Plantar Fasciitis / Heel Spur Anyone?

DaffyGirl88
DaffyGirl88 Posts: 5,102 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi all! I'm struggling with a bout of plantar fasciitis at the moment and I'm wondering if anyone has any home remedies that they have has success with. I had a heel spur about 10 years ago and after limping around for a while I got a cortisone shot. The pain went away but I always said that it was a cure worse than the disease and I would never get another one. I'm starting to rethink that position.

I'm honestly surprised that it's flared up again. Since the first go 'round I've been a calf stretching fool and have always made sure that my sneakers have great arch and heel support. And with teleworking I haven't worn heels in over two years.

The last few weeks I've stopped my daily walks, cutting my steps from 12k to around 3k. I've been stretching, massaging using a tennis ball, icing, and taking ibuprofen. I've added arches to my shoes and started wearing plantar fasciitis socks, although those cut off the circulation around my ankle a bit. So far no huge improvement.

Hoping someone out there in the WWW has an idea that I haven't tried. Thanks for the help!

Replies

  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    I can usually remedy the situation at home with rest, a frozen water bottle, stretching, and massage. I don't usually have a flare that lasts more than about a week at most. I've had cortisone shots twice when the flare ups were going on for a few weeks or more as that was the only thing that would knock it out.
  • Lietchi
    Lietchi Posts: 6,841 Member
    I bookmarked this thread a while ago:
    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10832183/damn-plantar-fasciitis/p1
  • DaffyGirl88
    DaffyGirl88 Posts: 5,102 Member
    Lietchi wrote: »
    I bookmarked this thread a while ago:
    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10832183/damn-plantar-fasciitis/p1

    @Lietchi Thank you so much! That is a great thread. I can't wait to read all of the links and put the suggestions to use.
  • jwoolman5
    jwoolman5 Posts: 191 Member
    Check out info on this site: heelspurs.com. Other sites with similar names so look for the one run by Scott Roberts (an engineer) and with a technical drawing of a foot on the first page and a free pdf download with suggestions he's collected over the years for dealing with plantar fasciitis. He has a list of home treatments also on that front page.

    I'm closer to sloth than athlete (genetic wonky knees stopped me from running by age 12), but what really knocked out the plantar fasciitis for me was wearing a night splint. The model I used is shown on Scott's page (he sells a few items on the site but the info is free). Years later, it's still the one he recommends because he says people hardly ever return it for refund (2.5%) and it's not too expensive, but there are many models to choose from elsewhere.

    I had to eventually get two because my planter fasciitis migrated from one leg to the other and then blessed me with both legs at once, and I was dealing with it for quite a while (many months, maybe even a year, before I tried the splint). But even though I had it very loose (so I could get it off quickly for a bathroom run), after just one night I finally woke up without the characteristic foot pain. Apparently even just using it so loose was enough for me, it must keep my leg in a better position and keep just enough stretch on the calf muscle. Other people often use it tied more tightly but just for an hour or two while awake.

    I have a family history of charley horses which kicked in years before that. I go back to the splint for that if needed, but if I get enough steps per day (even if mostly walk in place), I rarely have trouble with leg cramps at night. There are supposed to be ways to massage the leg out of the cramps, but the most certain way for me is to get up and walk on it for a while (even walk in place will do it). The plantar fasciitis with my previous typical PF symptoms has not returned (yet) although the foot can be involved in my leg cramps (but the symptoms seem different and much briefer than during my bout years ago with plantar fasciitis). So I would assume it's all related.

    I also have just a few minutes of mostly yoga warmup exercises that I've done for decades, and that has some calf stretching exercise in it that probably also helps if I don't start skipping it. They are really minimal also, all are done standing in a limited space while fending off a cat. So I might be more marginal than most.
  • fittocycle
    fittocycle Posts: 827 Member
    It sounds like you're doing many of the right things to help heal it. When my Plantar Fasciitis was acting up, I had to trade in all my favorite shoes for Vionic or Abeo brand shoes with a strong arch support. Those shoes are pricey but they last for years and so worth it!

