Plantar fasciitis

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Thickivory
Thickivory Posts: 36 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I have plantar fasciitis and walking is down right painful. A treadmill is out of the question for cardio anyone got any good low impact on feet workouts besides the elliptical? I'm currently going to doc for my feet but losing weight is the main thing I got to focus on. Kinda hard to do when. Ur foot hurts.

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  • justanotherguy2020
    justanotherguy2020 Posts: 223 Member
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    I’ve had this too!! It sucks! Best to let it rest and not aggravate it. Stretching helps big time along with Advil which will help with swelling. When it starts to get better, invest in a good pair of walking shoes and walk walk walk... no running!
  • melodyvegan
    melodyvegan Posts: 59 Member
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    I empathize with your foot pain! The best thing for plantar fasciitis is first, to rest and to stop doing the exercise that makes it worse. My PF was so bad years back that I was getting steroid injections in both feet to manage pain.

    I second getting good walking shoes; if you can, I recommend going to a walking/running store that can analyze your gait to get properly fitted for supportive walking shoes. I also have flat feet so in addition to supportive shoes, I got custom-ish inserts at the Good Feet store which were a game changer. Getting fitted for shoes will help make walking less painful. When I first started losing weight (which I needed to do to put less pressure on my poor flat feet), my podiatrist recommended cycling (stationary or recumbent bike). It helped a lot in the beginning, before I got proper shoes and inserts...after which I started walking and jogging.

    Good luck!
  • GiddyupTim
    GiddyupTim Posts: 2,819 Member
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    Superfeet insoles. Put a pair in every pair of shoes you own. It supports your arch and prevents the condition from continually getting re-aggravated, which allows it to start healing.
  • hipari
    hipari Posts: 1,367 Member
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    Oof, I’m sorry, I feel the pain, I’m also battling with the same ailment. It’s starting to get better now, but still hurts a little. For me the treadmill is actually easier than walking outside, probably because the ”terrain” of the treadmill is perfectly flat. Low-impact workouts besides the elliptical: bike/spinning, swimming, weightlifting. The last one isn’t cardio, but a little strength training is good for your body.
  • lrsirius
    lrsirius Posts: 328 Member
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    Strangely enough, the elliptical helped my PF more than anything else I have tried - and I tried everything except cortisone shots. That said, using a really good rower has been a great - a tough and effective/efficient workout. I have kept my weight manageable by resistance training, bike riding (outdoors), the elliptical and rowing. I hated both the elliptical and rowing when I first started, they were both really tough for me. After allowing myself to slowly build up time and distance, I enjoyed seeing the increase in endurance, and the feeling of wellbeing after a workout. I was primarily a walker hiker (5-10 miles a day), and strength trained before PF, I think the elliptical and rowing helped to address some muscle imbalances that contributed to the PF. Stretching my hamstrings, hip flexors, and calves also provided relief, more so than many of treatments recommended for PF. I hope you find something that works for you. The main thing is to keep trying until you do. Good luck!
  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
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    i listened to the doctor who told me to rest for a month when i was first Dx with PF - worst decision in my life; you need to identify and fix the root cause (for me its my uber tight calves) - so lots of stretching, foam rolling etc

    you can get a strasburg sock to wear at night - part of the reason PF hurts more in the am is that overnight the little tears in your fascia start to heal and then when you flex your foot you break them open

    I found a massage therapist who did myofascial release therapy on my calves/ankles/feet that was by far one of the best things i ever did
  • lois1231
    lois1231 Posts: 331 Member
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    Be careful with the elliptical too. I have had plantar fasciitis in right foot and then left foot. I love doing the elliptical daily but was noticing it was aggravating the arch. I read somewhere only do elliptical every other day and instead swim, row, or ride bike
  • kteej
    kteej Posts: 46 Member
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    Get the shot - use arch supports in every pair of shoes you wear - especially when exercising - I tried a couple of different brands until I found ones I liked - BTW: they were cheapest, and I got them at grocery story. I do love working out in the pool - great workout, and can really stretch it out! Good luck!!!
  • acpgee
    acpgee Posts: 7,623 Member
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    I was prescribed stretching which cleared mine up after a few weeks. Put a 12 inch square plank of plywood on a 2 or 3 inch book such as a telephone book. Stand barefoot with your toes raised, holding a counter top for balance if needed. I was told to do this at least twice a day for 10 minutes at a time. I set this up in the bathroom, and would stretch while I brushed my teeth.

    For cardio I would stick with a rowing machine or a stationary bike.
  • AliNouveau
    AliNouveau Posts: 36,287 Member
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    I had this and was told use the bike for cardio. I didn't. Haha.

    I did find always doing the stretches, getting physio and good shoes helped.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,526 Member
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    You can do stationary or outdoor biking, seated rowing machine and if your gym has it battle rope and rope pulling machine to do cardio. Invest in good shoes. You may need specialized inserts to help.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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  • Thickivory
    Thickivory Posts: 36 Member
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    I have had the shots NEVER again. It hurt so bad it actually made it worse. Thanks everyone for the advice!!
  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
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    starangel26 wrote: »
    I have had the shots NEVER again. It hurt so bad it actually made it worse. Thanks everyone for the advice!!

    and honestly, the shots just hide the issue they don't actually deal with the root cause
  • girlwithcurls2
    girlwithcurls2 Posts: 2,262 Member
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    Do a search in this forum and you'll get lots of results. Different things work for different people. The biggest factors for me were to rest (literally stay off my feet as much as possible) and absolutely not being barefoot. The last time I had it, I took up swimming. Literally. I learned to swim so that I could have some kind of cardio. By the time I reintroduced running (slowly and short distances), my endurance was fine. My legs weren't used to carrying my weight, but my heart and lungs were in the game.

    I agree that shots don't fix it, but for me, it alleviated the inflammation so that I could rehab it relatively pain free. I did EVERYTHING that was recommended. To this day, I still roll my foot on a ball and do negative calf raises, even though I have no pain anymore.
  • JustAbby1984
    JustAbby1984 Posts: 5 Member
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    I agree. Everyone's different. But from all, I can tell that proper cushioning should help you at some point. I'm so lucky to have both high arch and plantar fasciitis... I do exercises either barefoot or wear arch support shoes. I was just advised by my coach to use the best shoes for high arches I can find. I use Superfeet insoles as well.
  • jjandrin
    jjandrin Posts: 5 Member
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    I work in physical therapy and this is quite common. Some cases we even dry needle. Simple massaging might be a good option to start out with, rolling a golf ball under your foot to help break up scar tissues.

    Cycling would be an option for low impact on your foot if accessible.

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