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Original poster

Plantar fasciitis and walking

68 replies

WanderingWitches · 03/10/2023 18:52

I've had plantar fasciitis for 3 months now. I haven't been the doctor yet but its definitely that. The symptoms started in one foot and have recently started in the other foot. I have the pain in the heel and it's worse first thing in the morning when I stand or if I've been sitting down.

I'm ringing the doctors in the morning because it isn't improved, its worsening. I'm now getting some calf pain on the right and the pain isn't disappearing when I rest, like it used to.

My issue is the school run. I have to walk 6 miles every day as the school is a mile and a half away. I have nobody else who can take them to school, we do not live near family and we do not drive. There is also no public transport that goes in the direction of school.

Will I need to spend time off my feet if they are ever going to heal?
I currently only wear either walking sandals with arch support or supportive trainers from Pavers.

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WeirdPookah · 03/10/2023 19:04

I had a Doctor who used to run those crazy extreme marathons, in deserts etc, he swore by Sorbothane insoles, and suggested I try them.

They are brilliant, there are various kinds, right now I just have the heel inserts, not a full insole, but they even reduce knee pain on my injured knee. I wear them as a matter of course to avoid flare ups.

When mine was the worst, I had steroid injections into my heel, horrendous to see, but it worked wonders. I went from crying about standing in the morning, to mid level discomfort in a day.

Sleeplessinseattle234 · 03/10/2023 19:06

Have u been for physio? That really helped me. Also the correct shoes really helped. And I had to buy a few to find them

CancertheCrab · 03/10/2023 19:06

no you wont need " time off your feet"

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General health
Bertiesmum3 · 03/10/2023 19:07

Best thing is to keep moving
crocs are the only shoes I can wear when I get a flare up, drs were useless didn’t offer any help or advice

Original poster
WanderingWitches · 03/10/2023 19:08

Bertiesmum3 · 03/10/2023 19:07

Best thing is to keep moving
crocs are the only shoes I can wear when I get a flare up, drs were useless didn’t offer any help or advice

That's what I'm wearing at home at the moment. Not a chance I can go barefoot!

OP posts:
Original poster
WanderingWitches · 03/10/2023 19:09

CancertheCrab · 03/10/2023 19:06

no you wont need " time off your feet"

Can I just ask if this is sarcasm? With the quotation marks?
I'm autistic and am never quite certain.

OP posts:
Original poster
WanderingWitches · 03/10/2023 19:09

Sleeplessinseattle234 · 03/10/2023 19:06

Have u been for physio? That really helped me. Also the correct shoes really helped. And I had to buy a few to find them

No, nothing yet. I was just hoping they would improve on their own. It doesn't seem like they will though.

OP posts:
RunningJo · 03/10/2023 19:10

Do some calf stretches, and get a tennis ball, golf ball or a water bottle and roll it under your foot. Better still if the water bottle is frozen. Do this several times a day.

Don’t wear any totally flat shoes at all. Try crocs, oofos, for flops, or Hoka trainers.

MardyMcBlowdry · 03/10/2023 19:11

PF is an absolute bugger. It can take as long as a year to resolve. I got some Salford Insoles and they've made a big difference to my pain level. I have the blue ones with heel wedges because the pain was transferring to my Achilles tendon.

CancertheCrab · 03/10/2023 19:11

WanderingWitches · 03/10/2023 19:09

Can I just ask if this is sarcasm? With the quotation marks?
I'm autistic and am never quite certain.

Show quote history

No its not sarcasm and I'm putting it in quote marks so you can see I am quoting you. I've had this, friends have had this - it is painful, and horrible, but no one got better by not walking

NotSuchASmugMarried · 03/10/2023 19:12

Another Crocs fan here too!

They cured my PF and now they are worn by me 90% of the time.

Original poster
WanderingWitches · 03/10/2023 19:13

MardyMcBlowdry · 03/10/2023 19:11

PF is an absolute bugger. It can take as long as a year to resolve. I got some Salford Insoles and they've made a big difference to my pain level. I have the blue ones with heel wedges because the pain was transferring to my Achilles tendon.

That's what's started happening today. My achilles has been throbbing all day.
It can take a year?? Ffs what a nightmare

OP posts:
Aarrggh · 03/10/2023 19:13

Fit flops are the comfiest shoes I can wear. I can walk for miles in them.

Velvetpaws75 · 03/10/2023 19:24

I had awful PF for about six months and nothing helped. Then one day when walking it felt like something tore under my foot and from then it just was better. Very weird
I still had my horses in those days so was walking miles all day doing chores so could never take time to rest

fireplacetiles · 03/10/2023 19:29

Buy one of these, add a pointy end and use it on the sore bits, hurts like hell, cured my PF in a week after a year of hell.

