Help with Plantar Fasciitis

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  • missouri_rain
    missouri_rain Posts: 560 Member
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    I use to suffer from this, losing weight is what finally helped mine.
  • TheBitSlinger
    TheBitSlinger Posts: 621 Member
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    I went to an orthopedic doctor and had a custom shoe insert made. I haven't experience PF since.
  • wolfiesgirl
    wolfiesgirl Posts: 59 Member
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    The only thing that cured mine was an injection, tried everything else and nothing worked :-(
  • sunshinekind919
    sunshinekind919 Posts: 51 Member
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    More or less just bumping this because my boyfriend has had this for a few weeks now. Any tips or ideas if your job involves a lot of weight bearing? He works at a hardware store - loading, pushing huge amounts of carts, etc.
  • jazzguy4him
    jazzguy4him Posts: 83 Member
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    I had PF something terrible, and nothing helped until I lost weight. The problem completely disappeared.

    Not a fix for now, but another reason to go get your goal and something to look forward too!!

    Yeah I still think she should go to a podiatrist. While I am sure that weight could be a factor for some I know plenty of thin people who have suffered from this issue.

    OP: Seriously. Go to a doctor. They will probably give you cortizone shots and anti inflammatories. My husband had it really bad and it took over a year to heal and that was with going to a foot doctor and doing everything he said to do.

    I agree that a podiatrist idea is a good one. Hold off on cortizone and other injections until you've tried EVERYTHING else. You're way too young for that stuff. Also, don't buy the $500 inserts. The Superfeet I mentioned earlier cost $35 on amazon, it they don't help you're not out anything. They're lifesavers for me.

    "Too young for cortizone"? What?? That is for pain.
    I know what Cortizone does. It numbs your nerves so you feel nothing. Too many cortizone shots can kill nerves forever. At 25 it's a bad idea. I'm 31 and just spoke with my doc about a shot in my knee for an upcoming race...they're advice? "Run through it."
  • Aviendha_RJ
    Aviendha_RJ Posts: 600 Member
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    "Too young for cortizone"? What?? That is for pain.
    .... because as soon as you start taking it, you become addicted to its instant gratification, and then have to take it forever. Above and beyond that, it stops working eventually because, like everything else, your body builds up a tollerance for it, and its stops working for you eventually. Usually when the problem is so bad that you can't function without it.
  • rebasporty
    rebasporty Posts: 287 Member
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    I went to a Podiatrist and was told I have P.T. and she recommended physical theraphy for it. After the theraphy did not work the theraphist started using Kinesology Tape on my feet and up the back of my calves...it made a huge difference for me. I went to a running store and they recommended some nice tennis shoes for me which also made a difference and I never walk around with out some type of shoe on. It took about 2 months however it is getting better. Good luck!
  • ames105
    ames105 Posts: 288 Member
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    My PF didn't get better until I started taping my foot every day with athletic tape. You can google how to tape a foot with PF. It provides the additional support that allowed me to walk and exercise while it heals. It felt so much better. Also, the boot helped, its just uncomfortable to sleep in. Losing weight helped too. If you go to the podiatrist, they will tape your foot as well. Good luck!
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
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    new balance minimus shoes.

    i know i know, not a lot of support which is what your foot needs. but the support of shoes and custom orthodics treat the symptoms, not the disease.

    i had PF and achilles tendonitis. i did everything you did for years. the thing that finally helped me was getting a pair of new balance minimus shoes (trail running ones) because my personal trainer recommended them for weight lifting. i started wearing them little by little, just to the gym to lift, and to walk to and from there. then i started wearing them more often, to run errands or go to work.

    then one day i realized that i had been waking up every morning, and not limping around. i think it was a combination of everything: of exercising, lifting weights, stretching, wearing the boot at night... but the glue that held it all together were those shoes.
  • maddymama
    maddymama Posts: 1,183 Member
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    I had PF, went to a podiatrist. She proscribed custom orthotics and the stretches. The stretches didn't heal it, but didn't make it worse. The custom orthotics were wonderful, though. Within a week of wearing the, my PF pain was gone. All gone! I wear them in my shoes all day and feel great. I'd rather wear comfortable, supportive (ugly) shoes and have no pain than wear pretty shoes and be barely able to walk for weeks.
  • Eat2Win
    Eat2Win Posts: 123 Member
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    From what I have read while dealing with my PF for many months now, we have to have foot support ALL the time. That means no bare feet or wimpy flipflops............sad for the Summertime especially. Whenever mine gets better and I get relaxed, it comes back when I do not keep my foot supported with a good arch support.
    Reading medical info, it suggested seeing a Podiatrist if no improvements are found after three weeks of constant PF maintenance.
    It's possible that you have something more like a bone spur.
  • ExcelWithMel
    ExcelWithMel Posts: 192 Member
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    Roll the tight parts around on a golf ball. Frozen even. Get it in there good. No other ball works, as golf ball is so hard. Put it on the floor, stand up, and roll your foot over it for 5-10 minutes at least once a day. I did all the things you said and this worked the best. I'm still not cured and still not running, but at least I don't have to limp around for 30 minutes after I get up from bed or sitting awhile.

