plantar fascitis

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It has me down and out. I am in pain and have tried rolling my foot over an ice bottle, inserts and a night brace. How long does it take for this to heal?
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  • AmandaJ
    AmandaJ Posts: 1,950 Member
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    I am not sure how long it takes to heal but I got this last year after I busted my butt on a 5K without proper shoes. I feel for you!:frown: It seems to be it took several weeks for me feet to feel better.
  • grover0ca
    grover0ca Posts: 568 Member
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    This has been a long time battle for me.
    I have custom orthotics and I have to stretch my calf muscles out really well each morning-helps more if I do it several times day.
    I went for physio for a while when it was really bad. I can never seem to cure it-it flares up occasionally but if I stay on top of the stretching and using rolling over a frozen bottle of water it does keep it under control.
    Flip flops and other unsupportive footwear are your enemy.
  • timbotina
    timbotina Posts: 1,130 Member
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    Plantar fasciitis really stinks...I have had it off and on for a couple years...the stretching helps me the most...but really the only thing that will fix it the best (I don't think it ever really goes 100% away, or once you've had it, it comes back easier) but resting it for weeks (but I can't do that because I need to get my exercise in)...so on days it is really bad, I try to focus on my upper body and weight training or swimming--something to rest my feet.....for a couple days then I go walk/run again and the whole process starts over.....also I find that in the summer I wear Birkinstocks a lot but also some other sandles that probably don't have the best support......sorry this probably doesn't help much , but just my experience dealing with the DREADED fasciitis!!!!:grumble:
  • hkystar
    hkystar Posts: 1,290 Member
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    All the nice long chats with my Dr has taught me that it will never fully go away, you can just keep your pain a min or the pain will go away for awhile.

    I got custom orthodics to help with mine, but I think losing 15 pounds helped the most. I am able to run/walk again and that has helped me drop more pounds which only takes more pressure off my feet.

    I do have to stretch my calves out A LOT during the day. I have to do it before I get out of bed, everytime I stand up (after sitting in a chair or laying down), before/during/after my workouts.

    I was diagnosed in Feb and spent 3 months being told not to work out (this was all Pre-MFP). I got taped numerous times and a bunch of cortisone shots in my left foot. It sorta helped, sorta didnt.
  • countrymama08
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    I had it years ago in my right foot. A cortisone shot and a night splint helped and I have not had a problem since. I have it in the left now. I had a cortisone shot then wore cheap walmart boots to shovel snow and injured it again. The Dr won't do another shot since I an TTC. I use a night splint, stretch in the morning and throughout the day, ice, keep my foot flexed as best I can when sitting, and develop a high pain tolerance. I was told not to go barefoot AT ALL. Crocs were recomendded by my Dr. I wear crocs flip flops in the house since they have a little support. It helps. I rarely if ever go barefoot now. When I take my daughter to the pool and I am barefoot for a long time, I am in pain. I wear sneakers with inserts all the time. No decent shoes for me even at work.

    Sometimes I just hobble.
  • losingnow
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    I have this too! I had to get inserts for my shoes and can't wear any type of sandles at all! Lots of stretching.
  • Kimd1972
    Kimd1972 Posts: 45
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    I thought I had this. I teach step aerobics and my heels would hurt so bad after class. I was modifying my foot placement so bad that I was hurting my knees!! So, please, please, please, see a doctor! After having to get cortisone shots in my knee, it was discovered that I did not have this! BUT I have bone spurs on the back on my heels. They have calcified (harden) so the only option is surgery! NOPE not for me. :noway: That would involve detaching my achilles muscle, shave the bone, reattach the achilles and hope it heals properly. I would not be able to teach for 6 weeks to a year, if at all! NOT!!:sad:


    Go see a doctor....take care of yourself! :flowerforyou:
  • sbilyeu75
    sbilyeu75 Posts: 567 Member
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    I bought some walkfits and they helped me a lot. I also did all of my cardo as water aerobics until I didn't have pain anymore. I found some stretches online for it and I do those after I workout.
  • arewethereyet
    arewethereyet Posts: 18,702 Member
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    Mine healed. I had to stretch each morning, ice each night and I did get an injection of cortisone which hurt like hell but was 100% worth it
  • grover0ca
    grover0ca Posts: 568 Member
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    I have not tried the cortisone shot...what exactly is that? Does it give you alot of relief?
  • fivedaily
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    Oh I feel for you. Mine started last July. I had flare up off and on through May this year. I iced each night, I mean I literally went to bed with an ice pack on my feet. I started taking Glucosamine in May and now the pain is almost non-existent. I still use ice a few nights a week. I also have inserts in my shoes. I no longer wear heals or sandals. I was told by my doc. to only wear tennis, no heals or sandals. I'm not even supposed to walk bare footed. I have obeyed all of these rules. I was also told that weight loss will make the biggest difference. I feel for you...I really, really do. No one really seems to get how much it hurts. It's horrible.
  • hkystar
    hkystar Posts: 1,290 Member
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    I thought I had this. I teach step aerobics and my heels would hurt so bad after class. I was modifying my foot placement so bad that I was hurting my knees!! So, please, please, please, see a doctor! After having to get cortisone shots in my knee, it was discovered that I did not have this! BUT I have bone spurs on the back on my heels. They have calcified (harden) so the only option is surgery! NOPE not for me. :noway: That would involve detaching my achilles muscle, shave the bone, reattach the achilles and hope it heals properly. I would not be able to teach for 6 weeks to a year, if at all! NOT!!:sad:


