Plantar Fasciitis.... tips?

Leannep2201
Leannep2201 Posts: 441 Member
edited November 26 in Fitness and Exercise
Over the last couple of weeks I’ve been suffering with Plantar Fasciitis in my right foot (self diagnosed, but I’ve had it before so pretty sure that’s what it is).
I’ve kind of just pushed through but it’s been pretty uncomfortable. May end up going to the Dr yet but I think that last time I had it, I was just told that it would go away on its own and just to rest it. Pretty hard to do that at work though- I usually have to be reasonably active during the day.

Who’s had this before? And what has helped? I’ve bought some insoles which I use, and put ice on it in the evening.... but any other tips would be appreciated, because it’s starting to limit my movement more than I would like!
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Replies

  • mkculs
    mkculs Posts: 316 Member
    If you can see an orthopedic doctor and get fitted for inserts, do that. The over-the-counter ones can help, but fitted ones make a bigger difference. Also, look online for exercises for your feet, and do them!! Finally, I get a lot of relief from massaging my own feet after a run/walk. It doesn't feel as good during the massage as when someone else does it, but the after-effect is the same.

    I wish I could find someone who just LOVED massaging my feet! :)
  • rileyes
    rileyes Posts: 1,406 Member
    Strasberg sock and “fashionable” Crocs.
  • MissMaggieMuffin
    MissMaggieMuffin Posts: 444 Member
    Used a night splint - same idea as the Strassburg sock - and has good results with that.
  • Leannep2201
    Leannep2201 Posts: 441 Member
    Just had to google a Strasburg sock.... will have to see if I can get one, but wow they don’t look like they’re cheap in my country!
  • bethjl96
    bethjl96 Posts: 18 Member
    I did the frozen water bottle and a lacrose ball but what reallly helped me was a ball you can buy that has a bunch of little knobby things on it...don’t remember the name but I think it helped to break things up...also the Strauss sock worked very well for me
  • seltzermint555
    seltzermint555 Posts: 10,740 Member
    garystrickland357 wrote: »
    jwcannon70 wrote: »
    When I suffer from it, I use to freeze a bottled water. When it was frozen, I would lay it on the floor and roll my foot over it in a back and forth motion. This helped me a lot.

    This ^^^ I would also roll a tennis ball under my feet. That helped me.

    I did this as well as using a regular can (like canned peas) and rolling it under my feet. Helped a ton. I googled exercises and they really did help. At the time, I worked on my feet all day and it was excruciating at times but another thing that helped me very much was wearing shoes or sandals by Keen brand. I don't know what the fit issue was that helped me so much but I do know I've stuck with their sandals for hiking and walking for years and very rarely have any foot pain. Good luck!

  • Momepro
    Momepro Posts: 1,509 Member
    edited May 2018
    Last year I hsd one snap on me bad enough, that I was literally out of work for several months. Not fun. In fact, that was what caused me to to really start taking this weight and excercise stuff seriously. I LOVE my job, and cannot stand the thought of losing it to getting injured again just for being fat and out of shape. I'd already had to quit grooming for a similar reason.
    The inserts, well padded shoes (inserts go on top of pads, or the pads will mess up the shape) icy foot baths to bring down swelling, and look up excercises for strengthening and loosening foot, leg and plantar muscles. Many of them can easily be done during the day at work or in front of the tv. And if you do feel a snap DO NOT IGNORE IT, you can easily permanently injure yourself if it snaps and does not heal correctly.
  • jshaw2025
    jshaw2025 Posts: 61 Member
    Definitely roll a tennis ball for several minutes multiple times per day. Calf stretch with a folded towel beneath your first two toes is also good. If it continues a physical therapist (or physio depending where you're from) can work wonders.
  • Leannep2201
    Leannep2201 Posts: 441 Member
    Wow, thanks for all the replies! I’ll keep going with the ice and will look into a night spring or something. Will try the frozen water bottle and tennis ball. Unfortunately I’m intolerant to NSAIDs so can’t take ibuprofen, but some great suggestions here! Thanks all!
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
    I did ALL of these things to treat plantars fasciitis, but I did not get permanent relief until I lost significant weight.
    The stretching exercises (toe stretch) I would do throughout the day at my desk, whenever I would feel a twinge.

    https://www.slideshare.net/feetgenius/5-effective-plantar-fasciitis-stretch-exercises-to-sooth-heel-pain

    Please don't motor through ignoring it next time. Doing this just inflames it further and delays healing (which can take over a year).
  • 90kgToNewMe
    90kgToNewMe Posts: 52 Member
    Ultimately time fixed it for me.

