Plantar Fasciitis and work

[IslamoradaILoveYou]

NC as could be outing.

I currently have plantar fasciitis. My symptoms started about 3 months ago, but were mild. About 6 weeks ago, my symptoms became very painful and I am currently using crutches.

For info, I do a lot of walking, around 15,000 steps a day to 25,000 steps a day. About 7,000 of those are in work, and I generally love to walk.

When I first started getting pain, I decided to keep moving and push through. The pain would be there first thing and then ease off. Now, the pain lingers all day and it’s like trying to walk on Lego bricks. Even when my foot is up and rested it aches terribly. My opposite hip and knee ache from limping. I’ve even started to use crutches.

I’ve had an x-ray and it showed bone degradation around the heel and arch, which I guess is osteoarthritis(?). This has not helped the PF.

Anyway, I have to stand a lot in my workplace and
cannot wear trainers, which is what I find most comfortable at the moment. My GP has insisted that I must be sat down and resting the foot as much as possible and was willing to sign me off work, although I declined this offer due to being busy. He gave me a note to work seated, which I can do, albeit not quite as effectively.

I do get the feeling that colleagues think I’m exaggerating my symptoms to get out of some of my more active duties. I’ve had a few comments of ‘oh, I get that, I just wear compression socks when it flares up and I’m fine’ or ‘so how long will you be off your feet’ etc. It may mean nothing and is probably just be me feeling sensitive, but I feel awkward and quite guilty nonetheless.

Incidentally, I have done the socks; tape; ice; roller; Volterol gel; cocoadamol; stretches etc and relief is only temporary. I’m waiting for physio and orthopaedics.

May I ask, if your colleague needed some adaptations to their job for a while due to PF, would you raise your eyebrows? Would you think ‘oh come on’.

I have an excellent work ethic and attendance records, so this is not typical for me.

If you got this far, thank you.

The other thing that has helped me has been wearing a pair of fit flop sliders around the house, I never go barefoot and I put my feet straight in them when I get out of bed. It no longer hurts.

Thank you everyone. I could most certainly wear shoes that were lace up to work, so I’m going to have a look at all of the recommended brands and styles. I might order a range of pairs and send back what doesn’t work for me. It’s going to be expensive lol, but I am going to have to suck it up for now. I’ll also buy something for around the house - and wear my compression socks at night.

I’ve dosed up on my cocodamol and I’m off my feet, so I’m having a pain free (ish) day. I think the tablets make me sleepy though as I feel wiped out and have been napping.

I’m sorry that the majority of posters have or have previously had to deal with PF. It really sucks. I really appreciate all of the tips and tricks though.

I wear these in the house instead of regular slippers. Life changing!

www.oofos.co.uk/products/womens-ooahh-slide-sandal-black

I actually have a pair of Oofos somewhere from a previous Florida holiday! I’ll have to dig them out. I think mine are a thong between the toe style, but I do remember them being very light, soft and comfortable. Thank you for the reminder!

@Clarice99

Found them! Just made my DH empty my old holiday storage boxes looking for these! And they feel amazing! Thank you again for the prompt! I’ll wear these around the house until I can get some fitflop slippers!

You might not need Fitflop slippers if the Oofos slides help to alleviate the pain.

My experience of Fitflop is not good (Vionic is a much better brand IME) but I appreciate that everyone is different.

Just wanted to say I'm currently experiencing this and I am in tears at times so I totally understand how you must feel. My doctor won't give me painkillers just keep telling me to do the exercises, I had a standing up job which I've just left as it was becoming increasingly difficult to stand for hours on end. I start work in an office this week so I'm hoping my feet will feel a bit better soon.

I also swear by inserts for PF, u can insert them into any shoes/boots without searching for expensive brands that just have them all "built in".

I wear them in most shoes, without them would be in agony. Can't walk barefoot at all, even on the beach.

I have half-length insoles for some shoes as well as full length.

My go to shoes were always this style (photo attached). So, not suitable for insoles. I have no choice but to buy new I think 😞

I liked this style because they felt as elegant as heels ‘without the pain’ or so I thought.
However, this style clearly doesn’t like me.

Those are lovely shoes OP, but way too flat and no arch support.

I found PF insoles only fitted into shoes I could remove the insoles from, so it was easier to get new ones, and totally worth it for the reduction in pain.

