Damn plantar fasciitis

2

Replies

  • whoami67
    whoami67 Posts: 297 Member
    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.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,501 Member
    whoami67 wrote: »
    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.
    Yeah, that's NOT the problem for me. Glad you figured it out though.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
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  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,501 Member
    And @ninerbuff, here's hoping your case is short-lived! PF is not fun to deal with. I probably left mine untreated too long, which seriously exacerbated my symptoms...
    I've had it before, but not from running. I believe with my adding kickboxing classes back to my workouts and the increase in speed in running set it off again. I know how to rehab (I do a lot of it daily with clientele) I just have to apply it. For the past couple of weeks it's subsided greatly. But I don't want to get back to running again until I am fully recovered.


    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
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  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,501 Member
    Got my new Gel Nimbus shoes from Asics yesterday. They feel good on my feet, but not gonna try to run yet until foot is 100%. Almost there.

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  • tmbg1
    tmbg1 Posts: 1,274 Member
    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!
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,501 Member
    After a month of resting my foot, I decided to try to run yesterday well within my ability and with new shoes. During the intervals and walk, everything felt fine. About an hour later, I felt some tightness coming on and then another hour, my heel hurt again. :( It's tolerable but I don't want to limp for a couple of hours, so it's back to square one again.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
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    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

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  • Theoldguy1
    Theoldguy1 Posts: 2,454 Member
    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).
  • cmsienk
    cmsienk Posts: 17,695 Member
    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.

  • Walkywalkerson
    Walkywalkerson Posts: 453 Member
    I'm a walker not a runner - but I couldn't be without my Asics.
    I have flat feet and over pronate pretty intensely.
    Life before Asics was agonising - constant plantar faciitis after being on my feet most of the day.
    Just awful!
    I'm in the UK and Asics are pretty pricey here - but worth every penny!
    The shop will measure your gait etc .. and find the best fit.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,501 Member
    I'm a walker not a runner - but I couldn't be without my Asics.
    I have flat feet and over pronate pretty intensely.
    Life before Asics was agonising - constant plantar faciitis after being on my feet most of the day.
    Just awful!
    I'm in the UK and Asics are pretty pricey here - but worth every penny!
    The shop will measure your gait etc .. and find the best fit.
    I have Asics for overpronation. Feel fine when I run. But later in the day, my heel will hurt. Depending on how long I run makes the difference.


