Plantar fasciitis

lauraesh0384
lauraesh0384 Posts: 463 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I've been battling with plantar fasciitis for the past 3 months and it's frustrating me to no end. Some days it's tolerable and other days I'm practically hobbling around with the weight on the front of my foot. I've tried stretching, icing (which seems to make it worse), wearing supportive shoes, orthotics (but not the expensive custom ones). I finally broke down and started taking ibuprofen tonight. Unfortunately rest isn't much of an option as I have a fairly active job since I'm a vet tech and I'm a single mom to an 8 month old baby. Is this something I'm just going to have to live with or does it become more tolerable over time? I don't really do intentional exercise, so most of my activity is from walking, but most days I'm around 10k steps or more.

Replies

  • SandyH2015
    SandyH2015 Posts: 95 Member
    For me the key is really good shoes. I've had luck with Vionic, Hotter and Aetrex. I also avoid going barefoot except in the shower. I keep a pair of Vionic flip flops by my bed and I slip them on when I get up. They are my "house shoes". I never ever wear cheap, flat shoes, sandals or flip flops. I've been pain free for a year by changing my foot wear. Best wishes.
  • Vune
    Vune Posts: 674 Member
    I agree. The right pair of shoes is always worth the investment. Also, I notice that you mentioned ice makes it worse. Have you tried heat?
  • Evelyn_Gorfram
    Evelyn_Gorfram Posts: 706 Member
    edited September 2018
    Ditto what the earlier posters have said. The best shoes you can manage, and never barefoot when there's weight on your feet. I'll add:

    - Arch support. All my shoes must have arch support. When shoe shopping, I look first for arch support, and only second to see whether they have my size.

    - Has your podiatrist recommended the exercise where you (try to) pick up a pencil with your toes? I've found it helps. Rolling a tennis ball or a rolling pin around with the sole of your foot helps too, and can feel absolutely great.

    - Re: Icing. This sound nuts, and it can get kind of messy; but my podiatrist recommended it and I found it helpful. Alternate soaking your feet in ice water (as cold as you can stand) and hot water (as warm as you can stand), up to 20 minutes in one temp before switching to the other. The idea is that, since the circulation to the plantar fascia is poor at best, this helps constrict and re-open what blood vessels are there and "pumps" in fresh blood to help with healing.

  • girlwithcurls2
    girlwithcurls2 Posts: 2,281 Member
    Put "plantar fasciitis" in this searchbar and you'll get loads of people with suggestions. I have answered these posts over and over. I had it terribly for a year in my left foot. What finally did it was the shots (not always helpful for people). BUT, I still do all of the other recommended things that you read above, plus others. Good luck. It's terrible, especially with an active job and a baby! Good shoes are a MUST. And NEVER, EVER go barefoot.
  • Leannep2201
    Leannep2201 Posts: 441 Member
    edited September 2018
    I couldn’t afford expensive shoes, so got inserts with good arch support instead. They helped heaps. The pain has gradually decreased over time to the point where it has nearly gone, unless I do something to aggravate it- like my 6 hour hike last weekend! It hurt a little after that!
  • yayamom3
    yayamom3 Posts: 939 Member
    I wear nothing but Birkenstocks and that has solved about 90% of the problem for me. When I do get a minor flare-up (only happens in my left foot), I do the exercise where you stand on a step, grip it with your toes and let your heels hang down. I hold it for 30-60 seconds, and it gives me instant relief.

    My coworker was really struggling. He bought special shoe inserts and bought one of those braces that you sleep in. He has seen great improvement.
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
    OUCH! My son (he's 24) had a really bad bout of this back in May, it took him taking strong anti inflammatories for 3 weeks until it improved so stick with taking them for now and as the others say...GOOD SHOES with support is key. (my son got his from walking miles and miles on holidays in his Converse trainers - bad idea!)
  • urloved33
    urloved33 Posts: 3,323 Member
    for me it was walking barefoot as often as I could. it took about a year to go away. did yoga poses for it daily..and stretched it often.
  • luvtcuk
    luvtcuk Posts: 69 Member
    1. Boot for plantar fasciitis. Check on amazon.
    2. Calf raises exercise.
    Those work for me. But good shoes definitely. Never wear flip flop.
  • ziesergirl_66
    ziesergirl_66 Posts: 1,016 Member
    I've had 3 really bad episodes of this in my adult life. Seen 2 different dr's, had cortisone shots (which never lasted more than a month), gone to weeks of therapy, & in-home therapy. Even had it in both feet for almost a year. It's a real bummer when it's flared up.
    What helped me the most -- good shoes, & not going barefoot, or even wearing flip flops.
    Hope you get some relief soon. Best wishes!
  • lauraesh0384
    lauraesh0384 Posts: 463 Member
    I never wear flip flops as I've never found them comfortable. I can pinpoint the exact cause of it. I walked 20k steps one day with the majority of them being on pavement at a park. I was still in the process of losing my baby weight so I was still a little bit over 200 lbs. My high weight was 260 until the end of my pregnancy. I never walked that much until I was around 175. Had I know then what I know now, I would had never done it. I'm around 193 now and I just bought a new pair of really expensive ASICS and they already feel better than the Nikes I was wearing. The pain is still there but not as bad. I'll just keep doing the stretched and ibuprofen and be patient. I've never dealt with foot pain before this really, so it sucks!!
  • AliNouveau
    AliNouveau Posts: 36,287 Member
    Stretch it. Roll a frozen bottle of water under it.

