Plantar Fasciitis, anyone?

[MoreProseccoNow]

I think I've developed this; due to walking about on holiday in bare feet. I've always had quite flat feet & tend to wear heels, plus I run 5K 2-3 x a week.

I've had a couple of weeks off running, switched to soft soles/flat shoes etc but still have pain sometimes (especially if I over do the walking).

Should it be better now?

Anything else I can do?

See a podiatrist for advice and orthoses. #PodsHealHeels

I had it quite badly in one foot only. Walking was difficult and painful.

Bought some arch support insoles in Boots - Scholl, about £25 - and wore them religiously for several weeks. That was some years ago and touch wood I've never had it since.

Two BiLs with the same paid ££££££ for custom-made insoles with no better results as far as I could tell.

I didnt have to pay for any innersoles.
Ibuprofen worked for me. As i said above i could barely walk. 2 weeks of 400g ibuprofen and ice bag did the trick.

Plantar fasciitis socks. You can buy them on Amazon and are absolute heaven for sore feet. They do take a few weeks to work and work by compression of the sore bits so you need them to fit tight. If you're in between sizes get the smaller size.

Those socks were awful for me, gave me cramp every time I put them on, but I know someone who swears by them. Unfortunately it's trial and error.

Birkenstocks worked for me.I had got to the stage where the pain woke me up at night.
I found them uncomfortable at first but because of the raised instep support they helped.The Pain got less and less and is now gone,I can wander around the house beare footed,I lived it for 2 years.
You need to try everything as there will be something that works for you.

Yes me, 18 months and counting. Done all the exercises, wear insoles or supportive shoes, dont go barefoot, had steroid injection, shockwave therapy etc etc. Saw a new physio a few weeks ago due to chronic lower back pain (muscular) and after my first session the foot pain was sooo much better. So it wasn't just tight calf muscles, but tight hamstrings, glutes and back muscles that is the cause for me. Not there yet, but keeping everything crossed I'm on the road to recovery.

Thanks for all the advice & tips.

I was in a night out with the podiatrist at work & she's going to take a look at my feet on Wednesday.

The only perk of NHS employment

I developed this a couple of years ago and also run. It pretty much stopped me for a few weeks because it was so painful. Like a few previous posters I bought some insoles that raised the back of my foot and the pain went. Also tried some kinetic strapping which also worked but was more of a pain to put on.

FinallyHere I really liked the Katy Bowman book, because it's not just about relieving the pf but about stopping the movements or lack of that cause it so it doesn't reoccur.

What works is very individual. I suffered for about 18 months, at its worst 100 yards was about my walking limit. Conversely when I got it I was also at my slimmest and fittest.
Crocs as slippers and skechers for daily wear were good for me. The stair stretches that others mention definitely helped, the physio I paid to see said that tight calf muscles were contributing factor and recommended some yoga stretches. It did go, just as suddenly as it came, sometimes I get a little twinge but it goes once I start stretching again and I now live in the sad world of "comfort" footwear 😀

Glad to find a fellow KB fan @quirkychick

I'm sure that one of the reasons there are such different experiences are the difference between avoiding (for example wearing heels so the calf muscles are not so stretched) and resolving (full on Katy Bowman style)

FinallyHere

The amazon socks did nothing for me. Couldn't get used to £35 insoles from a podiatry shop. Foot exercises worked, stopped wearing my very flat sandals, binned my trainers that I probably wore a couple of years straight (main cause I think). I now alternate my trainers, and I bought Nike Air Max which has a slight platform. Also a pair of platform shoes from Clarks with a comfort insole. Slight pain sometimes but nowhere near as bad as before. Think I still need to see gp for specialist referral for a custom insole.

OMG I had this last year for the same reason - get a pair of Merrells they worked a treat

I have it and Achilles tendinitis too. I've seen an NHS physio who was good but I also paid to see a private one and I have to say it was really worth the money, a full hours consultation, the exercises much better explained and a more detailed analysis of why it's happening. I'm due to see an nhs podiatrist soon as well but in the meantime have bought some insoles from Amazon and am thinking of investing in some better supportive shoes, with PF flat shoes are not your friend!

In my case I have a collapsed arch on one side, am slightly knock kneed, have weak ankle muscles, tight calves, and weak hip muscles..I'm going to start Pilates soon to help sort these problems and am investing in some 1:1 sessions to get me started. The physio explained it's a whole body issue not just feet, the feet is the symptom not the problem if that makes sense.

@tinkywinkyshandbag
Where are you based? I could really do with visiting a physio like that?

I developed this during my last pregnancy and had it for approx 4/5 months after he was born, absolute hell on Earth. I did the whole rolling my feet over a tennis ball/can of pop thing but it didn’t work. Also did lots of foot exercises but that didn’t work either. All that worked for me was wearing running trainers 24/7. Basically if I know I will be walking for more than a mile, I have to wear running shoes otherwise I will pay for it with pain.

I also have a foot spa so used to soak my feet in that every night.

Oh and I wear Birkenstock’s around the house. Walking barefoot just isn’t an option for me anymore, too painful.

If anyone is in London and wants a recommendation of an amazing private therapist who uses laser and shockwave therapy, plus rehab exercises, pm me.

@ourkidmolly I'm in the Cotswolds but I reckon any decent physio would offer the same

[touch wood] Mine seems to have ebbed away. Seeing a podiatrist and getting some explanation helped a lot more than the Amazon socks (did nothing except make my feet very sweaty). Mine seems to be down to tight calves, so every morning after my shower, when moisturising, I massage the plantar tendon in my foot and my calves. I had a massage to target my calves initially so I could get an idea of technique and amount of pressure (it's VERY painful for a massage!).

I wear trainers pretty much every day anyway (lucky to be able to wear whatever at work), and Birkies in the summer. But I think it was the Birkies that caused it initially, so it's very hard to say what will work for one person to the next.

Thank you @tinkywinkyshandbag. I am London based. Just wanted a personal recommendation.

Changed my life in a couple of days.

https://www.amazon.fr/dp/B00Z099HY6/ref=cmswwrcppapiii_NybCDbRVB5FD2

See I'm not the only one recommending the pro wellbeing soles.