Foot Pain, Anyone?

Options
lewiel
lewiel Posts: 8
in Fitness and Exercise
Well, I suppose a side effect of getting back in shape after 2 years of sedentary life and a weight gain of about 50 pounds is that I have developed plantar fasciitis...and probably heel spurs. Even if I'm just biking, my feet kill me, especially in the morning. Doing stretch exercises that are supposed to help, but am wondering: has anyone else had this happen and if so, how long before it goes away????

Replies

  • cheesethings
    cheesethings Posts: 3
    Options
    I can help! I tore my plantar fascia tissue and was in a wheelchair and then on crutches, opted out of surgery for work reasons! I used STRUTZ, go online and check them out! They truly saved me! I love them and where them whenever I run. Ice, and roll your foot over tennis ball is great too! Seriously I don't work for them, I just used them and they truly saved me, was able to walk, run and race again...they ROCK! Good Luck!
  • lewiel
    lewiel Posts: 8
    Options
    thank you, thank you, thank you! i will check it out asap!
  • brandyk77
    brandyk77 Posts: 605 Member
    Options
    Try the Strassburg sock too (just google search it)

    Epsom foot bath

    It can be a lifelong thing honestly. I have had it for 7 years and it can flare up time to time. Losing weight is the best thing you can do right now.
  • lewiel
    lewiel Posts: 8
    Options
    all those extra pounds pounding the pavement can't be good for feet.....
  • lewiel
    lewiel Posts: 8
    Options
    thx
  • brandyk77
    brandyk77 Posts: 605 Member
    Options
    all those extra pounds pounding the pavement can't be good for feet.....

    exactly

    I noticed a huge improvement as I lost weight
  • hbrittingham
    hbrittingham Posts: 2,518 Member
    Options
    Once my weight was down about 20-25 lbs, the plantar fasciitis went away. Good luck!
  • lewiel
    lewiel Posts: 8
    Options
    thx!
  • jamfan
    jamfan Posts: 124 Member
    Options
    For me stretching, Ibuprofen & Ice were key. They Also make heel cups, (shoe inserts) these also helped me a ton. I still don't know If I could run without them. If your not using them they are well worth the 10-15 bucks.
  • lewiel
    lewiel Posts: 8
    Options
    i'm on it, thanks!
  • dlrcpa
    dlrcpa Posts: 114 Member
    Options
    Check that you are wearing shoes with decent cushioning, even sneakers wear out. I wear out at least 1 pair a year. When my feet and lower legs start to hurt, I know to get a new pair ASAP.

    Also try the gel insoles. These helped me a lot. I had foot neuropathy (it has lessened over time) as a result of chemotherapy and the gel insoles helped a lot - I even put them in my sandals for a long time. I still use the gel insoles in my sneakers and loafers.

