plantar fasciitis

Make sure you have really good shoes. I had been wearing New Balance for years, and my dr said those were the worst for my feet. I now swear by Asics Gel Nimbus. They are top of the line and around $129 per pair, but you can find them on sale sometimes. They are all I wear and I replace every 3-6 months. Also, I have a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory of Nabutemone (sp) that the podiatrist gave me so when mine flares I use that. It is frustrating when you start exercising and then that rears it's ugly head. I have also had 3 steroid shots in the last 2 years. They do help but it only lasts about 6 months and I won't lie it's pretty painful to get them.

I have Plantar Fasciitis in my left foot. The last time i went to the foot doctor, he taped my foot up and told me to wear it for a week. It really helped my foot, so i bought a roll of wide masking tape, (much like the tape the doctor used) and i tape my foot up every day, and it is a weird feeling, but i got used to it. You can try taping your foot. Here is how i do it. I tear off strips of tape long enough to reach bottom of my foot from the ball of my foot to heel and go up heel a little. Do several strips, about 3 layers over bottom of foot. Then tear a strip of tape to wrap around side of foot, starting just above the arch wrap it around the heel and up the other side of your foot. Put your sock on over the tape. The tape sticks all day especially with the sock on to hold it in place. The tape on bottom of your foot works as an extra arch support. I have no more pain from my plantat fasciitis since i been taping my foot daily years ago.

I also have PF in my left foot, a couple of things that I do as I sit at a desk all day, is I am continually flexing my foot, I also circle my feet in both directions, and I keep a bottle of water frozen in the freezer and I have my someone bring it to me before I get up and I roll my foot across the frozen bottle, that trick make my foot feel sooooo good, I was taught that by a chiropractor, I also went to a shoe store and they scanned my feet and I have a pretty good arch on my feet, so they fitted my with some nice insoles made of cork, they don't break down as quick as other brands. hope this helps and good luck.

I do a lot of stretching and start slow, since I always start off with a limp anyway. I ice it for half an hour after afterwards, and I have noticed that for now, the pain is manageable as long as I don't do more than 30 minutes at a time without a break.
My plantar fascia had to be medically stretched for me to even begin to walk as a child, so it seems I am doomed to this sort of pain for the rest of my life. Pretty big bummer, but I'm not going to let it deter me.
I'm going to go the expensive customized running shoe route, but hubby won't pay for them until I prove I'm serious about running, which means another month or two of daily logging miles.

You may not see this post, but what everyone has said will help (icing with water bottle, lots of stretching (lots) especially before you get out of bed. I have had problems with this for the last 2 years. One foot gets pretty good and then the other starts hurting again. I have done all that doctors suggested except for surgery.

The best thing you can do is stretch not only the foot but lots of stretching to the kilies tendon, calves and back of legs. Your PF is connected to all tendons that run to the back of the leg so just stretching your foot will not get relief. If you have insurance and it's covered, look into A-stem therapy. It's wonderful and really helped heal my foot. I also purchased a incline board to stand on - it's better than standing on the stairs and dropping your heels.

Wearing a boot to bed is also very helpful. My doctors said this is when your foot will try to heal and since our feet our inclined to bend because of the covers, the foot heals in the position. Then when we step out onto the floor and take those first few steps, we tear the PF tendon again.

If you want to email me with questions, please do so. I have tried it all! I do not have problems with PF any more, but I still have to constantly stretch every day to keep it from coming back.

janetteprice@llive.com

Good luck to you!