HELP, Plantar Fasciitis?!?!

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spunkiemunkie503
spunkiemunkie503 Posts: 66
in Health and Weight Loss
Has anyone ever suffered from this before and if so any suggestions for relief? It is excrutiating and it is interfering in my exercise. HELP, PLEASE! Very painful:grumble: :noway: :frown:

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  • rrstucci
    rrstucci Posts: 5
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    Yes it is so painful. Go to a podiatrist, get a shot of cortazone. That itself hurts a bit but by the next day the Plantar Fascitis felt much better. Their are also exersizes to streach the mussel.

    But don't just go on with the pain.

    Hope this help
    Ross
  • pinksultana
    pinksultana Posts: 162 Member
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    hey Ive suffered HUGE with this. I dont know how to add a link, but my podiatrist emailed me some excercises for this, if you PM me with your email addy ill forward it to you, theyre very helpful.

    I also had some custom made orthotics - cost a mint, but have made such a huge difference in my daily life!!!

    Good Luck,

    xxPINK
  • chrissyh
    chrissyh Posts: 8,235 Member
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    I had the shot last thursday - be aware that the shot can REALLY hurt but it's much better than before now. I also have a bone spur along with it-not fun....don't wear the same shoes everyday, you can freeze a water bottle and roll your foot over it.
  • twinsmom
    twinsmom Posts: 1
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    I feel your pain. :sad: I suffer from the same thing. The best things I have found (through physical therapy) are to 1) freeze water in a soda bottle and roll it under your foot for 15-20 minutes; 2) get a towel and put under your toes, then gently pull your toes toward you about 20 reps; 3) take your thumbs or fist and rub the arch of your foot...this works best if someone else does it. Hope it helps.
    twinsmom
  • lilelephant
    lilelephant Posts: 55
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    Hello...I actually work at a sports medicine clinic and we see patients with planter fascitis all the time. It usually occurs in active patients, usually runners...there is a couple different types of treatments for this but it is not permanent and does get better if you follow dr's direction. Our doctor in our clinic usually has patients where a night splint everynight which puts the foot at a 90 degree angle which is the same angle that your at when standing on your feet...this helps to stretch the foot throughout the whole night and not just in the day time. I would go in to see a dr. :) hope everything gets sbetter
  • lilelephant
    lilelephant Posts: 55
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    cortizone injections are also an option but most patients try either orthotics or pt before they go for the injection because it can be very painful.
  • berkeleygirlforever
    berkeleygirlforever Posts: 12
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    I use Leslie Sansone's "Walk Away the Pounds" DVD's....so when my heel would act up, it put me out of commission. Then I got the idea to use an indoor trampoline with my walking workouts and it REALLY helped!! It takes all of that shock off of your heel (and your other lower body joints). Hope this helps you (and everyone else here). BTW, the little trampoline I bought came from Walmart (89.00) and it has a 300 lb. weight limit - it's called The Urban Rebounder).
  • adopt4
    adopt4 Posts: 970 Member
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    but it is not permanent and does get better if you follow dr's direction

    Unless you've actually torn the plantar tendon, in which case, there is nothing that can be done to fix it at this point with medical technology. My hubby was a walking mailman and didn't listen to his feet and ripped both plantar tendons. He had to stop doing that job, obviously. He does find that wearing the orthotics, and good shoes, help him, he's even started walking on the treadmill now to lose weight (he gained over 100 pounds after his injury! that didn't help!) so the pain can lesson. But the exercises someone gave with the soda bottle - I have it too, mine was temporary, not a tear, and that really worked for me.

