Plantar fasciitis - Anyone else with this and foot pain?

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skww
skww Posts: 9
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi All,

I have had this for months and only recently got diagnoised ( thinking it would go away!) I have been strapping my foot for this, using my orthodics and taking voltran to help ease it, but I also am suffering pain under my little toe and down the outside of the same foot.
So basically when I go walking - thinking "oh it feels nnot to bad today" (like great your heart rate up walking) within 2 mins I'm in a fair bit of pain and end up cutting my walk short and hobbling home!!!!
I think I have been walking differently because of the pain. In saying this I have been to the Dr's, podiatrist and am getting an xray done. But I CAN"T really excersice!!! and I NEED to!!! I have a crosstrainer at home which is OK but the same foot gets badly strained up the side of my ankle/ up my calf and I have to stop.
I'm not really looking to spend more money on equpiment walking/ running was free and great to get outside. Does anyone else have or had this and does anyone have any suggestions.
I was also doing some pilates which if OK for toning ect but I need to sweat to drop this weight?? Any help would be great :-)
Thanks
Sally
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Replies

  • WishComeTru
    WishComeTru Posts: 88 Member
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    I wish I knew what this was but I recently started a running program 3 weeks ago. At the start of my third week, I started to feel pain in my outside ankle during my routine. I have now finished the 3rd week, and had to skip the start of my week 4 because the pain is annoying and I am afraid of further injuring myself. I started icing it today. The pain seems to initiate from my outer ankle and up the side of my lower calf on the outside. No idea what it is but feels different than shin splints since it's not in the front.
  • rnunl
    rnunl Posts: 15
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    I was diagnosed with this last year. I started doing the recommended foot stretches and all pain was gone after a month or so. Now, I still do the stretches daily and have not had the problem return.
  • fay1958
    fay1958 Posts: 8 Member
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    Hi Sally
    I have exactly the same problem. I have been to one hospital for treatment for the last three years had injections and got nowhere. I was referred to a different hospital and have had my ankle injected about a month ago and am now walking about 3 miles with no pain whatsoever. Going back to see surgeon in september to have check up but am so pleased to be able to walk again. See your GP and asked to be referred the end result is so much relief of the pain i was in. I have also got osteo arthritis and have started taking rosehip capsules recently for joint pain.
  • Brengild
    Brengild Posts: 127
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    I wish I knew what this was but I recently started a running program 3 weeks ago. At the start of my third week, I started to feel pain in my outside ankle during my routine. I have now finished the 3rd week, and had to skip the start of my week 4 because the pain is annoying and I am afraid of further injuring myself. I started icing it today. The pain seems to initiate from my outer ankle and up the side of my lower calf on the outside. No idea what it is but feels different than shin splints since it's not in the front.
    I had this when I started running, a friend who is a veteran runner said it sounded like over-pronation(basically you turn your ankle outward). You just need a shoe with the type of support for this, most sports stores can help with that. Solved the problem instantly.
  • CarsonRuns
    CarsonRuns Posts: 3,039 Member
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    Hi All,

    I have had this for months and only recently got diagnoised ( thinking it would go away!) I have been strapping my foot for this, using my orthodics and taking voltran to help ease it, but I also am suffering pain under my little toe and down the outside of the same foot.
    So basically when I go walking - thinking "oh it feels nnot to bad today" (like great your heart rate up walking) within 2 mins I'm in a fair bit of pain and end up cutting my walk short and hobbling home!!!!
    I think I have been walking differently because of the pain. In saying this I have been to the Dr's, podiatrist and am getting an xray done. But I CAN"T really excersice!!! and I NEED to!!! I have a crosstrainer at home which is OK but the same foot gets badly strained up the side of my ankle/ up my calf and I have to stop.
    I'm not really looking to spend more money on equpiment walking/ running was free and great to get outside. Does anyone else have or had this and does anyone have any suggestions.
    I was also doing some pilates which if OK for toning ect but I need to sweat to drop this weight?? Any help would be great :-)
    Thanks
    Sally

    If you do have PF, the rest of the pain does sound like compensation injuries to me. I had PF several years back. Mine was completely resolved with ART treatments ( http://activereleasetechnique.com/ ). I was encouraged to run during the treatments and it took about 4 weeks to fully resolve. I haven't had to deal with it since. I highly recommend ART for any type of soft tissue injury. It's amazing. No, I am not an ART practitioner nor do I get paid for endorsing ART. :smile:
  • ba18ba18a
    ba18ba18a Posts: 46
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    I had PF in 1997. My dr diagnosed it thru an xray. He put me on a round of steroids and it was gone in 2 days and I've never had that problem since. That pain is still clear as day because it is right up there with giving birth and kidney stones. Unfortunately, since that was so long ago, I couldn't tell you which pills I took. :(
  • laurie0507
    laurie0507 Posts: 92 Member
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    I was diagnosed with this just last week. Good news, it's totally treatable with stretching exercises.. if you do 10 a day (runner's stretch) it should go away in a month or two. I have chronic arthritis in my foot also so I've been limited to exercising on a bike only.. no walking for me.
  • RobinShay
    RobinShay Posts: 53 Member
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    It took a while for mine to go away. What helped me, " night boots" and shoe inserts, and time.
  • BrendarB
    BrendarB Posts: 2,770 Member
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    have it in both feet - I ignore it mostly and just push through some days, some days you can't.

