Please talk to me about excruciating plantar fasciitis.

[Ostryga]

I am am in frigging agony!! Currently taking 500mg naproxen twice a day. Icing and using heat, have high arch insoles, supportive shoes, using rigid taping, do all the stretches.

I’ve got a referral for the foot clinic, but I’ll probably have cut my foot off by the time that comes through.

I work on my feet (really don’t want to take time off) is there anything else I can try? I can barely put my foot to the floor/weight bear, and it’s making my other foot hurt now from the weird way I’m walking.

Would someone mind posting the link to night brace from Amazon ? Thank u

Here you go Amani:
www.amazon.co.uk/Vive-Plantar-Fasciitis-Splint-Trigger/dp/B07NGZP7QL/ref=mp_s_a_1_1_sspa?psc=1&crid=2BRP5GPLATQFK&keywords=plantar+fasciitis+night+splints&sprefix=plantar+fasciitis+%2Caps%2C85&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEzUzFHNjg2UEY2TU5HJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMzA2ODM1MzhVVEM3RTBWM1hSMyZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwMjI3NTE2MjI3MFk2MVo5WlEzQiZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX3Bob25lX3NlYXJjaF9hdGYmYWN0aW9uPWNsaWNrUmVkaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVl&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&qid=1647526401&sr=8-1-spons

It's bloody awful. I had it for 12 months a few years ago. Some very cheap insoles from Amazon in every pair of shoes and Fitflops instead of normal sandals (as I couldn't get in the insoles into them) did more for me than anything else suggested. Since then I've started doing yoga regularly and my feet are much stronger, I don't even get the toe pain or bunion ache I used to get.

Also I lost weight - am still in the overweight category but at the time I got PF I was obese.

Never ever walk around at home or in someone else’s without shoes. Get some house shoes, like crocs that can be scrubbed on the bottoms if you are in a shoes off house.

Be very careful what shoes you wear - anything without proper cushioning will fuck your heels.

Yoga, small amounts 5 days a week. Find a local class

I had plantar fascitis for about three years. I wore compression socks at night, used an adjustable stretch board to stretch my calves several times daily and wore supportive lace up shoes all the time. They need to be traditional shoes like Hotter, Clarks or Ecco, not trainers and not soft.
I still use the stretcher daily and wear the shoes indoors as well as out. If I don't, it recurs.

I had that, years ago. I worked as a carer at the time, so I understand what you mean about being on your feet all day.

I had physiotherapy, special insoles from the Podiatrist, various painkillers - none of those things made any difference. The only thing that worked was a steroid injection (having it done was incredibly painful and it was worse for a couple of days afterwards) and that sorted it out. Since then, I've worn trainers and/or ankle boots, never high heels (I had to get rid of all my beautiful 4in shoes)

Ice is the answer, but a lot more ice than seems reasonable. As long as you can bear as many times a day as you can possibly manage. I'd spend all evening in front of TV ten mins on ten mins off plus under the table at mealtimes etc

Lots of calf stretching and most importantly stretching and rolling before first putting a foot to the ground in the mornings.

Save your money on shoes/weird boots/insoles.

Pay to see a sports physio and get personalised advice based on your body.

Shockwave therapy was what saved me.

I was advised, in my 40s, that I was too young for the injections as whilst they will fix it now, they can cause long term damage. No idea if that's right but thats what the NHS physio told me.

A friend who went private had the injections and has suffered terribly with arthritis, but of course that's just anecdotal.

Going totally against the grain, but once its healed, gradually switch to barefoot shoes. Ts mental to think human feet need to be crammed into weirdly structured shoes. It's so unnatural. The more we are barefoot, or have minimally constrictive shoes, the stronger out feet become because we're using them and moving them naturally. I used to get chronic chronic plantar fascitis, annually, year after year. Haven't had a peep of it since wearing barefoot shoes! Cured my chronic low level lower backache too!

I changed jobs, honestly not because of PF but I worked in retail so on my feet all day, not had any problems since Ive changed jobs. I feel your pain OP its excruciating

I've had this pain for years (on and off) golf ball rolling under the arch, the socks that keep your feet not bent at night and good supportive insoles are what made the most difference for me.

@BonesJones

Going totally against the grain, but once its healed, gradually switch to barefoot shoes. Ts mental to think human feet need to be crammed into weirdly structured shoes. It's so unnatural. The more we are barefoot, or have minimally constrictive shoes, the stronger out feet become because we're using them and moving them naturally. I used to get chronic chronic plantar fascitis, annually, year after year. Haven't had a peep of it since wearing barefoot shoes! Cured my chronic low level lower backache too!