    However I wear sneakers most of the time and suportive lace up shoes for work. I have orthotics but prefer the comfort of running shoes/sneakers. My podiatrist told me as long as I wear supportive shoes most of the time I can wear other shoes 10% of the time. I was told to ice my feet by everyone but one podiatrist I saw told me not to massage the feet or rub a ball on the sole as the plantar fasciitis is not a muscle and it could aggravate any tears which might be causing the pain.

    Whilst I’m completely pain free at the moment, a few weeks ago I went on the running machine for three days in one week and could feel mild plantar fasciitis which took a week of no running to go away. I can’t help but feel it will always be in the background and my feet will always require ongoing “maintenance”.
  • TiisTitanium
    TiisTitanium Posts: 235 Member
    Are you a runner? If you are there is great book called Ready to Run which focused a lot on foot health and managing foot related injuries with lots of good mobility drills.

    https://www.amazon.com/Ready-Run-Unlocking-Potential-Naturally/dp/1628600098

    A tennis ball might be a little bit too big for good myofascial release of the feet. People usually recommend a slightly smaller ball - i always have a bouncy ball that they like to sell at the checkout of sports stores which is a good multipurpose tool.
  • 30kgin2017
    30kgin2017 Posts: 228 Member
    In addition to the above I was initially prescribed a compression sock for 3 months all day off for sleep. Then transitioned to wearing for exercise only. That was by a podiatrist.
  • 0ysterboy
    0ysterboy Posts: 192 Member
    I find that the splint is more comfortable than a Strasburg sock but YMMV. One thing I have also found to help are PF socks from Feetures. They are very supportive through the arch.

    https://feetures.com/collections/womens-pf-relief-socks#!

  • tirowow12385
    tirowow12385 Posts: 697 Member
    Bear less weight on it, sit more, lose weight it will prevent it.
  • Cheery83
    Cheery83 Posts: 208 Member
    Magnesium and kalsium could help. YouTube also have some great excersizes før it
  • ffswmn
    ffswmn Posts: 30 Member
    Stretching, ice (freeze water in a water bottle and then roll your foot on it), ibuprofen. Mine was so bad I had to go to the doctor and get a shot. He also told me to not wear flip flops, or sandals, but a good athletic shoe, all the time.
  • cardio_enthusiast
    cardio_enthusiast Posts: 639 Member
    edited May 2018
    I had plantar fasciitis that only recently began to go away—it’s taken 1.5 years. Yikes! I tried it all; calf massage, stretching my foot, posterior and anterior night splint, ice, rolling my foot on tennis ball/ golf ball/ racquetball/ baseball.

    Here’s what worked for me:

    #1-tincture of time, followed closely by...
    -not running for a period of time
    -series of 3 cortisone injections
    -never walking barefoot
    -wearing hard soled slippers around the house
    -using either prescription orthotics or good supportive inserts, like Superfeet
    -not wearing flip flops, except Superfeet flip flops
    -doing a lot of eccentric calf stretches

    I really do wish you the best! It sounds like a lot of people have offered some great suggestions. Just try out a few things, and see what works best for yourself
  • Leannep2201
    Leannep2201 Posts: 441 Member
    I really appreciate all the suggestions! I’ve had it before so if it doesn’t seem to improve I’ll go and see my Dr. Specialists are really expensive here unless referred by a Dr, so I’ll definitely be looking for a referral if it comes to that.
    Have lost a good amount of weight already, but hopefully continuing to lose will help! I still have further to go to get to goal.
    I used a golf ball last night, and that seemed to help a lot. Will keep doing that and the ice, and wearing my shoes with inserts and will see how I go. Fingers crossed!
  • Silkysausage
    Silkysausage Posts: 502 Member
    jwcannon70 wrote: »
    When I suffer from it, I use to freeze a bottled water. When it was frozen, I would lay it on the floor and roll my foot over it in a back and forth motion. This helped me a lot.