    I have Asics and they are heavenly. I can wear nikes because they have always messed with my feet

    I went to physio for this. Before getting out of bed in the morning pull your toes back to stretch your foot. I find that helpful. I have some arch supports i got just at the drug store. It will go away just takes time and might flare-up, as mine did, when your shoes breakdown
  • Evelyn_Gorfram
    Evelyn_Gorfram Posts: 706 Member
    AliNouveau wrote: »
    Before getting out of bed in the morning pull your toes back to stretch your foot.
    ^Yes^This^ A huge pain-saver for me.

  • AliNouveau
    AliNouveau Posts: 36,287 Member
    Evelyn_Gorfram wrote: »
    AliNouveau wrote: »
    Before getting out of bed in the morning pull your toes back to stretch your foot.
    ^Yes^This^ A huge pain-saver for me.

    Difference between walking to the bathroom first thing or hobbling and cursing all the way
  • GiddyupTim
    GiddyupTim Posts: 2,819 Member
    edited September 2018
    Get Superfeet insoles for all of your shoes. They are sold at any running shoe store.
    Then do the stretch shown in the link i am posting below. Because you fold your toes back towards your shins, this stretch is more intense through the bottom of your foot than pushing against a wall or letting your heels drop off a step.
    This stretch absolutely works. But, of course, plantar fascia takes a while to heal, which is why you need the Superfeet in the meantime.
    http://nesportandspine.com/sites/default/files/plantarfasciitisteachingsheet.pdf
    Below is a link to a journal report on the success of the stretch on pubmed.
    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16882901
    Somebody above mentioned stretching out your feet before getting out of bed in the morning. That is a good idea.
    But -- bottom line -- give it some time. Healing comes a bit slowly.
  • njitaliana
    njitaliana Posts: 814 Member
    I went for physical therapy with a therapist that specialized in plantar fasciitis and I got Superfeet orthotics and running shoes. It went away and hasn't come back.
  • lauraesh0384
    lauraesh0384 Posts: 463 Member
    njitaliana wrote: »
    I went for physical therapy with a therapist that specialized in plantar fasciitis and I got Superfeet orthotics and running shoes. It went away and hasn't come back.

    I was looking at the Superfeet insoles but I wasn't quite sure which ones to get.
  • James_1954
    James_1954 Posts: 187 Member
    Have you seen a doctor? I had PF some years ago, and went to my primary-care, who diagnosed it. She prescribed me some sort of anti-inflammatory (I can't remember now; it was just a one-time prescription) and assigned me some foot-stretching exercises. The prescription knocked the pain down right away, and I did the exercises, and it never came back (so far!). The best exercise for me was the one where you plant just the front part of the foot on a stairstep, let all your weight rest on that, and flex your heel downward and hold that for 30 seconds. Then change feet, and repeat for two full cycles. I've kept that one up, because I never want those little blackshirted fascists messing with my feet again. That stuff HURTS! (As you know.)
  • candicew70
    candicew70 Posts: 74 Member
    Get one of those boots and wear it at night. Yes, it's bulky and awkward but your feet curve while you sleep, and you have to keep stretching it out. This and better shoes, etc.
  • moogie_fit
    moogie_fit Posts: 280 Member
    Roll out the bridge of your foot. I got shockwave there and it fixed it!!

    Also strongly recommend seeing a chiropodist or similar for help
  • litoria
    litoria Posts: 239 Member
    I struggled with this on and off for months, some things worked, others worked some times and not others. In my case, the plantar fasciitis was caused by a tight soleus muscle in my calf (often the cause of this) and I have started using long compression socks whilst running. It hasn't fixed the problem but it's been a great strategy to minimise pain that used to discourage me from running
  • oedipuss
    oedipuss Posts: 51 Member
    Ugh horrible thing that plantar fasciitis. I had it along with adhesive capsulitis (frozen shoulder) as part of a "welcome pack to your new autoimmune condition" pre-diagnosis of Hashimoto's thyroiditis.
    Every morning and a couple of times during the day I did these exercises.....

    https://www.healthline.com/health/fitness-exercise/plantar-fasciitis-stretches

    These helped massively and I bought off-the-peg orthotic arch supports from a pharmacy to put in my shoes and/or trainers as needed. Very comfortable and supportive. Don't get the problem anymore, touch wood.

  • AliNouveau
    AliNouveau Posts: 36,287 Member
    James_1954 wrote: »
    Have you seen a doctor? I had PF some years ago, and went to my primary-care, who diagnosed it. She prescribed me some sort of anti-inflammatory (I can't remember now; it was just a one-time prescription) and assigned me some foot-stretching exercises. The prescription knocked the pain down right away, and I did the exercises, and it never came back (so far!). The best exercise for me was the one where you plant just the front part of the foot on a stairstep, let all your weight rest on that, and flex your heel downward and hold that for 30 seconds. Then change feet, and repeat for two full cycles. I've kept that one up, because I never want those little blackshirted fascists messing with my feet again. That stuff HURTS! (As you know.)

    Naproxen? You can take Aleve. I have. A hug bottle if that. :)
  • ff41128
    ff41128 Posts: 23 Member
    Typically it will become bare able with another inflammatory meds shush as ibuprofen naproxen or Monica which is given by the dr. However if left untreated can get worse and way to correct that I see most ppl doing is surgery.
  • flowerhorsey
    flowerhorsey Posts: 154 Member
    What others have said, and if it hasn't been said: learn how to wrap your feet either from YouTube or Dr and copy and do daily.. That plus never going barefoot, orthotics, losing weight, avoiding cement has made mine practically disappear.
  • annaskiski
    annaskiski Posts: 1,212 Member
    Reviving this thread to say 'Thank you!' to @SandyH2015, Aetrex has changed my life..

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