Plantar fasciitis--what can I do?

my mother wears crocs and uses KT tape to manage hers...she's a nurse and is on her feet at all hours...

I don't. I get inserts for my shoes and do stretches to stretch out my calves (the source of my problem is too tight muscles in my calves)

I am terrified that I have this, I have so much pain all the time from my feet. I work in retail and have flat feet. Those of you who have this--what can I do without having to get prescription shoes?

YES to KT Tape and lots of rest.

I also roll my foot over a golf ball on a hard floor,applying pressure..that really helps.

bump

Orthotics with hard plastic or graphite arch support for the day. At night use something like "Gel Arch Wrap by EasyComforts". (Amazon.com) After suffering for 9 months, I got one of these and my fasciitis started to go away in a day or two. In a short time it was gone. If you have high arches, make sure you get orthotics that are for high arches. Stretches - yes.

I was referred to a podiatrist who prescribed calf stretches and gave me off the shelf (ie not custom made) arch supports. My feet are flattish as well. Took a couple of weeks to get rid of symptoms.

The recommended calf stretch was this: Put the edge of a cutting board on a book around two inches thick. A big city phone book would be ideal. Stand on this with your toes raised, for five minutes at a time, a couple of times per day. I set this up at the wash basin, for when I brush my teeth and groom, as well as in the corner of the kitchen.

I have a bad case of this - this stretch really does help. I also live in crocs. Rolling the golf ball helps sometimes. Ice can also help. I was recommended for surgery because of severity (from an x-ray not my complaints) and have delayed that option by years now. I wore crocs when I worked as a bedside nurse and I wear them now for anything I'll be on my feet a long time for. Cute shoes are reserved for "sedentary" days. I even wear them to exercise. I stopped wearing them as much to walk (exercise) and started having serious aching in my legs - knees to ankles - I started back with them and my walking tolerance shot up again. If they ever stop making those things I'll protest.

Go get Superfeet insoles and put them in all your shoes.
Then stretch, stretch, stretch the bottoms of your feet.

First, get a diagnostic to make sure that's what you have.

If that's plantar fasciitis for sure, since you're so young, it may be possible to get rid of it relatively quickly. Here's what you need to do in that order:

1.lose weight, that's 80% of the problem
2.get orthodics, good ones---caveat, they don't work easily with sexy, fashion shoes
3. stretch calves. Best is stand on stairs steps by the toes and a bit of the plant of feet, let heels hang. go slowly
4. Stretch calves... again, and again, and again
5. take advil with Doc's directions (or alternatively add ginger, chia seeds, turmeric and other spices to your food to help with inflammation + fish oil, am still testing this so cannot say if it works)
6. dump cheap shoes. Best brands to use are Dansko, White Mountain Earthies, Jambu (not your sexy shoes, even if the brands try so hard. Select few models are cute though) Crocs totally DON'T work (at least for me, sole too soft)

If you still suffer from it after all that:
7.PT + taping + splint at home
8.Cortisone shot
9. Last resort: Either shockwaves ($$$ not covered by insurance) or "needling" (injecting blood in injured area) + immobilization - this one is drastic and hurts. And may or may not work.

I should probably also mention that you should consider changing jobs cause retail, i.e. standing for long periods of time, goes against the idea of resting which is necessary while you heal.

Finally, once healed, built strength in your core and legs to equalize the amount of work required to carry your weight throughout your body, hopefully helping to reduce the stress on your plantar area.

I never considered surgery as an option. As it can screw up other things based on the experience of people I've talked to. Never managed to get rid of mine which has become a chronic condition.

Good luck!

I have it.....tape your feet...if you do not know how look on you tube...they have several different ways to do it...pick the one that work the bet for you.....taping has made a world of difference. Shoes do make a difference....pricey but wonderful.....Avia gels....$100 or more.......what a dream.....cushy cushy cushy........find a good insole......wear it always.......they well a heel cup at most drugstore that works pretty well for some......stretch in the am and pm......#1 hint...Avia shoes...sneakers....their serious running shoes....amazing difference......good luck....it is a painful condition with no quick fixes....I have had mine 18 months and it is finally esaing up a little but still would not dream of walking around in my bare feet like I loved to do

Here is what has helped me and is still helping me:

You need Hard insole because the soft ones make it so much worse. It sounds weird but is true you may have to slowly work into them were the for a few hours at a time. I was like you and though HARD are you serious but it works!!!

Birkenstocks are amazing for shoes or sandals they actually have cute sandals.

Tape your arches

Stand up and roll your foot on a golf ball best massage ever

Also trusty IBProfin.

I had plantar fasciitis and taping was the best treatment for me. There is some great information about taping the foot for plantar fasciitis in elrofeet.com
http://www.plantar-fasciitis-elrofeet.com/plantar_fasciitis_taping.html

lose weight
(although this won't help in the short-term)

get MBT's shoes. they are expensive and ugly but wear them ALL THE TIME. as soon as your feet hit the floor out of bed in the morning until you step into the shower or bed again at night.

overnight wear foot/ankle stretchers which keep your feet flexed all night. check online, you will have to spend some money to get GOOD ONES that aren't cheap and won't fall off. (the sock ones are a joke, get the big huge ones that look like casts for if you broke your feet)

i had this so bad that i literally couldn't walk. it was after the birth of my daughter and much of her first weeks i spent in bed in horrific pain. after i lost weight and did the things above, i now live completely pain free and i've never had a problem with it again.

good luck

Hi there -

I dealt with a bout of PF in from 2006-2007. Found the following product via a friend who had terrible foot pain. HTP inserts actually cured the PF in about 6 months. After 3, I felt really, really good. I only wear them from time to time, but really don't use them at all anymore. Stretching helps also. You can find some good stretches on the internet. But, I'd try the heel inserts. Honestly -- they were total magic for me and my friend. Good luck!

http://www.heel-that-pain.com/heel_seats.php

The dr scholls inserts actually say it is for plantar fasciitis. I just bought some today caus they are also suppose to help with shin splints. So I don't know if they work but the package says it helps. It was $21, and its the active series for "athletes"