    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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  • GiddyupTim
    GiddyupTim Posts: 2,819 Member
    I am a former soccer player who also jogged then and still does.
    I had plantar fasciitis for around six or seven years until I figured out what to do.
    It never went away because I couldn't take a break from the things I love (running!) long enough to let it heal.
    I have now been totally pain free for about 10 years.
    Here's what I did.
    I got hard, supportive insoles. I like the Superfeet brand. I put them in every pair of my shoes for the first six to eight months. Now I have some non-running shoes I wear that do not have them.
    Podiatrists used to claim you need custom orthotics. Now studies have shown that off-the-shelf insoles work almost as well and are adequate for most people.
    Here's the deal: You need that support because the plantar fascia is a very tough tissue. And, when you are walking on it, or running, it takes a whole lotta pressure. Hence it needs to be extremely strong. Hence, it takes a long time to heal. The fascia needs to be protected during that healing time. Otherwise, you go out for a long run or a game of basketball or a hike, and you reinjure it and set yourself back.
    That is how mine was -- over and over again.
    Until I got the insoles and learned the second, essential practice: the stretch.
    Not just any stretch.
    I had mine so long that, in my desperation, I decided I had to have surgery. I couldn't hobble around in pain for two/three days after every soccer game, etc.
    But when I went to Google, the information I found was frightening. People said, essentially, 'It'll make your pain better, but your foot/feet will never be the same, and you'll never run well again.'
    Fortunately, I also came across a modified stretch developed by a doctor in Rochester, NY. This doctor saw many patients who could not get PF better. He knew that stretching the bottom of the feet during the healing process was important, and sometimes worked, and wondered if somehow the stretch wasn't getting deep enough. He figured if you could stretch the toes up at the same time you were doing your plantar fascia stretching you could increase the stretch.
    In a study he published, he had about 90 patients. These people (I think they were mostly runners or athletes?) had all had PF for at least 12 months and had tried everything prescribed to get it better, to no avail.
    He had them perform his stretch three times a day for 12 weeks. At the end, something like about 70-80 percent were pain free and another about 15 percent were demonstrably better. (I am taking those figures off the top of my head. But they are roughly correct.)
    Here's a link with a description and a photo of the stretch:
    https://footeducation.com/plantar-fascia-specific-stretch/
    At present, I do the stretch slightly differently. I use a yoga hero's pose, with my toes flat on the ground and the bottom of my foot parallel to the wall behind me. Then I push back a bit to get a really good stretch. I find that works better.
    If you search: 'YouTube, Gwen Lawrence, and plantar fasciitis' you'll find a video of her demonstrating performing the stretch this way.
    I am telling you. MANY years of pain and nothing worked. These two things did.
    Good luck!
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,501 Member
    GiddyupTim wrote: »
    I am a former soccer player who also jogged then and still does.
    I had plantar fasciitis for around six or seven years until I figured out what to do.
    It never went away because I couldn't take a break from the things I love (running!) long enough to let it heal.
    I have now been totally pain free for about 10 years.
    Here's what I did.
    I got hard, supportive insoles. I like the Superfeet brand. I put them in every pair of my shoes for the first six to eight months. Now I have some non-running shoes I wear that do not have them.
    Podiatrists used to claim you need custom orthotics. Now studies have shown that off-the-shelf insoles work almost as well and are adequate for most people.
    Here's the deal: You need that support because the plantar fascia is a very tough tissue. And, when you are walking on it, or running, it takes a whole lotta pressure. Hence it needs to be extremely strong. Hence, it takes a long time to heal. The fascia needs to be protected during that healing time. Otherwise, you go out for a long run or a game of basketball or a hike, and you reinjure it and set yourself back.
    That is how mine was -- over and over again.
    Until I got the insoles and learned the second, essential practice: the stretch.
    Not just any stretch.
    I had mine so long that, in my desperation, I decided I had to have surgery. I couldn't hobble around in pain for two/three days after every soccer game, etc.
    But when I went to Google, the information I found was frightening. People said, essentially, 'It'll make your pain better, but your foot/feet will never be the same, and you'll never run well again.'
    Fortunately, I also came across a modified stretch developed by a doctor in Rochester, NY. This doctor saw many patients who could not get PF better. He knew that stretching the bottom of the feet during the healing process was important, and sometimes worked, and wondered if somehow the stretch wasn't getting deep enough. He figured if you could stretch the toes up at the same time you were doing your plantar fascia stretching you could increase the stretch.
    In a study he published, he had about 90 patients. These people (I think they were mostly runners or athletes?) had all had PF for at least 12 months and had tried everything prescribed to get it better, to no avail.
    He had them perform his stretch three times a day for 12 weeks. At the end, something like about 70-80 percent were pain free and another about 15 percent were demonstrably better. (I am taking those figures off the top of my head. But they are roughly correct.)
    Here's a link with a description and a photo of the stretch:
    https://footeducation.com/plantar-fascia-specific-stretch/
    At present, I do the stretch slightly differently. I use a yoga hero's pose, with my toes flat on the ground and the bottom of my foot parallel to the wall behind me. Then I push back a bit to get a really good stretch. I find that works better.
    If you search: 'YouTube, Gwen Lawrence, and plantar fasciitis' you'll find a video of her demonstrating performing the stretch this way.
    I am telling you. MANY years of pain and nothing worked. These two things did.
    Good luck!
    I do a version of this, but not quite like it. I'll try it and let you know how it goes. My pain is tolerable right now as long as I actively stretch throughout the day which I do.


    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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  • fittocycle
    fittocycle Posts: 825 Member
    I've done the yoga hero's pose for the past several years. I agree. . . it's a great pose to keep those muscles stretched!
  • SLL1803
    SLL1803 Posts: 49 Member
    Neither shoes nor orthotics have made the slightest difference for me. Stretching is the important thing - the Achilles and the foot itself.