    This! You can use a 500ml coke bottle as it has a texture to it.
  • CTcutie
    CTcutie Posts: 649 Member
    Yoga- seriously worth a shot. Worked for me :-)
  • mulecanter
    mulecanter Posts: 1,792 Member
    A podiatrist prescribed a potent anti-inflammatory for me, it cleared it right up. Stretching is important.
  • DWBalboa
    DWBalboa Posts: 37,259 Member
    After the cortisone injection, what has helped me the most is wearing crocs or for my cheap *kitten* knock-offs. I was a typical country boy and went barefooted every chance I got. I miss having my feet in touch with mother earth. But ever since I started wearing the croc's when not in shoes or boots I have greatly improved.
    Also I was taking a water bottle and freezing it, then using it as a roller to stretch my foot. Just place it on the ground and with a sock on your foot, roll the bottle under your foot.
    There are also a lot of good stretches you can find on the internet.
    Actually now that I think about it the crocs have done more than anything including the injection. I had one injection over two years ago and the crocs have done the rest.
    I also have a brace for sleeping but I have not needed it in over a year.
    FYI, it has also helped losing a few pounds.
    Best of luck to you with this.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    I have a knobby massage roller specifically for it. Also stretching. If it's really bad, they make a boot that you wear at night that will stretch it.

    My podiatrist fitted me with custom inserts and that has helped a ton...I get flare ups here and there, but nothing like I used to.
  • Ghostofachance
    Ghostofachance Posts: 305 Member
    After I was diagnosed with it a couple of years ago, I bought a textured roller that you can freeze; it works really well when my feet ache. My doctor also recommended picking up a washcloth or pencil with my toes, it stretches the tendon that causes the issue and increases the strength in your foot - it sounds odd, but it works.
  • DWBalboa
    DWBalboa Posts: 37,259 Member
    DWBalboa wrote: »
    After the cortisone injection, what has helped me the most is wearing crocs or for my cheap *kitten* knock-offs. I was a typical country boy and went barefooted every chance I got. I miss having my feet in touch with mother earth. But ever since I started wearing the croc's when not in shoes or boots I have greatly improved.
    Also I was taking a water bottle and freezing it, then using it as a roller to stretch my foot. Just place it on the ground and with a sock on your foot, roll the bottle under your foot.
    There are also a lot of good stretches you can find on the internet.
    Actually now that I think about it the crocs have done more than anything including the injection. I had one injection over two years ago and the crocs have done the rest.
    I also have a brace for sleeping but I have not needed it in over a year.
    FYI, it has also helped losing a few pounds.
    Best of luck to you with this.

    Additional advice.

    Go get it checked out by a Doc. X-rays of mine revealed that I have a bone spur that causes further aggravation.
    The Doc informed me that if I did not control the pain and the situation that I would eventually need surgery to remove the spur. She also informed me that it is very invasive and should be avoided at all possible means.
    All the aforementioned has greatly reduced my flare ups. To the point that I can hike for a full day with only minimal soreness.
    I have also gotten really good about identifying when I was having a flare up. Not sure about others but for me it’s when my calf starts to get tight.
    I wish you the best with this, I know firsthand how bad the pain can be.
  • emcclure013
    emcclure013 Posts: 231 Member
    I had heel pain for months before I finally cracked and went to see a podiatrist. Turned out I had a cyst on my heel that was causing a lot of inflammation and it wouldn't go away by home treatments alone, and by not getting it checked out I risked a major injury that would've resulted in surgery. The above posters have a lot of great advice, but don't be afraid to get an x-ray to see what's really going on. Best of luck to you!
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