Help: 3 years of plantar fasciitis & heel spurs

littlemegzz
littlemegzz Posts: 292 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Had anyone else had chronic plantar fasciitis & heel spurs? How did you get rid of it?

I’m so exasperated by this. 3+ years now. I have moulded orthotics, have updated them again 3 months ago as well.

After 6 months of only light exercise, my spurs were no longer sore in the mornings. Yesterday, I went to an f45 gym class for a more intense cardio workout. one foot was aching again within only a few hours.

My calves are crazy tight and have been for a long time. Lately, I’ve been trying to actually stretch three times a day. But need to increase the duration (have only been doing about 1min on each leg). Although, After exercising I do do 10-20min of stretching. But it seriously doesn’t feel like the stretching is helping loosen the muscles.

I know my weight cannot help, but these freaking sore feet hinder me from doing exercise I enjoy to help lose it.

Replies

  • kellieolson05
    kellieolson05 Posts: 11 Member
    Have you tried getting a cortisone shot for the plantar facitis? That is the only thing that healed mine after 2 years.
  • littlemegzz
    littlemegzz Posts: 292 Member
    Not yet. I’ve heard mixed responses. From what I’ve read, I’d doesn’t fix the underlying issues causing the pain.

    But I’ll certainly talk to my podiatrist again. I’ve got an appointment this week.
  • ElizabethKalmbach
    ElizabethKalmbach Posts: 1,415 Member
    While you're recovering, you may have some relief by taping the soles of your feet before workouts as well. There are youtube videos on how to go about doing this. It's kind of high maintenance, but if you're on the mend and want to keep up with some light workouts, I have found that this helped.

    I have no experience with heel spurs, though, so I've got nothing for you there.
  • neversaynever_43
    neversaynever_43 Posts: 59 Member
    I swear that this massage actually worked for me after a year:

    https://youtu.be/eW25-VqFqeI

    It could be that it had just run its course and the timing was there. But whenever I get a twinge I do this massage and I feel ok.

    I would also knuckle massage the bottom of my foot. Wouldn’t always feel good but it did eventually.

    Good luck.
  • shannon9874
    shannon9874 Posts: 2 Member
    I have had both at the same time with a slight fracture. My dog dropped her bone on my foot. My doctor gave me two choices: the cortisone shot or take 800mg of IB 3 times a day for 10 days. I decided with the 800mg of IB 3 times a day with metamucil. I changed my exercise to strength training and boxing for cardio. The strength training was using lighter weights with more reps so that I had a cardio effect. Honestly, I got into better shape than ever.
  • LyndaBSS
    LyndaBSS Posts: 6,964 Member
    Years ago, I was in a walking boot for 2 years so my plantar fasciitis could heal. It worked. I haven’t had issues since.

    Good luck! 🍀
  • annshandle
    annshandle Posts: 68 Member
    I've had problems for about a year. I had the shots and they worked temporarily. What has worked since then is these that I got off of Amazon. It's basically support for your arch. They really made a difference for me.
    https://www.amazon.com/SB-SOX-Compression-Sleeves-Women/dp/B078SGZ9DQ/ref=sr_1_4?crid=21J9FYAZCQ64W&dchild=1&keywords=plantar+fasciitis+support&qid=1572893482&sprefix=planter,aps,239&sr=8-4
  • corinasue1143
    corinasue1143 Posts: 7,460 Member
    My plantar fasciitis was caused by a bone spur. I helped it by building muscle on the bottom of my foot to cushion the fascia. It helped. I also did flexibility exercises that helped.
  • girlwithcurls2
    girlwithcurls2 Posts: 2,282 Member
    I have had it twice in the same foot, over 10 years apart. The #1 thing for healing is rest. That means, no weight bearing at all. So, basically impossible if you are an adult with a job. However, the second time I had it, I did everything that the podiatrist told me to do: sleep in a boot, roll my arch over a small hard ball, negative heel raises every other day (2x sets of 12), taping with KT tape, inserts in my shoes, absolutely NO barefoot time, and ZERO weight bearing cardio (I was running). I got into a pool and did a deep water cardio class instead. Even the shallow one irritated my foot. Then I took up swimming laps (had to learn to swim first). Nothing made it go away entirely. I had a fitness goal ahead of me that I was not going to miss. My family and I had planned to climb a volcano as a summer activity and I was absolutely going to make it. I got a shot in November that brought the pain from an 8 to a 2. Then it crept up to a 3 or 4. I went to the podiatrist and told him my goal and he advised me to return for shots prior to the climb. I went back three weeks before, and then two weeks before. The shots worked that time. However, I continued to do all of the PT, and to stay in the pool. It's been 4.5 years, and I am only running one day a week. I substituted swimming and the deep water cardio instead. To be honest, it wasn't worth having it come back. It totally sidelines you. Getting the weight off should help a lot. Maybe there's a nugget in my story to help. Good luck! (And ditch any and all non supportive shoes that you have. They're not helping either.)
  • bethjl96
    bethjl96 Posts: 18 Member
    I had plantar fasciitis a few years ago and tried the cortisone shots too but honestly I think the thing that helped the most was the sock...can’t remember the name of it....but it keeps your foot in a flexed position while I slept and also I rolled it with a ball that had lots of nubby things on it. I believe both of those things plus being better about stretching was what got rid of it
  • fitoverfortymom
    fitoverfortymom Posts: 3,452 Member
    Have you tried physical therapy? Dry needling your calves and compression socks could also aid in relief.