    if you are just wanting to do exercises that bring your heart rate up - swimming, or fast body weight exercises - pushups, pullups, situps, squats.

    do kettlebells (or use a bookbag that has heavy books in it)
    jumprope - I find I can jumprope more than I can run, it hurts less for some reason

    punches, weighted throws, burpees - there are a lot of stuff you can do
  • KdBeehsm
    KdBeehsm Posts: 5 Member
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    No fun - I had this several years ago. Honestly, the ONLY thing that will make better is rest. I know - it is NOT what you want to hear when you are tring so hard to exercise and be healthy. Do not go barefoot - or sockfoot - always support the arch. ALWAYS. Do the exercises, take the pain meds, and be patient. I now have a heel spur from the plantar fascitis, a common occurance, but it causes me no issues. My foot has not bothered me for a few years. It will get better! :)
  • MamaKeeks
    MamaKeeks Posts: 234
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    I had PF several years ago from kickboxing barefoot... it was horrific. I suffered for about 6 months (and kept on kickboxing) with it before it became totally debilitating and I finally went to a physiotherapist. He used a combination of active release and ultrasound. Took about 6 weeks, but it cleared and has been gone for over 10 years now. I still kickbox and run, but have been fortunate to stay pain free (knock on wood!)

    As for the pain on the outside of your foot - I would agree with previous poster who said likely a compensation injury/pain. That or a stress fracture. Either way, if you can, get to a physiotherapist and find out what's going on!

    For exercise - swim! Awesome cardio!

    Good luck to you!
  • pancakemix16
    pancakemix16 Posts: 45 Member
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    Wearing good shoes goes a long way. I wear orthoheal sandals inside and out. And to the gym I wear Reebok's. Find tennis shoes that have great arch support. With great arch support my pain went away in 6 months.
  • mamrodriguez
    mamrodriguez Posts: 2
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    I was diagnosed with this last year. I started doing the recommended foot stretches and all pain was gone after a month or so. Now, I still do the stretches daily and have not had the problem return.

    I also did the stretches but didn't feel better for close to a year! Also ONLY wore shoes that my orthotics fit in. I really stressed the diet to lose the weight, cut back for about 4months to get a at least ten lbs off and just that amount helped. The more weight I lost the better my feet felt!

    Good luck!!
  • CarsonRuns
    CarsonRuns Posts: 3,039 Member
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    Honestly, the ONLY thing that will make better is rest.

    Not my experience at all. You can run through it and have it go away, with proper treatment.
  • themichaelf
    themichaelf Posts: 94
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    try and get it treated. i had this almost a year ago and it was a good 6 months before i was able to walk/run without any pain or discomfort. i went to my sports doctor and he gave me 7 rounds of direct steroid injections. it gave instant relief which was amazing. but it wasn't until i bought new shoes and stretched daily that it started feeling better. feel free to add/message me if you have more questions
  • Leah_T
    Leah_T Posts: 17 Member
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    I agree with Carson. I also had PF last year. I went to a Dr that specialized in ART and he was great! My pain was cleared up in a matter of a few months. I am due for a maint treatment, but other than that i haven't had any pain since. If it is truely PF you can end up with permanent damage if it continues to flare.
  • bago08
    bago08 Posts: 360 Member
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    I had it a couple years ago, It lasted quite a while.
    You need to keep your heel flexed as much as possible. Make sure you stretch every day. I used a baseball to loosen it up everyday before getting out of bed. That worked well.
  • sasssurf
    sasssurf Posts: 58 Member
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    I had this years ago. A like the baseball idea above. I used a large superball. I think too it is shortening in the arch. Don't over stretch achelilles tendon creates new problems. Good luck.
  • DLKeeble
    DLKeeble Posts: 200 Member
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    I had it a couple years ago, It lasted quite a while.
    You need to keep your heel flexed as much as possible. Make sure you stretch every day. I used a baseball to loosen it up everyday before getting out of bed. That worked well.

    A frozen water bottle helps too. I take naproxen to ease the inflamation. I have suffered with this for the past 6 months. I refuse to get the steroid shots. I also take a belt and put it at the ball of my foot and pull my foot forward as far as I can, before getting out of bed and then do lunges to stretch the entire tendon out. All this and I still have pain, especially after sitting for a period of time.
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
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    My workout buddy has been dealing with this for the last four or five months. Her doc told her to stop doing anything that put impact on the foot - so that pretty much left her on the stationary bike. She'd do the elliptical now and then but that caused some discomfort if she was on it more than a few minutes. So, first I'd say, stop walking and try biking and/or swimming.

    After many doc visits, different therapies and such, it ultimately came down to figuring out that the main source of the problem was weakness/tension in her lower back. This pulled her hips out of whack, which pulled her knees out of whack which then pulled her calves and heels out of whack. We don't tend to think of it but everything is connected!
    She started doing stretching and strengthening (supermans, bridge aka pelvic thrust, etc) exercises for her lower back/upper glutes and also used a foam roller to help relax the area.

    There's still some pain from time to time but she's now able to walk with me on a daily basis without pain. The only things that seem to set it off now are high impact moves like jumping jacks. She'd like to try running again but wants to be properly fitted for shoes first to make sure she doesn't hurt herself again.

    I'm no professional but my theory is that when she started running earlier this year (she hadn't run for at least six months due to hip pain), she overdid it and caused this tension/weakness as it's fairly common for runners. We usually feel it in our hips or knees but the source tends to be that lower back upper glute area.

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