Plantar fasciitis--what can I do?

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emilycarr71404
emilycarr71404 Posts: 176 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
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?
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Replies

  • Alex_is_Hawks
    Alex_is_Hawks Posts: 3,499 Member
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    my mother wears crocs and uses KT tape to manage hers...she's a nurse and is on her feet at all hours...
  • SirBonerFart
    SirBonerFart Posts: 1,185 Member
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    Look for shoe inserts that are made out of HARD plastic
    I found some at a sporting store. They will hurt like hell at first but then you'll start feeling better

    Good luck!

    *Not a real doctor
    :flowerforyou:
  • whitecapwendy
    whitecapwendy Posts: 287 Member
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    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)
  • emilycarr71404
    emilycarr71404 Posts: 176 Member
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    Hard plastic? For arch support?
  • bluefox9er
    bluefox9er Posts: 2,917 Member
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    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.
  • SirBonerFart
    SirBonerFart Posts: 1,185 Member
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    Hard plastic? For arch support?

    YES
  • emilycarr71404
    emilycarr71404 Posts: 176 Member
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    What is KT tape and how do you use it to help your foot?
  • acpgee
    acpgee Posts: 7,657 Member
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    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.
  • tripod271
    tripod271 Posts: 112 Member
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    bump
  • BunkyBumBum
    BunkyBumBum Posts: 157 Member
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    I have high arches and used to get this really bad (like, I'd be limping in the evenings because it hurt so much). Using athletic tape to support your arch helps a lot, you cut a strip and center it on the back of your heel, then wrap it around so it crosses at your arch (you can find a diagram online, that's how I figured it out). At night time use cold packs on the bottoms of your feet, and make sure to stretch them a lot (stretch diagrams available online). Also, rolling a tennis ball under my feet helped a lot. Good arch support in your shoes is essential, and my podiatrist fitted me for some SuperFeet ones, they weren't great but they helped.

    Good luck, the good news is, mine went from being so bad I was at the point of my podiatrist recommending night splints to being non-existent as my feet got used to walking on hardwood and I started being more aware of my shoes and replacing them (and my insoles) when the arch support got old.
  • martymid
    martymid Posts: 16 Member
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    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.
  • MacInCali
    MacInCali Posts: 1,042 Member
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    I have flat feet as well and the condition is worse for those of us with little to no arches. =(

    The thing that helped me the most was to wear the brace specifically for this condition overnight while I slept (I found it pretty cheap on Amazon if I remember correctly). The brace basically keeps your foot flexed while you sleep so you are continually stretching your calf muscle. If you're anything like me, the worst of the pain is first thing in the morning.

    If you don't want to purchase a brace, you can try wrapping or taping your foot so that it remains in a flexed position while you sleep.

    And rest. Lots of rest. It really is a b*tch to heal.

    Good luck!!
  • kellyskitties
    kellyskitties Posts: 475 Member
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    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.
  • jennafer32
    jennafer32 Posts: 40 Member
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    I've had this and cleared it up by NOT wearing sketchers ever again! Also rolled my foot a couple times a day on a frozen water bottle. It's usually caused by the shoes you wear or not wearing any. Get you a good pair of shoes with a nice arch support.
  • GiddyupTim
    GiddyupTim Posts: 2,819 Member
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    Go get Superfeet insoles and put them in all your shoes.
    Then stretch, stretch, stretch the bottoms of your feet.
  • kazsjourney
    kazsjourney Posts: 263 Member
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    The only thing that worked for me was fitted orthotics so it prolly depends...I had tried everything injections, rest, exercises, cheap inserts. The fitted inserts improved me within the first week
  • zerryz
    zerryz Posts: 168 Member
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    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!
  • rhinesb
    rhinesb Posts: 204 Member
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    I actually bought a couple of different shoes that claimed to be great but they sucked. I ended up trying EVERY shoe in Academy on and found that I liked Nike Dual Fusion for women. I also bought some Teva Tirra Sport Sandals.

    Google: nike dual fusion shoes for women and Teva Tirra Sport Sandals. They both come in many colors.

    I wear the Teva's in the summer around the house and out and about and the nike dual fusion to work. Of course the dual fusion may not have the colors you want. I ended up buy the black/pink ones. Also you need to try them on at the store and walk around in them. I actually put them on and then wore them while picking out different shoes to try on. Replace them yearly no matter what. Shoes wear out faster than you think. I actually just replaced my Teva's and when I tried on the new pair I'm like oh wow! No wonder my feet started hurting again.

    I actually had a good 8 months of no issues after buying these two shoes. But when they started wearing out my feet started hurting again.
  • lanky007
    lanky007 Posts: 23 Member
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    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
  • S_Arr_Uh
    S_Arr_Uh Posts: 77 Member
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    Had a problem like this last year due to wearing worn out shoes - though I was never officially told it was PF, it's what it felt/sounded like. One day I purchased a pair of Vans and after a few weeks of wearing them and enduring no pain whatsoever (even after walking around WB Studio Tour and Legoland..), I haven't had the pain since :)

    Not saying that Vans will work for everyone, but perhaps give it a go?

    Meanwhile, soak those feet in freezing cold or really warm water after a long day of work/walking around, helps to soothe them. And stretch your feet too (I used to just reverse-curl my toes to stretch the arch-y area)

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