Plantar fasciitis- help!

[springtimeishereagain]

I'm pretty sure I have plantar fasciitis - pain in one heel, worse first thing in the morning and after I've been sitting, gets better with exercise.

If you have this, what has helped? I know I need to lose weight. What shoes/footwear have helped you? Anything else? Does it get better?

Thank you!

Horrific memories of suffering this.

….never bare feet always a wedge slipper / shoe style

and the tennis ball thing before you stand out of bed in the morning

trying to sleep with foot at right angle to leg actually also helped a lot- I just had a spare pillow in the bottom of the bed to rest foot
on to achieve this some of the night.

I had been wearing shoes that slip on instead of trainers at home for a good few years. In actual fact I have heard it is better to wear trainers and tie the laces properly every day.

You go to a running shop and get a pair that fits the orthotics (probably a size or two larger than you normally wear).

You don't wear summer footwear. You live in shoes that fit the orthotics.

The pain is due to tears in the fascia - when you rest, they start trying to heal in a shortened position, so as soon as you put your weight on it again, they all tear again. Strapping or a night brace will help it heal at the correct length.

Once it's healed, you stay wearing orthotics and shoes that lace up rather than slip ons. You work on your posture (core strength, leg strength, whether you land heavily on your heel rather than your mid-forefoot, shortening your stride makes that less likely) and then it's less likely to come back.

Had this several times over the past 15 years, the last time it started in winter 2020 and I was doing the physio exercises etc. the biggest mistake I made was buying PF insoles from amazon, they made it 20 times worse, after a week of the insoles I was limping and couldn’t bear weight on it and needing to take tramadol everyday, went to Gp and then had to wait 7wks for a steroid injection in the sole of my foot. Thankfully it worked, I’d say 35% better from the days following and took around 8 weeks to fully disappear the pain.

now I’m stuck with side of foot pain, possibly as I spent over a yr with PF pain and walking weirdly to try and stop it hurting and that changed my gait and now I’ve started walking normally again and that’s fudged it up again.

A really good bit of advice was to freeze a bottle of water and roll it with your foot. Really helped.

Another approach completely to the one post posted have suggested in this thread was the only thing that worked for me

https://www.nutritiousmovement.com/product/simple-steps-to-foot-pain-relief/

I have a PF night splint that I bought from Amazon which I use when the pain is bad, and highly recommend it. Used alongside stretches, roller ice bottle, Fit Flops shoes, and never going barefoot I find this all helps.

If it's aching when you don't have any weight on it, I'd recommend seeing a physio to get a proper diagnosis. Honestly, I spent over a year and hundreds of ££ on treatment for PF, which obviously never worked, because it wasn't PF! Calf injuries can have similar symptoms, but require different treatment altogether.

Had chronic pf for yonks, got completely out of control just before lockdown (my job was a lot of walking!) but am pretty much back to normal now thankfully, am even back being able to run a couple times a week! What helped me was:

• icing, couple times a day
• rolling tennis ball under foot arch, could times a day also
• support insoles in my boots/trainers can provide a link if you want
• Crocs indoors, never barefoot!

You can still wear flipflops, I wear birkos and Crocs flipflops! Super comfy. Good luck with your recovery!

You know what I have just suddenly thought of?

My right hamstring has been pretty tight recently, so I have been taking smaller steps with my right foot - do you think this is connected???

And it's my right foot that has been sore...

Mine was liked to tight calf muscles so stretching helped. It’s entirety possible your hamstring problem is part of the issue.

I suffered for months, was prescribed anti-inflammatories, saw a physio and podiatrist, had exercises and insoles, nothing helped. I was on the verge of being referred for steroid injections into my heel but being a complete wimp about it when I saw a post on Facebook. I went to sports therapist, I has a course of deep tissue massages of my calves (she said caused by tight calf muscles) and the soles of my feet. I also had a Strasbourg sock to wear at night. 5 sessions and it was completely cured.

Glad you started this thread op as I'm sure I have the same problem. I'm taking note of the suggestions above. My feet are painful when I first get out of bed, especially the left foot. Sometimes after sitting down. My pain lessens with walking.

Vasyli orthotics and supportive shoes

Ugh, I've got this. Had it about a year now. Got it the day after playing tennis for 2 hours having not played for 2 years. I am nearly 50 and also over weight (size 16). I have the insoles and do the exercises sporadically. Sounds like I need to do them more diligently. it is so annoying. For me it does go away WHILE I exercise but afterwards it is always much much worse.

It’s comment if your Achilles tendon is tight, mine went with lots of exercises, especially tendon stretches, Took about a year though

I had plantar fasciitis years ago and had several steroid injections which only worked for a while. I eventually bought a book written by a physio, and unfortunately can't remember the title or author, and he recommended the usual exercises but also a night splint. I bought one from physioroom.com and it cured it in a very short time. I've recommended this to several people and they've all found it works. It looks like it would be uncomfortable to wear but actually it's very comfortable and really works. It was honestly miraculous.
Here's the link for the one I got -
www.physioroom.com/product/PhysioRoom_Plantar_Fasciitis_Dorsal_Night_Splint_Support/2899/42511.html

Yoga plus a frequent footrubs from a partner or Chinese massage (reflexology) if you can afford it. Not woo at all but they do very firm massages. I had really awful pf and really stretching out my whole legs and back, plus the footrubs helped me. It CAN go away completely. I used to use heat on it too but I think the direction on that may have changed, I think they only recommend icing inflammation now.

You don't wear summer footwear. You live in shoes that fit the orthotics

Wearing Birkenstocks totally cured mine. You can wear summer footwear.

Rolling a hard tennis size ball, under my foot many times a day cured mine.

I had it for two years. The thing that got it to turn the corner was slathered on Ibulieve gel and then a plastic bag over the top which the instructions tell you to NOT do.

That was the only thing that started the healing process.

Yoga cured mine. Stretching out all the muscles / ligaments through feet / legs / calves etc.

Skechers do a shoe with arch support - Skechers Arch Fit, different styles to choose from.
But I would go to a good podiatrist first. Brooks runners / trainers have great support - they do walking shoes too.

I wear their slippers

birkinstokes in the summer which i have worn for years

fly boots in the winter or shoes/boots with at least an inch heel

i do have insoles that i got on amazon but don’t often use them

i also saw a physio when i first got it as it was agony