Looking for plantar fasciitis and food service friends...

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CarlaNeverGivenUp
CarlaNeverGivenUp Posts: 108 Member
in Introduce Yourself
Just went to Physical Therapist today and what I thought to be was...struggling with plantar fasciitis again...had a bout 5 years ago.

Looking for friends that struggle with this who like some encouragement and to give some too!

I'm almost half way to my first weight loss goal and am getting ready to start a job in a few weeks as lunch lady at local school. I'm really excited about the job as it is part time and physical but also recognize I've got to get this under control!

I'm committed to daily stretching, and icing. Dropping back my walking to every other day 2 miles max and integrating biking on in-betweens. I'm not a big bike lover but I am committed.


Also looking for those who work in food service and suggestions on balancing all of it...exercise and food...

Replies

  • BrookeBQ
    BrookeBQ Posts: 163 Member
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    I have plantar fasciitis! It sucks. I'll add you and anyone can add me too.
  • JulieGirl58
    JulieGirl58 Posts: 158 Member
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    mine took 18 months to heal. Now I'm afraid to walk or dance for fear I'll get it again. I ride my recumbent bike instead. Now I am fighting knee pain but biking helps that too. Friend me if you like. I'll try hard to keep you feeling positive and hopeful.
  • MinMin97
    MinMin97 Posts: 2,676 Member
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    I have to giggle a little....I have 5 children, therefore I am in food service. Also I recently went through that problem, this Spring, and now I am all better! We could probably share!:happy:
  • pennelope515
    pennelope515 Posts: 369
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    I have been battling it for over 2 years now. I have done the shot and am on daily meds to manage the meds. It is the worst! I don't work in the food service though, so I can't help you with that one.

    Good Luck!
  • asp415
    asp415 Posts: 1,492 Member
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    I have PF (got it about 3mos ago) but I don't work in food service. After letting it rest for a few weeks I'm back to running, but only a max of every other day, icing & stretching. Some days it hurts more than others, but I don't let it stop me from doing what I love.
  • salladeve
    salladeve Posts: 1,053 Member
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    I've had PF for about a year. 6 months ago I thought I would be on a walker or cane before the end of the year. This is one of the main reasons that I decided to make a change in my diet and lose some weight, as all my research indicates that weight will only make it worse.

    So I bought a new pair of very good walking shoes, put in athletic insoles, and started walking 3/4 times per week. In the beginning I was only walking 20 minutes or so at a very slow pace, and would come home and ice and rest. I was taping my heel and ankle also, as the support on my ankle seemed to help the pain in my heel. Durning this time I never went barefoot, I wore shoes at all times, I was told that was very important.

    The pain slowly got better, the more weight I lost the more I was able to walk. Now I walk about 40-60 minutes 4/5 times per week, and as of 2 weeks ago I am pain free! I never thought I would ever be without this pain, and I am very afraid of it coming back.

    For you with a job where you are on your feet, may I suggest the you invest in a really good pair of shoes with thick soles, arch support, and gel heels. Also the the athletic insoles, I do think it will make a difference.
  • fatty2fabulous77
    fatty2fabulous77 Posts: 19 Member
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    Hi iam new and also have plantar fasciitis it is making exercising almost impossible but im trying to hang in there im praying this weeks dose of prednisone wont cause me to gain the weight I just tried so hard to loose.. I don't have any friends yet so anyone can add me im trying to figure this site out..lol cant figure out how to read someones food diary if its public a friend of mine suggested I look at hers! best of luck to everyone I have 100 lbs + to loose to hit my goal weight!
  • therevenantchoir
    therevenantchoir Posts: 8
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    I have plantar fasciitis as well. My right ankle pronates horribly, and it's caused me a lot of pain in that foot for basically as long as I can remember. It recently got much worse, which led me to the plantar fasciitis diagnosis. Arch supports have been so-so with helping, so I'm really hoping that getting some weight off my feet might lessen the pain.

    It's funny, because I have an entirely outdoor job during the spring where I'm walking on hard pavement for eight hours a day, but I've actually found that my foot hurts a lot worse when I'm spending a day walking inside on tile or carpet instead.
  • MichelleMac58
    MichelleMac58 Posts: 77 Member
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    Had it several years ago and lasted several months....most painful when you first get up in the am and put your feet on the floor...after a few minutes of walking the pain subsides.....lousy condition to have! Stretching the foot (balance your toes on a stair with your heels hanging over and lift up and down to stretch that cord of muscle) as you described is what is recommended as well as icing and wearing ortho pads to cushion.....I thought I would lose my mind but eventually it did go away. Poor footwear and weight gain or just overdoing the walking/running, etc...are the major causes....Good Luck and add me if you like.
  • YoBecca
    YoBecca Posts: 167
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    I've had if for more than 4 years, and had it under control for the last 2. These are the things that worked for me. They aren't cheap, but they work:

    - Get a pair of (real) Birkenstocks. Wear them like house shoes - never walk barefoot, slip on your birks straight out of bed and wear them as much as possible. I wear them all the time unless I'm working out or at work. Don't get the betula line or any of the narrower spin-offs, just a classic Birkenstock.

    - Get a pair of Birkenstock insoles and wear them in all your work shoes - I am assuming you can wear sneakers or loafers. Birkenstock insoles fit in all flat shoe styles except for really skinny dress flats. They are pricey, but you can move one pair between shoes

    - the birkenstocks & insoles provide awesome arch support and keep some of the weight off the center of your heels by redistributing it across your foot and to the edges of your heels. They are far more effective than soft insoles, which make everything squishy but your weight is still distributed the same way

    - Get some Strassburg socks to sleep in. They are super unsexy, but they keep your foot flexed while you sleep and so that the facia can't get as inflamed. I've tried the cheaper CVS boot styles - the sock is better/more effective and easier to sleep in.

    - stretch the minute you get out of bed, and before you go to bed. Downward dog is your friend.

    -if you can afford it, see a physical therapist who does ART (active release technique) or Graston technique. I've tried a lot of methods, and these are the ones that have worked for me. The podiatrist was happy to give me prescription meds and squishy insoles and let me just live in pain - the PT actually helped me recover. My insurance covers PT, so I can go for just a co-pay- but otherwise it can get pricey. Look for a sports medicine PT, not just one that focuses on rehab exercises.

    Good luck on your new job - sounds great. PF sucks big time, but it can be gotten under control. It just isn't fast (and, for me at least, wasn't cheap).

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