Plantar Faciitis

caitlinsmom07
caitlinsmom07 Posts: 37 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I'm just starting to get into working out again after quite some time. I have a painful case of plantar faciitis and heel spurs, and I was wondering if anyone else has this and what do you do? What kind of exercises or any other helpful hints? I've had cortisone shots which only left me pain free for about a week. And I have on order custom orthotics (which cost me an arm and a leg). I hope they help...
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Replies

  • CoraGregoryCPA
    CoraGregoryCPA Posts: 1,087 Member
    New inner soles for your shoes.. you know like those Dr. Scholls pad thingys. My boyfriend complains about this all the time. The doctor said it was plantar facilitis. We bought a very good foot pad from New Balance ($40). It stopped his complaints right away. He's also bought some from Target before for under $20 and he's been happy with those too.
  • KelCanDoThis
    KelCanDoThis Posts: 83 Member
    I had this once and at the time I did no exercising so wasn't sure how I got it. But I know it is so painful. By the time I got referred and waited for an app to muscular skeletal clinic it had gone!

    I can say one thing. Flat shoes make it worse, I was advised this and it works. People presume keeping the ankle and heel flat would help, but it doesn't. If you can wear a slight heel it could help you.

    Sorry I couldn't help with a quick answer

    Kelly
  • sumnerfan
    sumnerfan Posts: 244 Member
    I got a brace at Walmart that really helped. It's just a circle strip of that compression fabric. You slide it up to your arch. It really helped. Mine has finally gotten better. I also got some Shapeups. I could wear either the brace or the shapeups, but not both. Good luck!
  • mmuzzatti
    mmuzzatti Posts: 704 Member
    Oh I feel your pain or I should say I felt your pain. The shots did it for me. Once I got them the pain went away and it is still gone. I bought the inserts, which each set cost of $400.00 and I bought one for street shoes and one for workout shoes, they did not even last a year so after they broke I tossed them out and now I am OK. I would say that if the shots keep you pain free for a while then try to get them to make them work for you.

    Sorry I really know the pain!
  • fitzie63
    fitzie63 Posts: 508 Member
    I suffered from that with a lot of pain when I was overweight. It may lessen, in time, as you trim off the excess fat pounds. Suggestion: Go to a specialty fitness shoe store and get properly "fitted" with shoes that have the best gel cushioning for your feet. Take your time in trying on the shoes by walking around in the best, most comfortable brand/style for YOU....for at least 15-20 minutes. Take all the time you need. Then, politely tell the sales clerk you'd like to "think about those shoes". Then, go home, get on the computer and go to: http://www.kellysrunningwarehouse.com/?utm_source=Google&utm_medium=PPC&utm_term=101-1000000016&sc=KX11Y009

    AND.... try this coupon before you order at: http://www.retailmenot.com/view/kellysrunningwarehouse.com
  • StartingAnewDay
    StartingAnewDay Posts: 319 Member
    I have it now, a VERY bad case, Sleeping with the brace helps, I also use a tennis ball whenever i'm sitting, I learned this in phys therapy, the key is to keep it stretched.. So I take my shoes off and roll the tennis ball around and around my foot, I also try and keep it stretched and rested as much as possible!! I did get orthotics but those mostly seemed to help after I had healed the damamge that had already been done and will most likely prevent reoccurance..
  • cclark1203
    cclark1203 Posts: 244 Member
    I have plantar fascitis with heel spurs in both heels. I agree with you it is very painful, like constantly walking on a pebble. Here is what I have done over the last couple of years and it has brought me great relief, not totally but tolerable. First I went to my Chiropractor and used ultra sound on my heels to try to break up the heel spur and it helped alot! I keep a soup can next to my bed and roll my feet on it every morning before I get out of bed. Scar tissue forms overnight from your body trying to heal itself from the inflammation and when you step out of bed, you straighten your foot after it has been bent all night and you rip all the tissue that's formed. You should also put your feet straight into shoes after you use the soup can, don't step on the floor until you do. Icing your feet while watching tv helps and stretching the back of your leg, mostly your calves. I can usually feel that muscle stretch all the way into my heel when I do. It seems to help me. Also an anti-inflammatory helps on those days when it really, really hurts. Good luck. If you practice these things you should get some relief. Also, there are devices that you can buy that will keep your foot in the flexed position as you sleep but I don't know if they work.
  • LethaSue
    LethaSue Posts: 285 Member
    I had surgery last dec for achillies tendonitis and heel spurs. It caused me to be non weight bearing for 4 months on that foot. So when the boot came off I even had to learn to walk again. The most thing it did for me is to add to my weight problem and ruin what fitness I had. I used to be a hard worker, even though I was big. Now it's hard to catch my breath, or do anything for long. Did it help my foot................ not real sure it did because, I am not on my feet long enough to tell any more. I know it still causes me pain when, I am up for awhile and then sit and try to get up again. The best advice I ever got from all of my experience (Iv'e had the shots, and the orthotics.... those things make my feet sore) is the pain dr. advised me to get rocker bottom shoes (sketchers work outs). Those shoes really did more for me than anything else. They even had work shoes and those helped me out alot also.
  • PoeRaven
    PoeRaven Posts: 433 Member
    This is going to sound strange but it does offer some relief....my family doctor actually told me to do this when I was suffering from Plantar Faciitis last year.:sad:
    Get a glass bottle, like a coke bottle and place it on the floor. While sitting down, put your affected foot on the bottle so it is right in the arch. Now roll your foot back and forth. What this does is stretch the membrane in your foot that is causing the pain. I'm not kidding, it really does work.:bigsmile:

    Good luck!
    :flowerforyou:
  • missbuterfly
    missbuterfly Posts: 18
    I had that when I first started losing weight still have some pain. Good shoes, workout out on padded floor, and try to walk on dirt instead of concreet. There are stretches you can do: stand about 2 ft in front of a wall and lean forward to the wall and stretch the ham string, stand on your toes and lift your self up and down, you can also get one of the exercse bands put it on across the bottom of your foot just below your toes hold onto each end of the band and flex your foot like pressing on a gas pedal. Google "stretches for plantar faciitis" and you can get more and pics. Oh and avoid heels makes it much worse. I rode a bike alot during this time its good phys therapy and you can still get your cardio. :) Hope this helps! Just be careful you dont want to do permant damage.:smile:
  • tuskegee4
    tuskegee4 Posts: 110 Member
    The custom insoles helped me tremendously!!! I also get up about 15 minutes earlier to strecth my feet and roll them over a tennis ball. The only downside to my plantar faciitis is I had to give up distance running....10K's only now. If you are a runner go to a store that will evaluate your walk or running style and will put you in the right type of shoes (they will cost you though). Oh yeah, the insoles may change your shoe size.
  • turnerjh
    turnerjh Posts: 17
    I am a runner and was dealing with plantar fasciitis for close to a year (I was stubborn and didn't cut down on my running). The thing I found that finally gave me the most relief was wearing a night splint. I was amazed when the first night I wore it, I got out of bed the next morning with no pain for the first time in 8 months or more. I wore it every night for probably at least 2 months and am now pain free. It works by keeping your foot in a flexed position during the night so the fascia is not able to draw up like it does normally during sleep. I also replaced my worn running shoes which helped. Finally, I keep a water bottle in the freezer and roll my foot over that when it flares up. This is great because it reduces inflammation as well as stretching the fascia.
  • lazatin
    lazatin Posts: 452 Member
    I had it ...really bad..so bad I couldn' t even walk when I got up in the morning! I bought som Asics shoes and it was gone almost instantly! Losing pounds helped also but I firmly believe its the shoes...now I only wear good shoes when working out!
  • leafstucker16
    leafstucker16 Posts: 136 Member
    Have you tried laser therapy for it? My mother had it pretty bad for about 2 years, did laser therapy and swears by it, she hasn't had a problem for a while now
  • kdb247
    kdb247 Posts: 326 Member
    I suffered from PF approximately 12 years. The foot dr suggested custom insoles and my sports therapist suggested stretching. I ordered the custom fitted (via my foot dr) half cork insoles and I still use them to this day. They were very expensive, several hundred dollars but were worth every single penny. I also purchased custom fitted fiberglass full insoles but they hurt so I never use them. I recommend stretching and custom fitted insoles for a PR remedy. I run pain free because of those 2 things
  • kdb247
    kdb247 Posts: 326 Member
    Sorry for the double post!
    I suffered from PF approximately 12 years ago. The foot dr suggested custom insoles and my sports therapist suggested stretching. I ordered the custom fitted (via my foot dr) half cork insoles and I still use them to this day. They were very expensive, several hundred dollars but were worth every single penny. I also purchased custom fitted fiberglass full insoles but they hurt so I never use them. I recommend stretching and custom fitted insoles for a PR remedy. I run pain free because of those 2 things
  • caitlinsmom07
    caitlinsmom07 Posts: 37 Member
    Thank you so much for all the wonderful tips and for the coupon. I certainly will be trying these. I think my main prob is my weight because it started at the end of pregnancy with my son and I haven't lost the weight yet. So I'm hoping that when I lose some of this weight it will feel better. But it is hard to exercise to get the weight off when it hurts so darn much sometimes! Dr. said I do need surgery but with a 4 year old and 9 month old, it's not happening for a while! So I will definatly try out your suggestions. Thanks again.
  • pjbalch
    pjbalch Posts: 2
    Sit in a chair and feet flat in front of you. Lift toes off floor a little bit and do 10 reps. Work up to 5 reps of 10. As you can lift the front of the foot higher off the ground.

    Stand on stair or exercise board with heel off. Lower yourself up and down 10 times gradually holding longer and doing more sets.

    Ice you feet 2 or 3 times a day. (I cannot stress this step enough) until numb. It took 2 to 3 months but I am now on the treadmill for 30 mins a day 3 times a week.
  • cclark1203
    cclark1203 Posts: 244 Member
    Try everything we have told you, leave surgery for the last resort.
  • caitlinsmom07
    caitlinsmom07 Posts: 37 Member
    Sit in a chair and feet flat in front of you. Lift toes off floor a little bit and do 10 reps. Work up to 5 reps of 10. As you can lift the front of the foot higher off the ground.

    Stand on stair or exercise board with heel off. Lower yourself up and down 10 times gradually holding longer and doing more sets.

    Ice you feet 2 or 3 times a day. (I cannot stress this step enough) until numb. It took 2 to 3 months but I am now on the treadmill for 30 mins a day 3 times a week.

    Its encouraging to hear you are back on a treadmill with a little TLC. I have one in my house and it was my main source of exercise before I had my little guy and now I just stare at it and wonder when I'll be able to use it again.

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