on it). What probably helped me the most is not going barefoot. I always wear shoes now, even in the house. Yoga is amazing exercise for your feet as well.

AJL437 · April 2013

I second the stretches and orthaheel flip flops around the house. Also - if I notice it gets inflamed I will switch up my cardio - go swimming or do the bike instead of walking/elliptical to give it a rest. I pay attention to my foot's position during the day at work and focus on trying to keep stretching it every hour or so.

MIM49 · April 2013

I had it for several years. MANY trips to the doctor. Tried everything already mentioned. Was on the verge of surgery. Started taking mega-doses of Ibuprofen daily. The drug reduced/stopped the inflammation--felt better withing a few weeks. Stopped taking/pain came back. Resumed taking/pain again went away. Stayed on it for 6 months altho wasn't in pain. Stopped/no pain/did not come back. Doctor said altho he would not prescribe as treatment (not a recognized treatment) since it worked and I had no side effects from the large dose then he was glad I avoided surgery.

iluvco3 · April 2013

I have had 2 bouts of PF. I saw a podiatrist right away because I have a friend who ended up having to have surgery because she ignored it. I did the exercises, doctor fitted me with custom orthotics, and I had a "gizmo" I had to wear at night. Both times it lasted about 6 weeks. I was not able to exercise (Jazzercise) for about 4 weeks, then needed to do low impact.

The last time was in 2006 and I no longer have to wear the custom orthotics, but do wear over-the-counter inserts in most of my shoes and avoid going barefoot.

I also know people who have gotten cortisone shots and that helped.

Good luck!

sweebum · April 2013

The stretches at the top of the stairs helped me immensely! That's where you hand your heels over the stair and "drop them". Calf stretches are a big one as they contribute to it. I ice my feet when they get really bad. I wear shoes all the time.

GiddyupTim · April 2013

Stretch, stretch, stretch, the bottoms of your feet.
Cross your ankle over the opposite thigh. Then grab the foot with same-side hand and pull it back toward the shin, bending the toes back toward the top of the foot. You should feel the stretch down the bottom of your foot. Hold for 30 seconds to a minute. Do this as much and as often as you get.
Or, simply knee on the ground, with the bottoms of your toes on the ground and bent up, and the soles of your feet pointing at the wall behind you. Again, so you feel the stretch across the bottom of your foot.
This is the best stretch you can get, and there is a well-known study that used this stretch to get people better who had had plantar fasciitis for a long time. It was effective for like 90 percent of them.
AND GET INSOLES ! The kind i like are called Superfeet and they are available at any good running store.

thesupremeforce · April 2013

I had mine operated on back in 2002 (it tore and balled up on itself) and it was definitely one of the more painful experiences in my life. I did the whole prescription inserts thing and never walked around barefoot. It continued to bother me for years; although it did improve over time. These days, I don't even feel it and only thought about it because of this topic.

Stretching helps, as does strengthening the muscles in your foot. I got a lot of help with that just from certain exercises, ie stand barefoot and try to grip the floor with your toes. You can do all sorts of other things from that position, but I made more progress in a few months of doing that sort of thing than I had in the previous ten years.

kwogni · April 2013

I (literally) feel your pain. I used these inserts:

http://www.heel-that-pain.com/heel_seats.php?gclid=CKmuyfCJ4bYCFYMWMgodRxoAJQ

I was skeptical at first but in about 6 months, I had a complete recovery. It gradually decreased and ultimately healed the inflammation. The feel takes a bit getting used to at first but you eventually get used to it. I wore this in all my shoes in those 6 months but now I have kept them in my athletic shoes whenever I train to prevent a recurrence.

5ftnFun · April 2013

My husband had a pretty nasty case of it and had tried everything including shots to no avail. He ended up having surgery in just the one foot bothering him the most, and has inserts (not the Dr. Scholl's OTC variety-these suckers are expensive!). He went into surgery with a 50/50 chance for sucess, and thank goodness, it worked. This was about 15 yrs ago. I hope you find a treatment that works for you that does not involve surgery for sure. Good luck with the doc!

GiddyupTim · April 2013

The reason the pain is worst during those first few steps in the morning is because your feet sit flexed under the covers all night, and they start to heal with no weight on them. Then, the first steps you take in the morning, you rip all the healing that took place over night.
That is why stretching before you get out of bed every morning can be so helpful. You won't rip again, which continually keeps setting you back.
The first experts on plantar fasciitis were boot camp drill sergeants. They got all these raw recruits who were not used to 20 mile hikes and runs with 100-pound packs on their backs. Many of those recruits got severe foot and heel pain. Their solution was to give those recruits a stiff new pair of boots, to wear in bed overnight. That kept their feet in the correct position -- stretched out -- during overnight healing.
They sell splints for the same purpose.

katimama · April 2013

thank you everyone for these great responses! I really appreciate it and will be trying out the stretches mentioned as I haven't tried all of them yet. I'm a flip flop girl, but I know they are bad for the feet but I'll talk to my doctor about Orthaheel. It's too painful to walk without shoes on so I wear them all day, even when in the house.

katimama · April 2013

I've had plantar fasciitis since September 2012 and will be seeing a podiatrist today (I've only seen my primary doctor regarding it before).

For those that have/had plantar fasciitis, did you get treatment for it? What type of treatment? Did it work, and if so, did the results last?

So far I've just done the stretches, bought inserts for my work shoes and purchased new, supportive sneakers (none of which have done much to help).

From what I see online, there is no "one size fits all" solution, but I was curious as to others experiences.

So I have an update! Again, thank you for all the advice and input.

After seeing my podiatrist this afternoon it turns out I was mis-diagnosed by my regular doctor and I don't have plantar fasciitis, but Heel Bursitis. I was given a cortisone shot (which wasn't painful), I'll be taking med's for about a week and I need to tape my feet every morning and wear shoes that have a lot of cushioning in the heel. It's supposed to heal within 4-6 weeks.

Also, I can't do anything that involves jumping where I will land on my feet in a hard manner. I take a spin class once a week and the doctor said I shouldn't stand while I ride. While I'm hopeful about the 4-6 time frame for healing, I'm wicked bummed on the exercise front. I can't take my favorite classes at the gym as they ALL involve a crazy amount of jumping jacks and other types of movement I'm supposed to avoid. I had just gotten into a groove with my workout schedule and found classes that pushed me hard, had great instructors and classmates. I do well in the class atmosphere because I can never push myself like the instructor can. I'm kinda dreading going back to the elliptical for cardio...hopefully I can push myself to burn a lot of calories like I did in my classes. I'll also get back into swimming as my gym has a pool. I don't want to jeopardize my weight loss, but I need to take care of my feet too.

Kaathmandu · April 2013

I don't recommend my cure - I had spent hundreds of dollars on podiatrist-prescribed orthotics and appropriate shoes, had them for about a week and had a motorbike accident. Couldn't walk for some time - plenty of other pain and ongoing issues, but no more plantar fasciitis! Been ten years, now.

Plantar Fasciitis

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