Plantar Faciitis

[RosesandPumpkins]

Help me please!

I’ve tried everything. Straps, insoles, heel pads, physio, massage, stretching, yoga, laying off the running and doing swimming and cycling instead.

But it still hurts. I’m at my wits end!!!

I’ve done 3 yoga classes this week and I’m still in pain ffs.

What is wrong with me?!

@Insertfunnyname

I get this. Don’t go barefoot EVER. You need insoles in slippers to wear round the house and fit flop ergonomic fit flops (from Amazon) in the summer for outside so you’re never with no arch support. Or Birkenstocks or proper supportive trainers. That’s basically your only choice of footwear!

Never ever barefoot.

This. Plus wearing nothing but Strive footwear.

My Strive slippers wore out a few months ago, and my PF is back...

It is pretty much the same as this just a different colour and I’m sure it was cheaper. www.healthandcare.co.uk/tens/beurer-em27-ankle-tens-machine-brace.html?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI5uujioW28QIVs2DmCh0PBw_XEAQYAiABEgJ47fD_BwE

Foot Stretches with a band.
Skechers or a sole that works for you. Some of my colleagues swear by Asics but each to their own.
Physio.

All that failing steroid injections. Some GPs do them and if yours doesn't they can refer you for them.

It is a long process though

I'm in the same position OP, currently waiting for a private appointment with a sports physio. I'm at my wits end with it. Skechers don't help me, fit flops do help a bit but it's still agony. Fed up

I sympathise. It’s so painful, and takes months to sort. I got a foot roller thing, did the stretches, never go barefoot. I also invested in MBT sandals (Masai barefoot technology) - they really made a difference to me.

SuperCaliFragalistic
I got Skechers flip flops

I consider myself something of an expert, having had it in both feet at the same time, being absolutely desperate and trying everything.

IME all the standard answers work but you need to do much more of them than seems reasonable. For me, it cleared up quite quickly when i:

• Stretched my calves with a strap before getting out of bed daily
• Rolled each foot on a rolling pin for a full minute before standing for the first time

every day and then throughout the day

• Stretched my calves every time I went to the loo or boiled the kettle throughout the day
• More rolling numerous times day
• Most of all, Ice. A bag of peas under the foot for 20 mins as many times day as you can possibly manage.

The only thing that got rid of mine was the laser.
I had it for a couple of years in both feet, tried everything including steroid injections.

And now I’ve got rid of it I will never wear ballet style flat shoes again.
Supportive trainers, Clark’s ugly but comfy shoes for work, and a slight heel on boots. No high heels.

Skechers, plus gel arch supports from Amazon at first. I wear Skechers boots in the winter too. If I ever have to wear a different type of shoe, very rarely, I still use the arch supports.

This course

www.dailyom.com/cgi-bin/courses/courseoverview.cgi?cid=913&aff=0

These insoles, this foot roller and changing my Walking Boots for a different model got me back to 7-8 miles a day from not being able to even hobble across my kitchen.

Had tried everything up to then including a Sports therapist, nothing worked. I was gutted at the idea of never hill walking again.

🤞🤞🤞I haven’t even had a twinge for the last two months.

I’ve found doing calf stretches whenever I feel a twinge in my heel has helped stop it returning - I think my stupidly tight calves caused mine. I don’t think they’ll make it go away though. Doing the foot exercises, ice, rolling something under the arch of your foot to massage and stretch it, good arch support all the time, anti inflammatories and getting private physio or an injection will all help. I think time is what eventually makes it go away.

Birkenstocks fixed it for me. Also ibuprofen and stretching exercises, basically flexing the foot upwards so you feel the stretch up your calf muscles. I was limping before I got the Birkenstocks, it was just before the jan lockdown so I wore them day and night and the pain subsided after a couple of weeks, then gradually disappeared.

Are you in your 40's?

I ask because I took PF in my late 40's as did a few of my friends.

All I can tell you is I could only wear footwear that laced and not totally flat.

If I was going shopping for more than an hour I had to take ibruofen in my bag with me.

It lasted about 18 months and just stopped by itself.

rolling, U shaped shoe inserts, stretching... then one morning I woke up, went to the toilet and realised it had gone and I was putting my whole foot to the floor. 10 months it took.

I am sure you've done this but I didn't before I saw the podiatrist and was then really embarrassed that I hadn't. Use the ibuprofen gel as directed , lots of it . It sorted it out and it didn't come back. I was amazed it was so painful and then went .

Never go barefoot.

Look at getting steroid injunctions!

it doesn't matter what you do or don't do, it takes 18-24 months to pass.

My physio said I was too young, in my 40s, for the injections as they're only a short term fix and make things worse in the long run.

Get yourself to a sports physio - invest in advice specific to your needs.

Buying different shoes/insoles/weird sock things adds up and you won’t have got to the root of the problem.

Mine was helped by shockwave therapy in the end.

Wear trainers with insoles all the time even if you have to get up in the middle of the night for a wee.
Freeze a small bottle of water and place a towel over it and roll your bare foot back and fore.
Do the recommended physio exercises but not the one where you hang the back of your feet over a step.
Take ibuprofen and alternate with paracetamol.
Before getting out of bed in the morning loop a dressing gown belt over your foot and slowly pull it towards you.
Never ever wear Converse, flip flops, ballet pumps or any shoes that give no support and are flat for walking in and don't go barefoot.
Wear lace up shoes with insoles for the rest of your life.

Stretches, frozen bottle of water to roll under your feet. Never go barefoot, and avoid flip flops unless, fit-flops, Archies or the Clarke’s ones with the shaped footbed.

Don’t wear sketchers ever, they feel good at the time but are really unsupportive and too flat and do more harm in the long term.

Ultimately the only thing that fixed mine was cortisone injections (fucking painful) and when they stopped working PRP treatment to revascularise the area.

Next step was to be surgical release of the sheath, but the PRP seems to have done it.

Wearing something on my feet at all times.
Vionics shoes & slippers & Archies flip flops.
Now 8 month on & can get out of bed an walk to my slippers. Losing weight & the roller also helpful.

Calf stretches before getting out of bed and regularly through the day. Choose shoes carefully. I put arch support Insoles in all of mine. Never go barefoot or wear dead flat shoes. It will go eventually x

Mine lasted about 2 months.