I second this. I had it on and off for years and tried almost everything from special insoles to tape and exercises. It would heal for a while and then come back again. Since wearing wide barefoot shoes outdoors and nothing indoors it healed completely and hasn't returned for over 6 years

I suffered with this for about 2 years, ended up having a steroid injection in my heel which was super painful but it never came back after that.

I had a sports massage concentrating on just my calves after about 3 sessions it was so much better and I made sure to never ever walk with bare feet even if I just go to the loo in the night, everything has got scholl sports or vionic insoles in and I bought work shoes and slippers from vionic. I had it for about 2 years it’s agony.

I bought a hand held electric massager from Amazon, the vibration and pressure on my feet cured my long term plantar in days and felt amazing. It was around £30 and is money well spent

Western medical accupuncture on the PF (ow!) followed by massage and stretching of the calves with my osteopath for me. I keep PF down by using a massage gun, digging the fingertip style attachment into the underside of my foot. Effective and doesn't really hurt. I have a Hypervolt, Amazon has cheap ones.

I had complications recently, my bones needed decompressing. The pain went from a 5 to a 1-2. You may have such complications if it's that bad.

Loose heels gave me PF this time. The men's shoes weren't narrow enough in the heel.

Yes, the no bare feet advice is only for when you’re suffering.

The most important thing is to strengthen your feet, ankles, hips - try and understand any off alignments you have (we all do!) and do what you can to strengthen 'weak' areas.

I know I should move to barefoot style shoes but I just find other ones so much more attractive

I second what pp said about wearing Oofos flip flops in the house. I also wear the Oofos shoes and they have massively improved mine. They are dear but they have saved me from so much pain. The plantar insoles on Amazon are good. Don’t go barefoot at all and don’t underestimate how much your footwear will be having an effect. Arch supports or the plantar insoles in everything. I have had to completely change my footwear and now only buy shoes I can put the insoles in. Got rid of any shoes or boots which didn’t help the plantar. After Oofos, FipFlop shoes and boots are the next best thing I would say.

Oofos runners recovery shoes are what you need. They do flip flops , trainers and boots. They are made for PF and work very well.

@Startingtomoveon

I’ve had PF on/off for about 5 years now.

The wrong shoes and spending a lot of time walking is one of the worst things you can do. Fit Flop branded shoes help enormously.

Freeze a small bottle of water and when sitting on the sofa roll it underneath your foot - do this at least 1-2 daily to help with inflammation.

I bought a night splint boot from Amazon which you wear only at night and must never try walking in it (very slippery). It holds your foot in the correct position and made walking first thing in the morning much better. I’d really recommend one of these.

You sound like you are doing all the right things ; do make sure that the exercises include calf stretches. Are you able to see a physio or podiatrist privately in the meantime to get an initial assessment, particularly to review the basics like the best stretches to do?

This 100pc - that boot thing is amazing. I can hobble to the toilet in the night with it, bu tit's a game changer.

Also I have a slope board (from amazon) which I stand on while I'm brushing my teeth in the AM and PM, which stretches the leg.

Plus I regularly stretch the calf during the day for 30 secs - gentle stretch.

I had it in my right foot which took 3 years to clear up, including a steroid injection. Now I have it in my left foot (2 years so far!) and I'm refusing an injection and hoping to clear it myself with the stretches and the boot!

I also have orthotics but for me they're not helping.

My PF was sorted with insoles specifically for PF, Amazon, £15. Not pretty but they work.

@BonesJones

Going totally against the grain, but once its healed, gradually switch to barefoot shoes. Ts mental to think human feet need to be crammed into weirdly structured shoes. It's so unnatural. The more we are barefoot, or have minimally constrictive shoes, the stronger out feet become because we're using them and moving them naturally. I used to get chronic chronic plantar fascitis, annually, year after year. Haven't had a peep of it since wearing barefoot shoes! Cured my chronic low level lower backache too!

I see this a lot but all my foot problems have been caused by going barefoot. I didn't wear shoes until I was 5 and started school except wellies in wet weather or socks with moccasin soles if it was very cold. I then had to have years of custom orthotics to correct the way I walked. I've always gone barefoot in the house and garden, I hate wearing shoes and slippers but then got PF and have had to wear them. I had a steroid injection and the pain disappeared but if I'm shoeless for too long it starts to return, barefoot shoes don't help me at all. Our feet are designed to be barefoot but on soft surfaces like sand, soil, grass etc not on hard flat surfaces that we have today. I can walk barefoot at the beach all day without any problems but a couple of hours standing on my tiled kitchen floor and I'm in pain.