Plantar fasciitis- does anything help quickly?

[Allnewtometoo]

I've been getting a few niggles of heel pain nothing too terrible, mostly first thing in the morning.

I walk a lot and went for a walk yesterday, around 11 miles. Last night my heel was very painful and today I can't really put any weight on it. Will it ease off?

Does anything really help? I've done some stretches and taking ibuprofen.

I've had it several times, and when I get the first niggles I do the Bob and Brad stretches which is basically leg horizontal, foot vertical, lean over and grab the toes, esp the little ones, and pull them towards you. So stretching the muscles under the foot.

Look on YouTube for Frank Ng. He has some really good stretching excercises. I do them when I don't have PF to keep it at bay!

Heel drops on the stairs for me, first thing in the morning with my first cup of tea. Play around with one foot or both feet on the bottom step, dropping your heel down further than the stair tread, feeling for the calf muscle stretch. Don't push into pain, but find somewhere where the calf is stretching and hold it for quite a long time. Set a timer if that helps. You can play around with stretching glutes as well. But stay there for quite a long time: for maintenance, I do a minute each side x3 three times per week. When the PF has been bad, I do a minute each side x5 every morning if need be. If you take your phone (for timing and reading) and cup of tea then it can be a relatively nice way of starting the morning.

I found this explanation (and other posts on his blog) helpful: https://www.angryorthopod.com/post/why-i-don-t-promote-plantar-fascial-stretching

Fitflops are great.
I always wear their footwear.
I recommend their Shuv slippers, not the Chrissy ones because they are too 'squishy'.

www.fitflop.com/uk/en/shop/shuv-e01-cushy-felt-clog-slippers-p-GL5

I started with PF in one foot recently - I've been regularly icing it with an old flexible ice pack, bought two pairs of insoles from Amazon and wearing every day in my walking boots and trainers, use Ibuprofen gel if it's really niggling and I roll it on a hard trigger point ball while watching TV in the evenings.
All of this combined is really helping ease the pain and enables me to continue walking and working out.

As well as the exercises mentioned here. Get some fit flops or MBTs and wear them religiously. Do not go barefoot or wear unsupportive footwear. Really made a difference for me.

This is the only thing that helped mine too. I was sceptical as they are so firm and I always thought I needed something to stop the shock on my heel, but they support my arch and stop the over stretching of the plantar which then causes the pain. I bought some Scholl ones from Amazon for about £15.

Plus one to this. There are videos on YouTube about it.

Insoles, always.
In any shoes that can take them, inc walking boots.
Half insoles also work for me, bought last in super drug.

Enetor insoles
Lace up boots
Crocs indoors
Lots of calf raises

I was almost immobilised by PF a couple of years ago. I did all these things. After about 6 months o could wear different shoes for a few hours . After a year I was able to wear whatever shoes I wanted (not that iive ever worn heels) all day as long as o wear sensible flat lace up shoes, boots and trainers most days.

I've always lived in boots, trainers and brogues anyway really, but the PF was brought on by ballet flats, and aggravated by a wobbly left ankle, which i have sprained badly several times. My physio recommended I wore lace up boots to stabilise my ankle a bit to allow my foot to heal.

I've been pain free for about a year now.

In the short term - ibuprofen!

Stand with the balls of your feet on the edge of a stair/step. With trainers on for grip. Let your body weight make your heels dip below the level of the stair. No bounce. Just a long satisfying stretch in your calves and ankles. Stay like that for 5 mins. Repeat 4 or 5 times a day. Cured my PF.

I ditched the skechers I was wearing and there was instant improvement. That combined with ibuprofen and icing regularly.

The stretches help a lot! Also rolling cold bottle or can under foot (put it in freezer first).

Hokas

I've had it - heel insoles, ice the area, ibruprofen gel, fitflop slippers - all helped. I did different exercises where I picked up the towel with my feet. But yeah, it can get much better very quickly, so good luck!

Stupid question alert - I've bought some insoles, do you put them in the trainer as they are on top of the existing insole or take the existing one out? Cant fit my foot in it with both in 😅

I put them on top but if the trainers are new and tight then u might have to remove the original insole.
Or try losening the laces maybe?

I swap out otherwise there is no room for my toes 😫

Thanks for this, my shoes are all so tight with them in but not sure if it normal? So hoping mine goes soon it really is awful😫

Thank for this I've tried to swap mine but all mine are glued down in my shoes so can't swap them, any tips?

Definitely night splints. I had it for 9 months and after a week of using splints it was gone.

Do the calf/heel/sole stretches religiously. Multiple times a day. Don't walk around barefoot. I always wear Crocs around the house. Someone bought me fancy slippers (thin-ish soles). PF started to come back within a week of wearing them!

Short answer- no, nothing helped me quickly!

Mine last 18mths, despite trying ALL these things:
-Saw podiatrist and then GP and tried OTC meds
-Went to a trainer shop that videos you walking and recommended trainers to prevent over pronation (ankle rolling inwards)
-Did stretches including rolling my foot on balls, frozen rolling pin and stair stretches
-Saw an osteopath
-Bought a night brace. Mine was a sock with a tape that went from the toes to the top of the sock, to keep the toes slightly flexed. It was the most uncomfortable thing I'd pull it off after an hour. They do more rigid, boot types which 'might' be better
-I eventually got physio via the hospital
-I lost 10kg, yet the pain continued!

I was on the waiting list for shock wave therapy and stopped the stretching for a few weeks. I woke up pain free one day! That was 5yrs ago and thankfully, no reoccurrence.

I started wearing birkenstocks indoors and was much better the next day already

Whole body yoga/pilates stretches like downward dog, Birkenstocks and good quality trainers like your Brooks or specialist ones like Vionic. Plus everything everyone else said about not going barefoot, calf stretches etc