  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,501 Member
    ninerbuff wrote: »
    GiddyupTim wrote: »
    I am a former soccer player who also jogged then and still does.
    I had plantar fasciitis for around six or seven years until I figured out what to do.
    It never went away because I couldn't take a break from the things I love (running!) long enough to let it heal.
    I have now been totally pain free for about 10 years.
    Here's what I did.
    I got hard, supportive insoles. I like the Superfeet brand. I put them in every pair of my shoes for the first six to eight months. Now I have some non-running shoes I wear that do not have them.
    Podiatrists used to claim you need custom orthotics. Now studies have shown that off-the-shelf insoles work almost as well and are adequate for most people.
    Here's the deal: You need that support because the plantar fascia is a very tough tissue. And, when you are walking on it, or running, it takes a whole lotta pressure. Hence it needs to be extremely strong. Hence, it takes a long time to heal. The fascia needs to be protected during that healing time. Otherwise, you go out for a long run or a game of basketball or a hike, and you reinjure it and set yourself back.
    That is how mine was -- over and over again.
    Until I got the insoles and learned the second, essential practice: the stretch.
    Not just any stretch.
    I had mine so long that, in my desperation, I decided I had to have surgery. I couldn't hobble around in pain for two/three days after every soccer game, etc.
    But when I went to Google, the information I found was frightening. People said, essentially, 'It'll make your pain better, but your foot/feet will never be the same, and you'll never run well again.'
    Fortunately, I also came across a modified stretch developed by a doctor in Rochester, NY. This doctor saw many patients who could not get PF better. He knew that stretching the bottom of the feet during the healing process was important, and sometimes worked, and wondered if somehow the stretch wasn't getting deep enough. He figured if you could stretch the toes up at the same time you were doing your plantar fascia stretching you could increase the stretch.
    In a study he published, he had about 90 patients. These people (I think they were mostly runners or athletes?) had all had PF for at least 12 months and had tried everything prescribed to get it better, to no avail.
    He had them perform his stretch three times a day for 12 weeks. At the end, something like about 70-80 percent were pain free and another about 15 percent were demonstrably better. (I am taking those figures off the top of my head. But they are roughly correct.)
    Here's a link with a description and a photo of the stretch:
    https://footeducation.com/plantar-fascia-specific-stretch/
    At present, I do the stretch slightly differently. I use a yoga hero's pose, with my toes flat on the ground and the bottom of my foot parallel to the wall behind me. Then I push back a bit to get a really good stretch. I find that works better.
    If you search: 'YouTube, Gwen Lawrence, and plantar fasciitis' you'll find a video of her demonstrating performing the stretch this way.
    I am telling you. MANY years of pain and nothing worked. These two things did.
    Good luck!
    I do a version of this, but not quite like it. I'll try it and let you know how it goes. My pain is tolerable right now as long as I actively stretch throughout the day which I do.


    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

    9285851.png

    I've change my inserts to a slightly higher arched one and along with stretching and the foot stretch above, I've been able to run again with minor pain. I KNOW for a fact that a lot of my foot pain still revolves around NOT being able to rest it enough based on my work and instruction. But Saturdays and Sundays seem to give me ample time for recovery before I start all over again. Just gotta see how it goes day to day now.

    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

    9285851.png

  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,895 Member
    edited September 2021
    SLL1803 wrote: »
    Neither shoes nor orthotics have made the slightest difference for me. Stretching is the important thing - the Achilles and the foot itself.

    Speaking of the Achilles, I never had heel pain until I started physical therapy for Achilles tendon pain 7 weeks ago and WHAM, heel pain. Most of my stretches were for just the leg with the Achilles pain - my right leg. But the heel pain is in both heels, and actually worse in my left. There were only two both leg stretches - 1. calf stretches on a stair, and 2. heel dips and raises on a stair, like this:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OU5SS18DSNM

    My PT told me to keep doing them, and I did for a few weeks, but have since stopped for at least a week. I've been extremely faithful about doing the other exercises but at this point am angry and want to chuck them all. The Achilles pain has been gone for about a month but I'm not happy about having trading that for PF.

    BTW, I'm not a runner and the highest impact activity I do is walking 3 mph. I have very little pain when wearing my ASICS, which I wear the vast majority of the time. I can't remember the last time I wore high heels.

    The PF pain is at the usual time - first thing in the AM, and also in the middle of the night, when I am of course not wearing ASICS. I do wear a night splint, but she only ordered it for my right foot, and I am waiting for the one for my left to come in.

    I started PT with pain in my hamstring, below the knee, and Achilles, but their policy is to only work on one thing at a time, and since the Achilles was brand new, I picked that. I've since tried easing back into yoga, and now my knee hurts too, and I don't have another PT appt for 10 days >.<
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,895 Member
    edited September 2021
    jenring3 wrote: »
    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.

    I saw this on a thread in General - I bet this is the very young looking guy :)

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQhtavGoL6A
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,501 Member
    UPDATE: I've been running intervals now for the past month and still teaching kboxing classes and........................NO FOOT PAIN anymore. I attribute it to my inserts and the consistent stretching of my calves and ball rolling on my soles. I used a spiked ball when I sit and watch TV at night and it's so relieving. Up to running 10 mph again with no issues although it's only on a treadmill at 2.0 incline. At my age, I don't think I need to try to up it anymore. I'll keep my ego in check.

    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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  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,501 Member
    UPDATE: No foot issues ever since I started running again. If I feel any sole tightness, I spend the rest of the day stretching it out. I've been running intervals 3 times a week along with my kickboxing classes and no issues anymore. Feels good to not have to worry about my feet right now.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 35+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

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