Damn plantar fasciitis

I've had it off and on. The first time I got it I went into see a specialist and thankfully he was also a runner so he understood how much of a pain in the *kitten* this is/was. I didn't really change my shoes per se, he just had me on heel inserts for a month and reduce my mileage and speed during that process. It helped but then it came back a few years later while I was training for my 3rd marathon and the foot doctor I went to see wasn't very helpful or sympathetic (she was recommended by my GP who I love). She gave me a cortisone shot on my heel during my first visit and I had me on inserts like the previous doctor but these were weird and very uncomfortable to run in, I actually think it made my form worse. Anyway, they later made a cast of my feet for custom orthotics that I currently wear.
Honestly, I would just look into shoes with a bit of a heel lift, I feel like that's all the orthotics did for me but made my shoes feel tighter. I currently run in Brooks only, but I wear Hokas for work where I'm on my feet for 12 hours and they are a dream.
I always go with neutral shoes. The stability ones are too stiff for me.

I have inserts for it and it’s awesome. Got them from my chiro

Had to have orthotics in all my shoes to heal.
Afterwards needed them in the stiff shoes (like work dress) that prevented normal foot flex/roll/absorb, but as barefoot as I could get in everything else. Got them very strong that I even tried barefoot running.

heybales wrote: »

Had to have orthotics in all my shoes to heal.
Afterwards needed them in the stiff shoes (like work dress) that prevented normal foot flex/roll/absorb, but as barefoot as I could get in everything else. Got them very strong that I even tried barefoot running.

That's amazing. Everything I read, and my own personal experience has been that barefoot absolutely kills my foot. I remember walking on a beach barefoot by accident (I didn't want sand in my shoe) and my PF hurt for literally WEEKS. How awesome that you came back with such a strong foot. Can I ask what therapy you did? Mine will "creep" in on me every now and then and I can keep it back with certain therapies/strategies, but I wouldn't try barefoot running for anything. Congratulations on your foot strength!! I'm so impressed (and jealous!)

Just battled this over the winter and it cost me a couple of races. It's not about the shoes at all really. These guys are kind of goofy, but look up Bob and Brad on YouTube and find their PF videos. There is also a guy on YT (young guy, looks like he's about 12) who has a whole PF series but it's good. I had to stretch before I even got out of bed in the morning, put my feet immediately into shoes even to get to the bathroom in the middle of the night and I don't go barefoot in the house anymore on my hard tile floors. Roll your foot on a frozen water bottle just for some relief, etc. It's one of the more relentless of the overuse injuries. Also calf raises and calf rolling since most of the time that's where PF originates from...weak calves.

girlwithcurls2 wrote: »

heybales wrote: »

Had to have orthotics in all my shoes to heal.
Afterwards needed them in the stiff shoes (like work dress) that prevented normal foot flex/roll/absorb, but as barefoot as I could get in everything else. Got them very strong that I even tried barefoot running.

That's amazing. Everything I read, and my own personal experience has been that barefoot absolutely kills my foot. I remember walking on a beach barefoot by accident (I didn't want sand in my shoe) and my PF hurt for literally WEEKS. How awesome that you came back with such a strong foot. Can I ask what therapy you did? Mine will "creep" in on me every now and then and I can keep it back with certain therapies/strategies, but I wouldn't try barefoot running for anything. Congratulations on your foot strength!! I'm so impressed (and jealous!)

Probably 6 months of custom orthotics in all shoes and always wore shoes even around house, and mainly bike and swim for exercise, not much walking even. No running.
As much rest as could be given while still doing something (prior 4-6 years was doing too much and dragging it out never healing fully, re-injure when I tried to increase activity, and I recall doing barefoot sand volleyball in this period and indeed wrecking progress).
And night splint.
Normal calf stretches for tight achilles.

After 6 months then barefoot around house and minimalist shoes which flex as foot desired, still orthotics in everything else. No twinges of anything under stress.

It was after about a year total before I started running in those shoes, and then about a month in (they have minimum padding anyway) barefoot on treadmill. Got up to an hour over 6 miles, before an unequal leg problem showed up, requiring insert for height - so back to shoes. It was that problem which actually probably aggravated the PF in the first place, it was a symptom.

I go barefoot when I can to keep feet strong, and as flexible shoes as I can. And the orthotics when they aren't allowing foot to flex as it should, bike and backpacking shoes mainly.

From research on how slow the Achilles and plantar heal and lack of blood flow - I'm firm believer in just back off and go for full heal. Which is hard when you walk on the thing causing stress. If someone had an ankle sprain I'm not sure many would think it was good idea to constantly walk with the foot on edge of sidewalk tilted sideways.

Saw this years afterwards, and this is probably what I ended up improving:
https://youtu.be/72p58Iy6u7M

I wear Vionic shoes for everything non running and wear a rigid orthotic to run. I run in a low, but not zero drop shoe. Others I know have had their PF flare in lower drop shoes and had it go away when they swapped back to higher drop shoes.

I run roughly eleventh billion miles a year. I do as many on soft surface as I can (treadmill, track, trail). Hard surface miles are more of an impact on my PF (and neuroma).

I do a lot of yoga and focus on flexibility (especially from the waist down). That helps a lot.

Speed work is a minimal part of my mileage (for efficacy and to avoid injury) and it’s not all intervals, so I’m unsure how doing just that would affect anything.

Good luck!

Like Fittocycle, it was the taping of my feet with kinetic tape that healed my feet. I had all of those inserts and it still felt like I was walking around on bones. I went to the podiatrist and he showed me how to tape my own feet. I switched from athletic tape to kinetic tape for the ease. I learned how to get the tension just right.
There's a sweet spot that takes the pressure off. I did this for months and they healed. It has not come back.

https://youtu.be/kxVYNRDnLKo?t=205

I do all of the following exercises, plus have these in my shoes always: https://heelthatpain.com/treatments/htp-heel-seats/

I keep my arch support d all the time and never go barefoot. I wear Altras on the trail and Brooks for road and always have this heel seat

I've been sticking with these for two full weeks and I finally feel I'm on the mend after months of struggling.

I tried all sorts of shoes, orthotics, inserts, stretches, exercises, etc to no avail. Then I got my thyroid treated and it went away never to return. Plantar Fasciitis is a common symptom of hypothyroidism.

I suffered for a long time with pf. Here's what got rid of it once and for all: 3 rounds of cortisone shots, custom fitted inserts, daily stretching via daily yoga, and no more flip-flops. My shoes of choice are Brooks Addiction for running and New Balance for walking. It has been (knocks wood) 3 years since I've had any pf problems, the treatment took about 4 months to start working, but the relief has been lasting!

I kept having issues with PF. Used a PF night splint for several weeks to calm it down. Then started walking in minimalist shoes (Vibram 5 Fingers and NB Minimus). Now at the point can run in pretty much any shoe (although I haven't tried running in minimalist shoes themselves).

Several years ago I suffered with plantar fasciitis (fasciosis). This website saved my feet: https://www.nwfootankle.com/

There's a great resource section with articles and videos. I read and watched everything, bought and used the Correct Toes and changed my footwear. I think it took 4 or 5 months, but I've been pain-free for maybe 7 years now. It's worth taking a look at.