    Go see a doctor....take care of yourself! :flowerforyou:

    The first visit to the pediatrist, he showed me the bone spurs on my feet (on my xrays). I freaked out. I have since heard from many sources that foot surgery is super painful, and it should be avoided unless necessary.
  • MzBug
    MzBug Posts: 2,173 Member
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    It never heals 100%. You will always be susceptible to re-injury. Plantar fascitis and heel spurs go hand in hand. Get some custom orthotics made, they will save your feet and legs. If your insurance won't cover them and you can't afford them, get some of the most supportive HARD insoles you can find, the ones that go from the back of the heel to the ball of the foot. The insoles will hurt your feet until you get used to them, but it is much less than the pain to go without. Don't bother with the foam or gel inserts, they are just a waste of money. Besides the bottle of ice you might try a massager on the arch of your foot. I think the pain of plantar fascitis is worse than a tooth ache! Nothing I took helped the pain.
  • LoriT129
    LoriT129 Posts: 312 Member
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    Ohhhh how I feel your pain! I have suffered with this off and on for about 3 years. I've done the stretches, I've done physical therapy, I've had the electrical stimulation (which felt wonderful but didn't really see much of a difference), I use the frozen water bottle and stretch each morning and before exercise. The best advice I can give is to find shoes with the stiffest soles you can find. Birkenstocks & Keen's are REALLY good. Don't buy walking shoes because the soles are not stiff enough, buy cross trainers. The soles on the cross trainers are MUCH more stiff than walking shoes. My doc told me that you shouldn't be able to bend the sole of the shoe and to be sure and have good support for the arches. So far I am going on a year and haven't had problems!
  • dianka93
    dianka93 Posts: 21
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    Have dealt with this for years. I do stretches that help some. What seems to help me most is consistantly taking Vit. D. I take 15K IU a day, but I don't recommend that much. It can be overdosed on, but I have bloodwork every 3-6 months to keep track of it and that amount barely keeps it in low normal levels. My husband takes 5K IU a day and it helps his plantar fascititis.
  • arewethereyet
    arewethereyet Posts: 18,702 Member
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    I have not tried the cortisone shot...what exactly is that? Does it give you alot of relief?

    I suffered for 2 yrs as a waitress with PF. Then one day I told the doc I had enough and he injected right into the plantar site. It hurt.......like he double hockey sticks......but 2 days later I was pain free and have not had a flare of since.

    SHOES and not stretching the calf muscles are what the doc said led to mine
  • jb_sweet_99
    jb_sweet_99 Posts: 856 Member
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    Hi there, I've had this issue for over a year now, believe it or not massage is amazing for it! My massage therapist said that a good therapist can cure it in one session, and she was right! I have not had any issues at all since she worked on my feet, I will warn you that it is pretty painful while they are doing it, especially if the muscles are all knotted like mine were. But Soooo worth it! Before that I found some relief with heel pads from the running room, they are specifically for this and they absorb the shock, I would try this if unable to get to a masseuse, they were only about $15.
    Good luck! :flowerforyou:
  • fivedaily
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    Re: Vit D. My doc. checked my level and it was zero! She prescribed 50,000 UI - that I take once a week for six weeks. She said that I may feel better, and I do. I'm not sure if it's the Glucosamine or the Vit. D or a combo of both...but somethings working! 0
  • JBennis1013
    JBennis1013 Posts: 377 Member
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    OMG This is so painful...I have it and it hurts so much. I avoid any type of cardio besides the elliptical because it hurts too much. I did the fit test for the Insanity video and I thought I was gonna pass out from the pain in my feet and not the actual exercises. I have orthodics and a night brace and it does absolutely nothing.
  • tammyhoff2004
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    I had to wear shoe inserts prescribed by my doctor and it took a few months before the pain was gone. :huh: My doctor put injections in the bottom of my feet and helped for about 4 weeks until the inserts kicked real good. :happy: I feel your pain. It's an awful thing. I didn't want to get up because it brought tears to my eyes and holy cow by the end of the day, it was just awful. :cry: I'll be praying for you for some lesser pain but don't stop. :ohwell: Push through the pain. God bless you on your weight loss journey. :flowerforyou: