Anyone else have plantar fasciitis?? Need advice please!!

boncharlie · November 2011

Hello

Just wondering if anyone has some advice with how to deal with plantar fasciitis or heel spur's as they are also known.

I have lost over 80lbs in the last year and a half just by increasing my walking every day - pushing my little girl in her stroller up and down hills up to 5 miles a day. But because of the increased exercise and because I was carrying over 350lbs my foot has given in and I have now developed major heel pain.

I have bought new insoles and tried the suggested exercises but nothing can stop the excruciating pain I am experiencing in the evening. I virtually have to hop around as I can not put any pressure on it at all.

I can't afford to go to the gym and I still have over 100lbs to loose...... I really don't want pain or injury to be an excuse as to why I have give up.

I am really struggling with this and could do with some helpful advice or suggestions....

thanks a million...x

Bellini500 · November 2011

Hi!

I can really empathise as I have had Plantaar Fasciitis for several years. I had the steriod injections which were pointless - a lot of pain for very little relief! But I found stretches to be the best solution.

I do this:

Stand on the bottom stair as if you are going upstairs, with the back half of your foot off the stair, then gently push your heel down as far as you can stand it. Hold for a count to ten then release. Do this ten times on each foot several times a day.

I have noticed a massive difference and although I dont do this every day now, I can soon tell when I need to start doing them again.

I hope this works for you.

Charlotte.

wcnightowl562 · November 2011

Hi,

My husband and a coworker had plantar fascitis. He's an active tennis player, and my coworker is on
her feet all day (we work in a hospital). First off, go see the doctor. The best thing, unfortunately is rest,
but barring that, both of them had to have a walking cast put on their foot. This allowed the tendons on
the arch of the foot to be completely supported so they could heal properly. You'll be in the cast for 6
weeks, but it's better than further injuring the foot. Both of them purchased support insoles (which many
companies offer on the web...one is the Good Feet Store) which continued to provide proper support on
the arch and heel after the cast was removed. Regular shoes, even athlectic shoes do not provide enough
proper support for the arch of the foot. My husband has resumed his tennis playing of 1.5-2 hrs./day 3-5
times per week with the proper arch support. Good luck!

Wendy

chazbo35 · November 2011

Yep I have it as well. As was posted preiously, you absolutely have to stretch out that foot every day, several times a day. You can use a stair or anything that you can put the front part of your foot on and push that heel to the floor. Also, I find that icing the bottom of the foot at night for at least 30 minutes helps alot. There have been times where I have iced in the morning and at night. If you keep up with it, its not as bad. But if you neglect it, it will only get worse. good luck and God Bless

Steve290764 · November 2011

Hi

I had this over a long period of time and also own an independent sports shop and so come across this quite a lot. The first thing that you need to consider is the cause of it and can you put it down to a particular pair of shoes. Is it worse in some shoes than others? If so it could be stopped from worsening by not wearing them. Secondly the standing on the stairs exercise from the other reply does help, but the best one I have come across, which was recommended by an army physio, is to get a golf ball and when you are sat down watching telly or whatever, roll it with your foot back and forward quite hard. This will hurt when you are doing it but when you stand up the pain will have gone for a time, hopefully. So whilst this may help, you still need to get to the root of the problem.

Hope this helps a bit

BetterWithAge · November 2011

Boncharlie, thank you for posting this. I truly feel your pain. By the time the night comes around, the pain is hard to deal with and by my limp, you would think I had a sprain. I haven't had this problem since I was around 260 pounds, but this time it is worse. I have been stretching, but maybe not enough. My lack of adequate stretching has caused a number of problems, shoulder, hip and now the feet. Hopefully, more stretching will work.

melanngrad · November 2011

Hi, I have suffered from this for a couple of years now and it is very painful i have been unable to go for walks during the day play sports or do my career (Dance instuctor). My cousin gave me a magnetic band thing to wear on my wrist she said it will get rid of the pain I was a bit unsure but I thouht i will try anything! So I wore the band for about 2.5 weeks all up, and with in the first 3-7 days my foot had started to feel better so I thought well Im going to really test this thing and i started back playing Tennis I thought the next day would tell and I got up with only a very slight pain, which I thought was great a couple of days later i went for a big walk got up the next day and nothing it was all good normally I wouldnt be able to walk for the first 20min but it was great! So I would recommend trying one of these bands the one I used was just one from a cheapy shop so you dont need to go out and spend a fortune.

Cheers
Mel

AWiggity · November 2011

I had it for awhile. It went away. So obviously it wasn't a chronic condition for me as it seems it is for most of you all. But the doctor told me before I even got out of bed in the morning. (Cause it hurt a ton to take the first steps out of bed). He said to roll your feet over soup cans or baseballs to loosen everything up. So I did that many times in my day and it helped a lot.

RachVR6 · November 2011

I do this:

Stand on the bottom stair as if you are going upstairs, with the back half of your foot off the stair, then gently push your heel down as far as you can stand it. Hold for a count to ten then release. Do this ten times on each foot several times a day.

I have noticed a massive difference and although I dont do this every day now, I can soon tell when I need to start doing them again.

^^ I do this stretch before and after every run or walk. I also ditched my old nike's with insoles for a pair of Nike Free's. BEST decision ever!! Haven't had a problem since. Check out some of the really flexible shoes like these. I know a few other brands have ones similar. It allows the shoe to bend with your foot so that you're walking/running the way your body was meant to. The really formed shoes, even with all their support, were making me land differently on my feet than what came naturally to me, if that makes sense.

They were worth the investment for me.

http://www.nike.com/nikeos/p/nikewomen/en_US/commerce?p=PDP&pid=417420&pgid=384356&cid=101101#?ll=en_US&ct=US

yasemasuyo · November 2011

Bump

kmtetour · November 2011

Plantar fasciitis is an overuse injury. You can improve the way your foot feels with stretching and ice, but the best thing you can do for it is to REST it. Try finding a different form of exercise for a couple of weeks until it feels better. I know that's hard, but trying to walk through it only makes it worse.

natika33 · November 2011

My father and I both suffer from plantar fasciitis from time to time. I rest and he doesn't. Consequently, I heal and he doesn't.

Stretching is great for preventing and lessening the pain, but if you have it badly, you really do need to rest. The last time I had it badly, I tried to stay off my feet as much as possible. I walked to work still (20 minutes each way), but once I got there, I stayed sitting except to go to the washroom or get lunch. Same once I got home. It took about 2 months to go away.

That was five years ago by the way and I haven't had it since. (My father still has it).

Tips to prevent getting it again:

1) Alternate load bearing exercises (jogging, walking) with non-load bearing exercises (biking, swimming, leg lifts while watching TV) every other day. This helps prevent joint problems too.

2) Do the stretches everyone else has talked about.

3) Get "good" shoes. I put good in brackets because the type of shoes that have been considered good the last 20 years or so are actually not good in my opinion. All the big companies have promoted shoes with lots of arch supports etc. which would be fine if they were made especially for your feet, but since they are mass produced, they are most certainly not made for your feet! I switched to wearing children's shoes because they don't have much support and it made a world of difference. Also, my boyfriend bought me some Nike Frees as few months ago as a present and I've been wildly happy with them.

Also, shoes that require you to grip them with your toes in order to stay on can cause or worsen plantar fasciitis. That would be flip-flops or ballet flats or most type of shoes that don't lace on. If you wear slippers in your house, consider switching to moccassin-type slippers instead as they stay on your feet better than the slide into type.

I understand you want to continue exercising so the idea of rest is difficult, but you need to stay off your feet. Find non-load bearing exercises to do and you should be fine. (^_^)

megacy · November 2011

I've had plantar fasciitis also. Besides the wonderful advice from the others, can I add that your foot wants to heal when its resting, this is why it hurts so bad in the morning (or walking again after sitting for a bit), its ripping hundreds and hundreds of teeny tiny tears in the plantar fascia all over again, every morning. I was also put in a boot, and the doctor suggested I sleep with it too. There's none to very little pain in the morning if you can keep the foot flexed while you're sleeping. This keeps the plantar fascia stretched.
After the first boot I had wore out, I happened across one at a second hand store for $5. I've needed another one since, and found the third at a second hand store also.
I hope this all helps and that yours goes away fast!

FairyMiss · November 2011

Have you tried a night brace. a friend suggest it to me. its fantastic (once you learn to sleep in it) when my acts up, despite the show inserts, and arch band. a few nights in the night brace and its all good

stephanie_88 · November 2011

I've had it in both feet at different times. The first time I iced and stretched and rested and it went away but i was not exercising at the time. This last time it went away after I started yoga. I have lost 43 lbs so far so hopefully i will not get it again. It is sooo painful!

boncharlie · November 2011

Thanks for all the wonderful advice - I do some of the suggested exercises already but last night I did get a lot of relief with rolling my foot over a can of soup

I will try some of the others later today as well.

I will also look into the foot brace. I don't really want to stop walking at this point and I can't take my daughter swimming with me so I will just have to find a way to push through this until I am a weight that I can stop and rest and switch to another type of exercise.

Really good to know that there are others who are going through this pain and even better to know that some of you are now pain free....

Thanks again....x

Barneystinson · November 2011

I know this is an older thread, but didn't want to start a new thread about the evil known as plantar fasciitis. So, here's my story with PF...

1. Started experiencing problems with PF / heel pain mid-summer.

2. Followed all the typical advice regarding PF in fitness forums - wear the boot (splint) when resting, stretch, get one of those rocker stretching devices to stretch, ice the foot, roll a golf ball under it, get foot massage.

3. That helped and reduced the pain but wasn't enough.

4. Went to a podiatrist this week. They took X-rays and a sonogram of my foot. I got a cortisone shot to the heel (dayummm painful) and got a new splint and orthotic insoles. I also got a list of recommended footwear and a scrip for physical therapy.

5. I had to overhaul my footwear this weekend. My running shoes are okay - they were professionally fitted and have an orthotic insert. But my professional shoes, yikes. Not good. I tried Danskos based on a friend's recommendation. Did not work with my high instep. For an absolute LAUGH, I tried Skechers Shape Ups. THEY STOPPED MY PF PAIN.

Yes, you read that right. The dumb shoes that Kim K. hawks that have received a lot of criticism can help plantar fasciitis.

Soooo... I bought the last two pairs at the shoe store which were on clearance (they've been discontinued). Today I'm going to go scouting some other local shoe stores to see if there are more for sale. Apparently shoes like Shape Ups, Reeboks Easy Tone, and Fit Flop are designed in such a way that it retrains your foot to walk with less weight on the heel, and more weight on the mid-section and toe area.

If you have PF, give them a shot. I have found them to be extremely comfortable and unlike other shoes like Danskos, Chaco, or Birks, they require far less "break in" time to get the foot accustomed.

Brandib1985 · December 2011

I have it! I had it so bad I had to completely quit working out and I gained so much weight. Finally after trying so many things it is gone. This is what I did.
1. First I got me some awesome insoles. I cannot remember what they are called right now but pm me if you are interested and I will tell you. I ordered them online for like 25.00 I think.
2. I got a night splint--this thing was AMAZING. I wore it every night for 2 months and no longer have to wear it. It has a handy little ice pack in it too and it helps so much
3. I finally broke down and bought some fugly but so worth it motion control shoes. They are called Brooks Aeriel. They are about 130.00 and I absolutely love them. I never went barefoot for about 2 months and I no longer have it.

I also quit doing anything high impact. Runnig is a huge no no for me. I cannot even do the treadmill anymore. I bought me an elliptical and some work out dvd's and they are working wonders.
Hope this helps because I knnow how awful this condition is.

Hodar · December 2011

There are 2 approaches to this, the more foolish approach is to attack the symptoms.

The REASON you have this problem, is that as we age, the calf muscles shrink. We sleep in a relaxed position, and our feet 'point' down. When we wake up and jump out of bed, the calf muscles are tight, and we take a step or two, and we tear the Planar. Now, the Planar is attached to the ball of the foot, and at each toe, then it all runs to the heel of your foot. You have 5 tie-down spots compared against 1; which do you think is going to tear and scar? yup, at your heel. How does this tissue repair? With scar tissue and calcium deposits (Heel Spurs develop).

So, how do you fix this? Easy, drop $40 for a boot that will help stretch the Planar out. It basically tips your foot 'Up" and holds this. Wear this an hour or so every night for a week; and your Planar Fascitus will go away - naturally. No surgery, no injections, no miricle charms, magnets or mystical charms. It's just simple mechanics.

You can buy those boots at :
http://www.plantar-fasciitis.org/

I suggest the Night Splint - worked for me, and it's been 7 yrs without a repeat.

outcalth · December 2011

I haven't had this, but if you for some reason can't run or walk for a while, try cycling..less pressure on bottom of feet. If you can even go to one spin class it will change you. You burn 600 to 1000 calories a work out

Brandib1985 · December 2011

There are 2 approaches to this, the more foolish approach is to attack the symptoms.

The REASON you have this problem, is that as we age, the calf muscles shrink. We sleep in a relaxed position, and our feet 'point' down. When we wake up and jump out of bed, the calf muscles are tight, and we take a step or two, and we tear the Planar. Now, the Planar is attached to the ball of the foot, and at each toe, then it all runs to the heel of your foot. You have 5 tie-down spots compared against 1; which do you think is going to tear and scar? yup, at your heel. How does this tissue repair? With scar tissue and calcium deposits (Heel Spurs develop).

So, how do you fix this? Easy, drop $40 for a boot that will help stretch the Planar out. It basically tips your foot 'Up" and holds this. Wear this an hour or so every night for a week; and your Planar Fascitus will go away - naturally. No surgery, no injections, no miricle charms, magnets or mystical charms. It's just simple mechanics.

You can buy those boots at :
http://www.plantar-fasciitis.org/

I suggest the Night Splint - worked for me, and it's been 7 yrs without a repeat.

For me it wasn't so much age--I had it from age 23-27. I used to be a runner and a workout guru and I think I just overdid it . But I totally second the night splint!

Brandib1985 · December 2011

I haven't had this, but if you for some reason can't run or walk for a while, try cycling..less pressure on bottom of feet. If you can even go to one spin class it will change you. You burn 600 to 1000 calories a work out

doesn't spinning just work your bottom half? I have never done it -well I did try it once but the bike killed my butt so I stopped!

Jellyphant · December 2011

Does this foot issue go away with major weightloss or does it come from a different angle? I mean, I'm sure being heavy doesnt help, but I've developed foot issues EXTREMELY similar to this and am still completely stumped on how to heal it . And it doesnt help that I always have to be on my feet all day moving heavy boxes.

mahidac · December 2011

Hello

Just wondering if anyone has some advice with how to deal with plantar fasciitis or heel spur's as they are also known.

I have lost over 80lbs in the last year and a half just by increasing my walking every day - pushing my little girl in her stroller up and down hills up to 5 miles a day. But because of the increased exercise and because I was carrying over 350lbs my foot has given in and I have now developed major heel pain.

I have bought new insoles and tried the suggested exercises but nothing can stop the excruciating pain I am experiencing in the evening. I virtually have to hop around as I can not put any pressure on it at all.

I can't afford to go to the gym and I still have over 100lbs to loose...... I really don't want pain or injury to be an excuse as to why I have give up.

I am really struggling with this and could do with some helpful advice or suggestions....

thanks a million...x

It depends if you just have the aponeurosis thickening (fascitis) or if you have the bone spurs as well - unfortunately if you have bone spurs the only way to deal with them is to get them removed, analgesics or any other non surgical remedy wont fix the problem

Kksd605 · December 2011

Hello

Just wondering if anyone has some advice with how to deal with plantar fasciitis or heel spur's as they are also known.

I have had plantar fasciitis as well. But it is not the same thing as heel spurs. Plantar faciitis is small tears in the tendon running through your heal. As some have mentioned, it is caused by over use. Sometimes caused by a traumatic injury like stepping wrong and over stretching the tendon (I did that). Also runners tend to get it due to the continual impact on the heal.

It take a really long time to stop hurting (like up to a year!). My doctor suggested the stretching several times a day, but be careful about not over doing it. Also... never go barefooted. Wear a pair of Birkenstocks or similar slip on shoes around the house even. And always wear shoes with good arch support or add arch support to existing shoes.

Good luck!

REBEE17 · December 2011

I started to get pains in my foot/heel but was never diagnosed.
A few weeks of rolling it on a frozen water bottle and sitting on the floor with a bath towel, wrap the middle around the ball of your foot and pull toward you. It hurts, but it hurts so good.

I haven't had pain since. knock on wood.

gg24 · December 2011

Fit Flops! These were life changing for me as I also had other foot problems, too. I started with the sandels and now have 3 different types. I went immediatley from hobbling around to being able to walk around a park with no pain.

A few bits of info. Keep a pair of Fit Flops by your bedside. Slip into them first thing in the morning. This gets the stretch going immediately. Do not go barefoot. This last part was hard fro me as I loved going barefoot in the house year round.

Good Luck!

alcinoos23 · December 2011

I'm a little confused by your post because heel spurs and plantar fasciitis are not the same thing, although they can occur together. If you do have plantar fasciitis, one of the best things is taking B12. My grandmother, father, and I all have had issues with plantar fasciitis and upon taking a B12 supplement, we've all noticed significant improvement. I never really have pain anymore. I suggest the sublingual variety as it provides for the best absorption by the body.

Aside from that, rest can be helpful. The other important thing is to wear SUPPORTIVE footwear.

loombeav · December 2011

Does this foot issue go away with major weightloss or does it come from a different angle? I mean, I'm sure being heavy doesnt help, but I've developed foot issues EXTREMELY similar to this and am still completely stumped on how to heal it . And it doesnt help that I always have to be on my feet all day moving heavy boxes.

I can tell you the bigger I am the worse mine bothers me. I've dealt with Planter Fasciitis and ankle pain off and on for years. The times that it hasn't bothered me has been when I've been close to or at my ideal weight. Now that I'm down 30 lbs it's not bothering me as much as it was 6 months ago.

MisterDubs303 · December 2011

Go to the Good Feet Store, drop $150 and only get the hard insole - not the whole package/program, wear those in your shoes for as long as you can tolerate it at a time until you can handle it full-time. By the time you drop your weight, it will be over.

The bad part: it feels like you have a golf ball in your shoe at first. VERY uncomfortable, but you quickly adapt (stretches out that ligament or tendon which is the real problem).

My doctor told me that my weight wasn't the sole (no pun intended) reason that I had plantar fasciitis, but after wearing those hard insoles for a couple of years and/or dropping 90 pounds, no more plantar fasciitis at all.

Barneystinson · December 2011

Does this foot issue go away with major weightloss or does it come from a different angle? I mean, I'm sure being heavy doesnt help, but I've developed foot issues EXTREMELY similar to this and am still completely stumped on how to heal it . And it doesnt help that I always have to be on my feet all day moving heavy boxes.

I can tell you the bigger I am the worse mine bothers me. I've dealt with Planter Fasciitis and ankle pain off and on for years. The times that it hasn't bothered me has been when I've been close to or at my ideal weight. Now that I'm down 30 lbs it's not bothering me as much as it was 6 months ago.

Just losing 5 pounds since mine started has helped me. It's an extremely frustrating thing to deal with as some days it's barely noticeable and others it hurts like hell.

Anyone else have plantar fasciitis?? Need advice please!!

Replies

Categories