    I stretch my feet every morning before I get out of bed by flexing and holding a flex in my feet for about 29 seconds before my feet hit the ground.

    I also started paying attention to my footwear. I was wearing Danskos a lot, which I thought was helping, but was actually preventing my foot and calves from extending fully and exacerbated the problem.
  • slbbw
    slbbw Posts: 329 Member
    rolling massage. I started with a raquetball under the foot and have since switched to a knobby roller. I do it standing up with strength the fascia. I also use a roller on my lower calves. The two went together for me, so I do recommend working on both. Both areas were tender, but it got better after about a week of rolling every other day
  • kenyonhaff
    kenyonhaff Posts: 1,377 Member
    Losing 40+ pounds of weight made my plantar fasciitis go away pretty much entirely--at least I haven't had a flare up in 4+ years.

    I still make sure to wear supportive shoes if I'm walking any significant amount of time, and I still do feet stretches and strengthening exercises at least a couple times a week.

    Easier said than done, I know. But it can be done.
  • lois1231
    lois1231 Posts: 330 Member
    edited November 2019
    I had plantar fasciitis in the right foot and then the left caused by the treadmill. I tried everything the shots, different shoes, icing, bracing, pt, pain meds, orthotics you name it. It finally went away after a year for each foot. I watched a video by two physical therapists named bob and brad recently. They show a way to tape the foot if you have plantar fasciitis. I haven’t tried it because mine finally went away. Look on you tube under bob and brad physical therapists plantar fasciitis. Nonetheless. I stick to low impact exercise like walking, elliptical, swimming and biking. If I do walk on the treadmill, it is at a very slow pace
  • riffraff2112
    riffraff2112 Posts: 1,756 Member
    arch support insoles did it for me. I stopped wearing them in the last few year and it hasn't come back. I feel your pain, it is an annoying problem to have
  • girlwithcurls2
    girlwithcurls2 Posts: 2,282 Member
    bethjl96 wrote: »
    I had plantar fasciitis a few years ago and tried the cortisone shots too but honestly I think the thing that helped the most was the sock...can’t remember the name of it....but it keeps your foot in a flexed position while I slept and also I rolled it with a ball that had lots of nubby things on it. I believe both of those things plus being better about stretching was what got rid of it

    Strassburg sock. I tried something similar, but it wouldn't hold my foot all night. I found a big, cumbersome boot to be the most effective, although there were nights when I took it off in my sleep because it was uncomfortable.
  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
    Icing, self-massage, stretching, orthotics, shoes from a speciality store.
  • twistedhailstone
    twistedhailstone Posts: 26 Member
    I had it for 2 or 3 years and like most above I’ve tried various things. The one thing I can point out that gave me noticeable relief was changing my trainers to Sketchers Go Walk.
    I’ve not suffered for a while, I don’t know how long as you don’t realise they feel better until weeks or months later. I still buy and use the Skechers Go Walk trainers because they are damn comfy and hopefully they prevent its return.
    Good luck in finding what works for you.
  • Jthanmyfitnesspal
    Jthanmyfitnesspal Posts: 3,522 Member
    I had it as well. I wore a soft boot at night and did PT (a bunch of stretches and strength exercises). It worked!

    You might get the cortisone shot once to get you started in the PT. It is a temporary fix and does have the side effect of weakening tendons (with multiple treatments over time).

    Best of luck.
  • dzstephy
    dzstephy Posts: 357 Member
    Late response. I have plantar fasciitis and heel spurs. I did a round of physical therapy with dry needling therapy. The combination helped a ton. Another thing that helped eliminate the pain was wearing Birkenstocks, Hoka One One gym shoes, and Superfeet insoles.
  • maureenkhilde
    maureenkhilde Posts: 849 Member
    Kenkoh massging sandals. There are youtubes all about them. I have had mine about a month now. They take awhile to get used to. Have arch supports, also lots of nodules that literally massage your feet while wearing them. Can wear barefoot, or with socks. I am still at socks stage. One of the things I was told by my Podriarist was I should never walk around the house in just socks or barefeet anymore. One foot has a heel spur, the other foot has a different issue, but both painful. And yes for everyday wear Birkenstocks.

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