    It may be something else but these are easy/cheap things to try.
  • scottb81
    scottb81 Posts: 2,538 Member
    Options
    I have had PF for about 5 weeks. What has helped the most was wearing a night splint to keep it stretched at night. I started using that a couple of weeks ago and the PF pain has faded to negligible. I also used ice and rolled it often.
  • Mrs_BST
    Mrs_BST Posts: 5 Member
    Options
    I had this issue before I started working out and was afraid it was going to get worse, but I only feel increased pain after running or walking outside. I do all the stuff everyone else suggested, the shoe inserts and buying decent shoes really helped the most. I also keep a bottle of frozen water in my freezer and use that to ice my foot, just put it on the floor and roll your foot back and forth. The night splint for your foot also helps and doing stretches in the morning and before bed. Good luck and keep going! I have also read that losing the weight will help with the pain :)
  • javalika
    javalika Posts: 10 Member
    Options
    I have been dealing with PF for several years and work in the ER 12 hours on my feet. I also gained 70 lbs for my twin pregnancies. I had to finally go to the podiatrist b/c I could not take it anymore. I ended up getting custom made orthotics($300) covered by insurance, got a night splint and had to succumb to 3 cortizone injections... that i feel helped the most. I can now run and atleast stay active. The pain is much more manageable. I could not even walk out of bed in the morning without pain. Now I don't have that. I would make an appt with a podiatrist especially since you are trying to loose weight and be more active.
  • lewiel
    lewiel Posts: 8
    Options
    thanks!
  • denise4230
    denise4230 Posts: 82 Member
    Options
    I've also had PF in the past and am seeing a podiatrist now because it is back. cortisone shots did the trick the first time several years ago, but not this time. Several things you can do to help decrease the pain before you go for the cortisone shot (which by the way hurt like hell for about 60 sec, but then your foot feels great). My podiatrist has prescribed orthotics, they don't need to cost $300, I use the Powerstep protech control, which you can get online for around $50. Don't go BAREFOOT! I live in climate where sandels and barefeet are a year round thing and are the worst thing for your feet. The thicker the soles, the better and it makes a huge difference in the pain. Naproxen (aleeve) 2 tabs twice a day for about a week also helps (again, this is from my podiatrist). You should also be doing stretching exercises and ice daily to reduce the inflammation (rolling your foot on a frozen ice bottle or piece of PVC pipe works great). I work on my feet 12 hours a day 3-4 days a week, so taking care of my feet is important. If you are trying all these things and still having pain, you need to see a good podiatrist, I am going to be starting ultrasound therapy next week for my PF.
  • anestoiter
    anestoiter Posts: 4
    Options
    It sounds like you pulled some tendon in your foot and/or ankle. It doesn't take much to get hurt, just misalignment of muscle actions for a split second, and that's it. Taking pain pills and bathing foot in epsom salt, or ice, will mask the pain over for a short while but will not fix it. Your muscles surrounding the injured joint tighten up to protect it. It's an auto response and it's good to have. The problem is that unless you later begin to walk like you did before, these stiff muscles will remain stiff and will later become the source of new pain. But the problems isn't even there. Our feet are made to walk barefoot on un-cleared, un-flattened nature floor, like in the forest or on top of rocks near water. I'm giving you so much details so you fully understand what's what. So when I say start using your foot as you did before, I mean walking barefoot on the forest floor or on top of rocks. You need to walk on top of such grounds because this is how our ancestors were walking for millions of years. When you walk on top of rocks, they dig inside your muscle tissues and, in a way, massage your feet, deep tissue massage, that is. Today you will be hard pressed to find anyone willing or able to walk barefoot on top of rocks or on top of forest floor. If you can't do this and you can't go see foot therapist once a weeks for a few weeks, your injury will remain for a while, because feet and ankles heal very slowly, slower than other body parts. Search for nestoiter-gravity on Amazon. The rock pillow is what you need now. When you get better, you need that black bar. It will help you make your feet and ankles fast and flexible so this doesn't happen again. After all, it's not just that you did nothing for a while, or that you gained weight. It has to do with your nervous system issuing the right commands to your muscles, and your muscles to be strong, fast, and flexible to respond to those commands. When you gain weight and do not train for a while, you are teaching your nervous system to get by on little precision and small demands. That is where your biggest and most important obstacle. For you can fix this and that, only to repeat your injury the following day... By balancing barefoot on that bar, your feet/ankles will have to perform all sorts of corrections to keep you from falling off. And, that is I think the golden thing you need, for you sound young and you don't want this to keep happening to you.
    Also, you probably wear sneakers often. If that's the case, reduce wearing sneakers as much as possible. This too will help your feet/ankles stay responsive and fast. Wear leather bottom shoes with a heel. Last thing, you don't have to buy anything, I simply wanted you to get an idea what to do. With a little help, you can build those things yourself. Use the website as it has a lot of interesting info, and YouTube has examples how to get your feet massaged by standing on the water pipe.
    Allow your feet time to heal. They heal slow, so don’t rush them or healing will take even longer. Good luck. Email me if you need.
  • froeschli
    froeschli Posts: 1,292 Member
    Options
    i had a soreness in a tendon at the side of my foot after tripping on a run. i tried to run home, duh, and made it much worse. took a week not to actually hurt, another to not twinge anymore, but if i try and jump logs and don't land just so, it's back with a vengeance, even after 2 months...
  • lewiel
    lewiel Posts: 8
    Options
    thanks! i am actually worse today, stupid bottom of my heel, but i will persevere!!!!!
  • Auburndelp
    Auburndelp Posts: 1
    Options
    Dude....been dealing with heel spurs this since feb last year, so painful when I get out of bed sometimes that I cry...and I'd honestly rather give birth to twins than suffer another cortisone shot. I'm not into surgery so rolling my feet on frozen water filled bottles gives some relief, ibuprofen and believe it or not, soaking your foot in apple cider vinegar (undiluted) has helped. Supposedly the vinegar pulls the calcium out of the spur (over time) and reduces the size of the spur so inflammation is not so painful. Let me know how it works for you!!!

Categories