    If you wear ordinary sandals, especially flip flops, please put them away and replace them with sandals which have an arch support built in. And you probably know this already, but you shouldn't go barefoot in the house. I always did but now I have a pair of supportive athletic shoes that are dedicated to indoor use only.

    The one thing that made a huge difference for me was taping my foot with kinetic tape. My yoga instructor showed me how to do it and instructed me to wear it continuously until it literally started falling off my foot. Doing that helped support my foot further and helped reduce the inflammation. Amazon has several brands of the tape and most come with instructions on how to tape for Plantar Fasciitis. And there are lots of Youtube videos on the subject as well.
    Don't give up. . .it seems like it will never get better but it will.
  • 2525mathmom
    2525mathmom Posts: 1 Member
    I used KT Tape every night for about a month or two and it helped. I tried to use the braces you can buy, but couldn't keep it on all night.

    They actually sell it pre-cut kits for Plantar Fasciitis
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    Lietchi wrote: »
    I bookmarked this thread a while ago:
    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10832183/damn-plantar-fasciitis/p1

    I'm on that thread! I still swear the exercises my PT gave me made things worse. About 6 weeks after I posted I moved and stopped doing the exercises and wearing the night time boots. The pain went away. I do go up and down a lot more stairs at the new place.

    I still wear the orthotics in my shoes.

    These are better but when new were extremely stinky for days and days:
    https://smile.amazon.com/Powerstep-Pinnacle-Shoe-Insoles-Professional-Grade/dp/B000KPOMZY/

    I was able to wear the Dr. Scholl's, which I got at Walmart, immediately; no off-gassing required:
    https://smile.amazon.com/Dr-Scholls-FASCIITIS-Orthotics-Fasciitis/dp/B01MQ2KA8N/
  • DaffyGirl88
    DaffyGirl88 Posts: 5,102 Member
    @jwoolman5 @fittocycle @2525mathmom and @kshama2001 Thanks all for the tips. My foot is MUCH better, although I still can't wear just slippers going to the bathroom in the middle of the night. :/ Otherwise, as long as I have a shoe - actually sneaker - on I barely even notice it. I bought a pair of Vionics which I love!! Hadn't heard of that brand until I read about them here, but as soon as my size is available in the colors that I want I will definitely buy more.
  • fatty2begone
    fatty2begone Posts: 249 Member
    I've developed Plantar Fasciitis and have had for about a year now. I have bouts off and on. Nothing that stops me from walking, but days it is sore for the heal with pressure when standing/walking. Sometimes sore to the touch.

    I have made a point of trying to remember to wear some type of shoe at all times. (Can no longer do flip flops). Crocs and a good sneaker seam to work the best.

    I find that if I flex/stretch me toes towards me, it relieves the tension and seams to help.

    For those who have had or are dealing with PF bad bouts, should I be doing anything further for preventative to try not to get a bad case?
    I have not seen a doctor for this yet. (I do run and most days, running doesnt seam to bring it on. (FYI, I am a newbie runner, slow, running about 3 to 4 miles 2 to 3 times a week).

    Hope everyone gets/keeps healthy feet.
  • DaffyGirl88
    DaffyGirl88 Posts: 5,102 Member
    @fatty2begone Should you be doing anything further? Good question. I had it about ten years ago and after that I was a stretching fiend, I bought a Foot Rocker off Amazon and used it several times a day along with other stretching and yoga. I never wore flats / flip-flops / sandals. Never went anywhere without good supportive sneakers, other than the office but I haven't been there in over 2 years now with teleworking. Even with al of that it just randomly flared up back in April. I've continued to stretch, ice and rest it and it's much better. Anything to not have to get a cortisone shot.
  • KaillaMcDonnell
    KaillaMcDonnell Posts: 3 Member
    ive sturuggled with it on and off for years i just bought a pair of on the go running shoes and i cant say enough on day 8 of getting in 10-14k steps in daily which normally would be in alot of pain
  • bulletproofkasper
    bulletproofkasper Posts: 126 Member
    My go to would be:
    Rolling your foot on a frozen water bottle
    An anti inflammatory cream like fisiocrem
    Chiropractor

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