plantar fastidious

srdeaver · May 2012

I have this and have been dealing with it for a while now (at least a year). The worst thing you can do is go barefoot. I am not sure when I will be able to run again, but it's much more manageable now that I am in either slippers or shoes all the time. The slippers I have are Uggs and I have a arch support in them (dr. scholls?). The first step in the morning is the worse, but it works itself out rather quickly. Good luck!

jessradtke · May 2012

I had it in both feet. I was an early adopter of orthotics and had been using them in everything from ski boots to exercise shoes. I tried stretching, changing shoes, injections, nothing seemed to help.

Then I ran into a physical therapist who suggested I try losing the orthotics and going without footbeds and barefoot whenever possible. She told me my use of orthotics had led to my foot muscles contracting and that while stretching probably helped, it was being offset by the footbeds.

Two months later the PF was gone and hasn't returned after around 3 years. I realize going barefoot and away from footbeds is contrary to what's typically recommended but the therapist insisted footbeds while serving a purpose have become a profitable business for podiatrists and others and they'd rather use them as a cure all than admit they're creating problems.

She'd been doing PT for years and says before footbeds she'd never had a patient with the condition and now she sees it all the time.

This makes sense to me. I never had pf until I had a back injury and was forced to wear shoes with a lift in one heel ALL the time. When my back was healed, I went back to going barefoot like I had always done before. I started doing yoga, massage, and stretches several times a day (basically any time I sit down) and the pf felt better within a day or two and was gone in a couple of weeks.

Boldilocks · May 2012

Stretching and arch support. Mine was really bad and it's cleared up - but it can flare up slightly now and then and I do the stretches and it helps.

But I make sure I wear good arch supports at ALL times - that's what cleared it up for me and has kept it away.

My insurance approved custom orthotics from the foot doctor - and they just hurt and made it worse. I think that taking an impression of your foot when it's in *bad* shape is getting a false impression really - and I was standing when they toke the mould, I've since read that you should be sitting so your foot isn't being "flattened" by the floor when the impression is taken.

I have a few shoe recommendations - Danskos for boots in the winter, Chacos for sandals in the summer, and (knock-off) Crocs for slippers around the house (the real ones didn't have support as good). I never, ever go barefoot - but I always hated going barefoot anyway. Even just going to the bathroom at night - get into the habit of keeping supportive slippers by the bed and slip them on.

I could barely walk - but I was able to use my recumbent bike while recovering.

Boldilocks · May 2012

Oh, and I got this foot roll and it really helped!

http://www.ronjones.org/Coach&Train/BodyXerciseLibrary/SpecialConditions/PlantarFasciitis.html

heybales · May 2012

-stretch your calves daily
-roll your foot around on a golf ball or frozen tennis ball several times per day.
-sit in the hurdlers stretch, and, using a towel around the ball of your foot, pull back on the towel so your toes are coming back towards you.

go to youtube and search stretching videos for "plantars fasciitis"

To add to this excellent routine for stretching and strengthening it, you also must give it rest.

You can indeed make the repair last years, going through various stages of hurting more or less, allowing you to do more or less. Whereas a good month or two could have it healed up, and then starting slowly keeps you from re-injury.

In an effort to let it rest, if this involves the arch area of the plantar, get custom orthotics. Doesn't have to be the Dr version costing $500 or so. You may find a running store or foot store that takes imprints and orders them through same process, or may have a machine to make them in-house in day or hour. Usually $100 around here at several places.
Good feet is not that type, since they are using standard insoles and tuning somewhat, but no where near what you need to give rest to the tendon.

heybales · May 2012

I had it in both feet. I was an early adopter of orthotics and had been using them in everything from ski boots to exercise shoes. I tried stretching, changing shoes, injections, nothing seemed to help.

Then I ran into a physical therapist who suggested I try losing the orthotics and going without footbeds and barefoot whenever possible. She told me my use of orthotics had led to my foot muscles contracting and that while stretching probably helped, it was being offset by the footbeds.

Two months later the PF was gone and hasn't returned after around 3 years. I realize going barefoot and away from footbeds is contrary to what's typically recommended but the therapist insisted footbeds while serving a purpose have become a profitable business for podiatrists and others and they'd rather use them as a cure all than admit they're creating problems.

She'd been doing PT for years and says before footbeds she'd never had a patient with the condition and now she sees it all the time.

Excellent advice once the repair has happened.

I did barefoot running as way to strengthen it up. But needed to be healed already. Too much stress before that.

And as I discovered, can provide too much stress barefoot running too - just like running in shoes.

BuckeyeLife · May 2012

I got plantar fasciitis last summer. Between being overweight, working on hard concrete floors all day standing, and playing tennis 3 times a week. It never subsided until I finally went to Walmart and tried Dr Scholl's thing, got insert, immediately fixed issue. By the next day I felt 100% fine, best $50 ever. I played tennis and worked out through it, but I also play through pain a lot. I don't know if it is recommended to do so though, logically it is an injury that can be further injured by doing this. There are also stretches(towel stretches) you can do to help.

Are you talking about the inserts that are by the big machine you step on and use to pinpoint the problem areas on your feet? I've been tempted to buy one but at the price, I was wary. Buuuut if you say it works, then damn! i need to get me one!

Yes. 100% best $50 of my life. I have heard someone else say it did nothing for them. It has a money back guarantee from the company, cannot miss IMO.

gertudejekyl · May 2012

I had it for 6 years. I blame my last 30 pd weight gain on it. Buy Spenco (green with black bottom) moldable arch support inserts- $20 on ebay, $40 at store. Your shoes will have to be larger for the inserts.

In the morning, before walking around, use 2 pieces of athletic tape (cloth type) about 5 inches long and put them on the arch of your foot length wise. This is to keep your arch from stretching out too much when you walk. This took away 70% of my problem.

Lastly, I got terribly sick with the flu, and I had to stay in bed for a week and I starting taking aspirin/ibuprofen for the fever, etc. And when I got better the problem was virtually gone !

But I have used the Spenco inserts ever since because I feel it would come back.

BuckeyeLife · May 2012

I feel MUCH more natural running barefoot. I occasionally do a light jog on my treadmill, my feet LOVE that. Biggest reason I want toe shoes for lifting and running, heh.

JJinWI · May 2012

I found the lip around my cast iron tub is great for a foot massage and loosening up the fascia - with a sock on, of course.

I can't imagine the discomfort of those who have had it in both feet at the same time. Ugggh. How the heck do you even walk??

plantar fastidious

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