Plantar fasciitis and walking
Daisychainsandglitter · 03/10/2023 19:30

I had this for months a few years ago and it's so painful. You have my sympathy.
I used to go to physio and had to do lots of stretches especially to my calves.
They also used to tape my feet up with tape a little bit micropore to create an arch which was surprisingly effective.
I have very tight calf muscles and flat feet which I think contributed to it.
Rolling a tennis ball under my feet in the evenings also used to be very effective and brought some relief.
I used to wear very flat ballet shoes but now live in Skechers which keeps it at bay.
If you have to walk I would really recommend purchasing some Skechers or insoles to help you.

FriedasCarLoad · 03/10/2023 19:30

Keep a couple of bottles of water in the freezer and spend every meal time and television program etc rolling them under your feet, including toes and heels.

Go to a physio, get exercises and do them religiously.

Wear good shoes, all of the time. Literally no time barefoot or in unhelpful shoes until you're better.

And rest as much as you reasonably can. Maybe consider a bike for the school run?

Best of luck. It's awful, but the things I've listed made a huge difference to me and I hope they will do to you.

Imnoonesfool · 03/10/2023 19:32

You can usually self refer yourself for physio on the NHS but tbh I’ve had it and just google exercises for it and follow them every day for 6-8 weeks. It will start to feel better almost immediately. Even doing toe crunches and foot extensions in bed before you get up makes it feel much better.
I also wore the following support during the day
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Plantar-Fasciitis-Socks-Foot-Support/dp/B016F59BDU/ref=asc_df_B016F59BDU/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=310669108494&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=10389979152742239368&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1007247&hvtargid=pla-315970631188&psc=1

Hygeelady · 03/10/2023 19:33

I had this and got it to go away, comes back periodically. You need to stretch the feet and calves. For example - roll up a blanket and stand on it with your toes and half of foot on the blanket and heel on floor so it's at an angle. See if your calf muscles are tight. Downward dog yoga pose. Tennis ball under foot and push down to massage it. Proper footwear - sketchers work for me with arch support. I got slippers from there too with hard soles and arch support. There's lots of YouTube videos. Not meaning to be rude but if you're overweight it may be worth trying to do something about that as that really won't help x

Badbadbunny · 03/10/2023 19:33

I got it really bad in both feet, to the extent I could barely walk. Cured it by buying some Dr Scholl plantar fasciitis insoles from Amazon. Pretty quick results. They have a deeper heel in the insole to raise up the heel which relieves the pain in the short term and cures the problem in the long term. That was a few years ago, and I've never had it since. I have them in my "normal" work shoes, trainers, walking boots, as they're obviously no use for sandals, high heels, etc.

Plantar fasciitis and walking
Bouncyball23 · 03/10/2023 19:34

Go on you tube and search some video tips for it, there like foot stretches worked wonders for me when I had it.

Pixiedust1234 · 03/10/2023 19:35

The easiest and biggest thing that helped me was some exercises I did while I brushed my teeth. So two minutes twice a day. It took two weeks before I had zero pain and if I ever feel it coming back I do the exercises again for a few days.

You go on tiptoes and back down again, slowly. That is it.

hettiethehare · 03/10/2023 19:39

I've developed this for the first time this summer and it is just starting to ease up now - I also have a lengthy school run with no other options and it has been a real pain - literally!

Calf stretches have been the best for me - I find downward dog very effective, plus the one where you balance on a step on the balls of your feet and lower your heels off the drop.

I also find stretching my toes back towards me while flexing my feet really worked as well and was a good one to do before I got out of bed first thing in the morning and tried to hobble anywhere!

Original poster
WanderingWitches · 03/10/2023 19:54

hettiethehare · 03/10/2023 19:39

I've developed this for the first time this summer and it is just starting to ease up now - I also have a lengthy school run with no other options and it has been a real pain - literally!

Calf stretches have been the best for me - I find downward dog very effective, plus the one where you balance on a step on the balls of your feet and lower your heels off the drop.

I also find stretching my toes back towards me while flexing my feet really worked as well and was a good one to do before I got out of bed first thing in the morning and tried to hobble anywhere!

Edited

Sorry you have struggled too. Good to know that someone in a similar position has started to get better though. Thank you for that

OP posts:
Original poster
WanderingWitches · 03/10/2023 19:56

FriedasCarLoad · 03/10/2023 19:30

Keep a couple of bottles of water in the freezer and spend every meal time and television program etc rolling them under your feet, including toes and heels.

Go to a physio, get exercises and do them religiously.

Wear good shoes, all of the time. Literally no time barefoot or in unhelpful shoes until you're better.

And rest as much as you reasonably can. Maybe consider a bike for the school run?

Best of luck. It's awful, but the things I've listed made a huge difference to me and I hope they will do to you.

A bike! Why on earth did I never think of that??
Great idea thank you

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