Plantar fasciitis - help!

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BerryH
BerryH Posts: 4,698 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hey, have any of you had plantar fasciitis? Did you find anything that helps it heal quicker? I've got a half marathon at the weekend and my heel and arch are killing me. I thought it was from wearing high heels one day and ballet flats the next, but it's pretty much a classic PF pain now.
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Replies

  • Lotte34
    Lotte34 Posts: 429 Member
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    Ive never had it but after reading it would a bit of R.I.C.E help?
  • jennajava
    jennajava Posts: 2,176 Member
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    I've got a half marathon at the weekend and my heel and arch are killing me.

    My doctor said rest is the only cure. I wouldn't advise doing this. Have you seen a doctor?
  • lazatin
    lazatin Posts: 452 Member
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    I had it and bought good shoes..asics...and it went away almost instantly!
  • scott1024
    scott1024 Posts: 279 Member
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    Stretches, such as wall push-ups will help, but rest is the best thing. Make sure you have GOOD shoes. Lots of good reading available on the web.
  • voluptas63
    voluptas63 Posts: 602 Member
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    Have you tried stretching out your foot when you wake up in the morning?
  • Mustangsally1000
    Mustangsally1000 Posts: 860 Member
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    Yoga really helped mine. I've had trouble with it for years..not so much now. You need to really work your feet. When you are standing (barefoot) really stretch your toes out. See how far you can get them..forward and apart. Try and feel all the parts of your feet and toes on the floor. Then try and lift your arch up off the floor, all the way across your foot. So that perhaps you could slide a
    straw under your foot and it would go all the way through. Not sure I ever got there, but you get the idea. Work those muscles each day..a really good stretch. It helped me a lot..
  • jennyt4bb
    jennyt4bb Posts: 5 Member
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    I had tried a bunch of stuff when I had this a few years ago, someone mentioned to try taking a Calcium & Magnesium supplement. It went away within 2 days of taking the supplement - not sure if it was just a fluke as I 've never had it again, but it's worth a try.
  • alicollins74
    alicollins74 Posts: 335 Member
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    I have had it for many years. R.I.C.E...also stretching the calf muscle works wonders. The calf is connected to the tendon on the bottom of the foot. I also had to get cortisone shots (which didn't really help) and custom orthotics. I always used it as an excuse not to exercise...But the strangest thing is the more I did exercise and strengthen & stretch my calves, it got better! It still hurts every once in awhile but not like it used to. I have worn out my orthotics so thank you for reminding me that I need to get more made! Good luck w/your foot!
  • silvernik
    silvernik Posts: 8 Member
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    Take this advice at your own risk, however this worked for me (I had all the classic symptoms of PF but I think I had something as a precursor)....

    ..... Use lots of baby oil (or other oil) and give your foot a lovely massage to get it nice and warm. Once it's warmed up start giving a hard massage to the bottom of your heel and at this point you may feel little pops and bursts as if bubble wrap is popping inside your heel (except more painful than popping bubble wrap) - keep massaging until the pops subside and cool your foot down with a gentle massage.

    I found this improved my symptoms massively and immediately. Then repeated massage each day for a few day meant 3 years of symptoms were beaten. If I over-do it in silly shoes then I get the start of the symptoms again, I massage straight away and they don't take hold.

    However, if it's proper PF complete with growth/scarring from spurs on the heel bone then this advice isn't appropriate.
  • mcmcmcshane
    mcmcmcshane Posts: 32 Member
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    I got PF last Oct training for my first 5K. I ran through the pain, ran my race, & a year later ..I'm still in pain :/ I was also a bartender though so I was always on my feet. I had a cortizone shot back in March(?) that provided extraordinary temporary relief but haven't had another since my insurance ran out. The only thing that helps me live pain free now is the right shoes. I wear a pair around the house that have a high arch & bought inserts, to put in my gym shoes, that force my arch up.
    Good luck!
  • Shannon023
    Shannon023 Posts: 14,529 Member
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    I'm not sure what they're called, but get some stretching bands and use them to stretch out the bottom of you foot.

    seatedrow.jpg

    Should be able to get them Target or a drug store.

    Good luck, it hurts! :embarassed:
  • angisnee
    angisnee Posts: 236 Member
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    I actually had plantar fasciitis until I started running. The difference, I think, is that I got my feet evaluated and then bought good quality shoes. Unforunately, the only thing that usually makes it better is rest and ice.

    My doctor recommended that I wear shoes with a good arch support all day, even at home, instead of slippers or flip-flops. When I stuck to that in the past, my pain was always better.

    Good luck on your half marathon, and I hope you get some relief soon!
  • jnanof
    jnanof Posts: 52 Member
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    My concept of "good" shoes changed the day I bought a crappy pair from a discount store and realized I had no pain!. Its the type of shoe that matters more. The on staff podiatrist at a GOOD shoe store said that the shoe allowed my feet to roll and that was helping my feet. She directed me to a nice shoe to buy ($100) and I saved $50 because I did not have to buy any inserts.
    I really urge you to go to a quality shoe store, SOMEONE LOCALLY OWNED and ask for the right shoe.
    I have been pain free for a year!

    JOANN
  • whiskey9890
    whiskey9890 Posts: 652 Member
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    My friend used to get it really badly and had to wear a brace type thing during the night to keep her foot at right angles, could be worth trying to keep your foot in this position as much as possible, but I'm not sure, hope you get it sorted
  • Fitnin6280
    Fitnin6280 Posts: 618 Member
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    I have it, and I bought Orthoheal shoes (you can find them on Zappo's.com), and my feet started feeling better almost immediately. They have sandles and tennis shoes, and to tell you the truth they are not the most stylish, but they really do work. But really the key is to find shoes with really good arch supports, and to give it time.
  • KatieJane83
    KatieJane83 Posts: 2,002 Member
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    Use frozen water bottles and roll the arches of your feet over them. It's massage and cold all in one. Get really good shoes or inserts. Try to stretch in the morning when you get up. Rest if possible.
  • voluptas63
    voluptas63 Posts: 602 Member
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    I'm not sure what they're called, but get some stretching bands and use them to stretch out the bottom of you foot.

    seatedrow.jpg

    Should be able to get them Target or a drug store.

    Good luck, it hurts! :embarassed:

    A belt works for this as well:) That's what I used.
  • iamahealthychick
    iamahealthychick Posts: 207 Member
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    Tennis ball/ chilled wine bottle/golf ball under your foot to break things up, ice then heat (ending with ice...TRUST me), wearing shoes with firm soles ALL the time, I have a special sock that keeps my foot flexed while I sleep, put a towel on the floor and bring it to you by scrunching your toes then push it away with your toes, stretch out your calf using the 'lunge' with a straight back leg then stretch again by bending the knee of your back leg (that will get the upper and MORE importantly the lower calf muscles), stop wearing high heel since they shorten up the muscles and a huge dose of patience. I also went to massage therapy. It took 6 months to resolve the left foot and we caught the right foot early so that one took a month or so.
  • KatieJane83
    KatieJane83 Posts: 2,002 Member
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    Oh, and Orthaheel shoes and flip flops saved my life! They are fantastic!! And wear shoes all the time, even when at home.
  • apee24
    apee24 Posts: 46
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    I had the same problem not to long ago. I tried the stretches, rolling a frozen bottle under my foot, slept in a foot brace. I gave up and went to the doc and got a cortizone shot in my heal. It is pretty painful, and ur foot aches for the day. The next day, though, it felt like I never had it. The doc told me I may have to have another, which will be soon because I'm starting to have problems again, but I will do it again because it takes the pain completely away.

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