    Also the best stretch is ankle rolls. Prop your leg up so your foot is free and roll your toes in 360 degrees one direction 10 times, and then 10 times the other way. Part of my problem seems to stem from a tight calf and ankle muscles so even all the foot stretches in the world would not loosen this up.

    Also make sure you have good arch support shoes. I wear my Keens almost exclusively now and my Clarks when I need to dress it up a little.

    Good luck! I missed 3 races already this year because of my PF.
  • moonfruity
    moonfruity Posts: 43 Member
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    See a chiropractor
  • JustJennie1
    JustJennie1 Posts: 3,843 Member
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    "Too young for cortizone"? What?? That is for pain.
    .... because as soon as you start taking it, you become addicted to its instant gratification, and then have to take it forever. Above and beyond that, it stops working eventually because, like everything else, your body builds up a tollerance for it, and its stops working for you eventually. Usually when the problem is so bad that you can't function without it.

    :huh:

    My husband had PF and had to go to the doctor to get cortizone shots and had to take anti inflamatories. He never became "addicted' to them. As soon as his foot started feeling better and he had minimal pain he stopped getting the shots. It's not something that they make you do forever. He wasn't sitting at home shooting himself up with the stuff it was done at the doctors office.

    ETA: I am sure there are people out there who do get addicted to it but this isn't something that they give you an RX for and you do it yourself at home.
  • yo_andi
    yo_andi Posts: 2,178 Member
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    new balance minimus shoes.

    i know i know, not a lot of support which is what your foot needs. but the support of shoes and custom orthodics treat the symptoms, not the disease.

    i had PF and achilles tendonitis. i did everything you did for years. the thing that finally helped me was getting a pair of new balance minimus shoes (trail running ones) because my personal trainer recommended them for weight lifting. i started wearing them little by little, just to the gym to lift, and to walk to and from there. then i started wearing them more often, to run errands or go to work.

    then one day i realized that i had been waking up every morning, and not limping around. i think it was a combination of everything: of exercising, lifting weights, stretching, wearing the boot at night... but the glue that held it all together were those shoes.

    QFT. But mine did take a very long time to heal. Upwards of a year. Sadly, there is no quick fix.
  • GormanGhaste
    GormanGhaste Posts: 430 Member
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    What kind of exercise are you doing? You may need to temporarily give up high-impact exercises to give it a chance to heal. If even walking aggravates it, maybe try water aerobics?
  • Patrick0321
    Patrick0321 Posts: 102 Member
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    Taping before exercise like the video below also helped me.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wy1ZEJ-kKTg
  • Doodlewhopper
    Doodlewhopper Posts: 1,018 Member
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    new balance minimus shoes.

    i know i know, not a lot of support which is what your foot needs. but the support of shoes and custom orthodics treat the symptoms, not the disease.

    i had PF and achilles tendonitis. i did everything you did for years. the thing that finally helped me was getting a pair of new balance minimus shoes (trail running ones) because my personal trainer recommended them for weight lifting. i started wearing them little by little, just to the gym to lift, and to walk to and from there. then i started wearing them more often, to run errands or go to work.

    then one day i realized that i had been waking up every morning, and not limping around. i think it was a combination of everything: of exercising, lifting weights, stretching, wearing the boot at night... but the glue that held it all together were those shoes.

    ^^^ This but after the inflamation has settled down and everything has healed.

    Plantar fascia is an extension of the achilles, and plantar fasciitis is an inflammation of these tendons. It is thought to be caused by tight calfs and poor ankle range of motion.

    Take NSAIDs and ice, use a boot or sock at night. Keep the foot immobile for a while and try to stay off it until the pain goes away. Be patient.

    A tendon takes a long time to heal because it doesnt have a lot of blood flow. Ultra sonic treatment is the best for increasing blood flow. A good strong vibrator massager is a good secondary means to stimulate the blood flow.

    After things cool down a bit start doing toe and calf stretches, (check youtube)

    Also check youtube for Low-Dye Taping.

    Wearing orthotics and motion control arch supported shoes will only address the symptoms. Build your feet and work to increase their flexibility as well as your calfs.

    Shoes caused much of your problem. You have weak and flaccid feet. To prevent PF go barefoot every opportunity and wear minimalist shoes.

    I cant stress the importance of using the vibrator massager enough to increase the blood flow - and be sure to use it on the calfs!
  • sunshineanstars
    sunshineanstars Posts: 109
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    Bump
  • vickeydorton
    vickeydorton Posts: 24 Member
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    I used to be a manager for a place that sold diabetic shoes- never go barefooted and it will help you out , always wear tennis shoes over sandles

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