    If it's not torn, and just injured, you HAVE to stretch it frequently - think of it like your hamstrings, if you don't stretch and start running, you're likely to injure it again and again - so do the exercises that stretch it, do NOT overuse it, let it heal like any other injured part of your body. Yes, your physical therapist or dr will be the best judge of how much you can do, but if the pain is severe, I would have it checked out to make sure you aren't creating a tear or don't already have one.
  • spunkiemunkie503
    spunkiemunkie503 Posts: 66
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    Thanks everyone, sounds like some good advice. I'm glad to know that I'm not the only struggling. Scheduled an appointment with the podiatrist for Tuesday...:drinker: :bigsmile: :drinker: :laugh:
  • pcbta
    pcbta Posts: 227
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    Been through THAT ringer for years. I would suggest NOT getting a cortisone shot. I got one, and yes it felt better for awhile...but now a few years later it has caused fat pad atrophy...eaten away at my fat bad on the bottom of my heel and THAT alone is extremely painful...
    I would suggest acupuncture, pain killing creams, and lots of massage. stretching your calves may help...as well as wearing good supportive shoes...and crocs at home. don't ever walk barefoot!!!
    I really feel for ya.

    Cindy
  • pcbta
    pcbta Posts: 227
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    oh yeah I forgot...the number one BEST thign that helped me with PF was calf massages...no lie. try it! IT can be a life saver....


    Cindy
  • LosingIt4good
    LosingIt4good Posts: 1,214 Member
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    My hubby has this in one foot and went to get special shoes with inserts.
    The shoes are great, but what he says really helps is the sock that they sold him. He wears it every night to bed. It basically stretches it out while he's sleeping. He said the first couple nights it felt a little akward, but hes used to it now and his foot feels much, much better.

    I think you can find them at a store that specifically fits shoes to your stride. If you dont have one in your area, ask a podiatrist where you can find one.

    Heed the advice of everyone here and stretch it good on a daily basis. That along with massage & ice should help a bit unless you have torn something.
  • weaklink109
    weaklink109 Posts: 2,831 Member
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    There was at least one reference to footwear before my post, but I am amazed no one has mentioned BIRKENSTOCK footwear. I have worn Birks for years, and used to work part time in a friends store, and recall many customers reporting this condition, as well as coping with heel spurs to be greatly helped by wearing Birks.

    I have not personally had either condition, but sympathize with those who have to cope with it. Good luck in getting through it. If you are limited in your mobility, remember their are exercise routines available that can be done sitting in a chair. I have seen a couple of posts where people have been using these programs as they wait to recover from a foot or knee or ankle issue.

    Hang in there!!
  • larthur
    larthur Posts: 37 Member
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    I've had this for years. I freeze a water bottle and roll it under my foot for 15-20 minutes a day, this works better than anything at relieving the pain. The best advice is to really stretch the calf muscles after your workouts, the lower ones are hard to get at but are the ones that stretch out your arch. You just do a regular calf stretch and then bend the knee while in the stretch. I would NOT go get a cortizone shot, but thats just me.
  • bloom_ss
    bloom_ss Posts: 2
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    One of my aunts and one of my cousins both have this. My aunt swears by the shoe inserts and my cousin swears by the cortisone shot. I'm sorry to hear that you have it also...I hope you find something that helps make it better. It looks like you have already received a ton of good advice. =)

    ~Stephanie
  • arewethereyet
    arewethereyet Posts: 18,702 Member
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    just get the injection. I went for 1 year with terrible pain. Stretching and icing and resting.

    Finally gave in to the cortisone and bam...gone.

    I still stretch is each morning because I dont want it to come back.

    Sorry for your pain:cry:

    :flowerforyou: Jeannie
  • pcbta
    pcbta Posts: 227
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    Stretching is good...and birks are great too. they are not soft however, so don't wear them all day. orthotics work for most people for awhile...then they have to try more things.
    calf massages go above and beyond stretching and icing...the massage therapist really works the heck outa those muscles and loosens them up....ahhhhhhhhhhh.

    Cindy
  • hickory
    hickory Posts: 42
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    Yup! There are some exercises that help over time. Don't have them all here - but I remember one is just making the letters of the alphabet with your foot in the air everyday.

    My podiatrist created inserts for my shoes and that helped TREMENDOUSLY. Also - never go barefoot.

    Mine used to be excruciating as well, and it is a LOT better now.

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