These are the worst things you could wear. Completely flat shoes are out. I do have some pointy ballet pumps with a small heel and they are fine with heel inserts. Clarks and Gabor are good for these.

Yep, I literally have to overhaul my entire shoe wardrobe. As I mentioned up thread, I love walking and it isn’t unusual (or wasn’t) for me to walk 10k a day, and I would do that in Haviana flip flops. All my shoes tend to be very flat.

As my husbands nan used to say, I need to get myself some “serviceable shoes”.

I had this and was near enough crippled on one foot (job requires standing all day) darn near drove me demented. Own fault in a way as spent 3 months in toe posts.
anyway I now wear sketcher type shoes plus arch insoles from amazon…….

not had another bother since.
I am very overweight which I know does not help. Anyway, get though sorted.
take care X_

Well, there you go. As well as PF you have probably prematurely worn down the ball of foot fat pad that tends to decline with either age or overuse in unsuitable shoes. You need supportive padded shoes, not fashion shoes, and I would suggest cushioned trainers with custom orthotics or at least padded gel inserts.

Don’t mess around with half measures. You need proper orthotic shoes designed for people with plantar fasciitis. You can do inserts, but I find the shoes much better.

also get a pair of orthotic slippers for me house. Never walk barefoot. OrThotic athletic slides are more durable, but not as cozy.

Vionic make shoes especially for PF. Big range of styles and life changing when I had PF. Also never ever go bare foot, I used to around the house but now wear Vionic flip flops and it has made such a difference.

get that fit note from the gp and an oh referral from your boss.
either wirk can adjust to your need or you need to take a couple of weeks off to properly rest the foot in the hope that that and physio will help with healing.

Just to say I have PF too. Bought Fitflops boots for work and the sole detached from the boot on both feet within the first week. Customer service was a nightmare and ignored my emails / calls /photos. I work in a classroom so nothing extreme. They are comfy for the PF but also are falling apart. I use Birkenstock now instead and you can get covered work shoes in their new range.

I'm sorry you're suffering, I've been there too. Rest, shoe inserts and good shoes sorted it but it took time. I have to be careful about what shoes I wear now or it'll come back. I would be unlikely to eyeroll a colleague needing adaptions unless they had not rested and had persisted in wearing ballet flats when they'd started getting it.

I have this and everything boils down to the shoes , the very flat ones are out completely. Vionic shoes are good, moda in pelle can be. Birkenstocks work too as they have arch support . I have some inserts from Amazon , hard ones which I put inside any shoes that do not have enough arch support.
You can't walk through it though , you will need to stop unnecessary walking until you let your flare up pass and get your shoes sorted

@Quitelikeacatslife which inserts do you have ? I need to buy some replacements and I think my last were too soft .

I suffered from PF for many years. It’s okay at the moment. What shoes do you wear? I recommend solid shoes with good arch support like Dr Martens. Are you rolling your feet everyday in the evening? I found tape etc made no difference by rolling the arch of my foot on a candle or tennis ball gave me immediate relief.

Hi, I wouldn’t worry about the colleagues. Work seated if you can; fortunately I sit most time and still have issues with it.

What helped me was the stretches, a foot spa and, insoles made by my chiropodist. And she also did one session of reflexology, that seemed to alleviate
the pain for a couple of weeks. Will actually be going in for more.

can I ask you if you don’t mind, have you put on weight recently? I put on quite a lot and keep thinking I need to lose it asap. Hart to exercise when in so much pain. I used to do a lot of walking too.

I've had it a few times but the last time, 4 years ago, the only thing that cured it were steroid injections in the sole of my foot. It has been fine ever since

Hi - I've had bad PF for years - have had physio, several rounds of shockwave therapy and 2 x lots of steroid injections and it's still there...

My workplace also has a strict shoes policy, but I absolutely cannot wear anything other than FitFlops, so in the summer I wear their sandals and have just moved into their boots for the next 6 months. It is what it is - they keep me on my feet and allow my to come into work and be at work!

I haven't had to get a GP note, but if work said anything about it, I'd get one - it's FitFlops (I've tried other makes like Vionic and Oofos - just not as good for me) or nothing...

Try FitFlops and push back on the work shoes policy - if they're arsey, try to get a GP letter or ask to be referred to occ health if you have one.