Plantar Fasciitis?

[Homeymum2]

I am experiencing pain in the bottoms of my feet. It occurs anytime I get up from sitting down. It is not not only in my heals - but also in the front pad of the foot - it doesn't feel like stabbing, it feels like I'm walking on bruised feet. In general the top of my feet and toes feel a little achey even when sitting down.

It's been going on for a while but recently become worse - Ive been trying to ignore it - I've been to the GP for a lot of other things lately and it's annoying to go through the process and I worry they will think I'm
A hypochondriac.

The worst pain, I feel for you.

there’s plenty of tips online, have you tried any? You could try a physio if it’s easier than getting to GP.

Research what shoes to wear.

OP here,

Thank you for your sympathy -

I came back to say it does lessen the longer I'm walking, but the pain lasts more than a " "few steps"

Wondering if there is another potential diagnosis or if these variants from the textbook description of plantar fasciitis are in the real of normal ...

I find these exercises really helpful:

https://youtube.com/shorts/LX1bHBOmjXA?si=A7hm39TxYC9Ep0s

I first got it over 15 years ago and couldn’t believe how agonizing it was to walk with it. I wore orthotics for a number of years, but have found specific exercises to be the best of all. Try to see a physio about it, but in the meantime, try the recommendations in the videos above. I find the first one really helpful-you can actually feel the hard “knot” or whatever it is, when you are rubbing it. I use a timer and do it for a minimum of 3minutes as he suggests.

I thought I had this I was nursing quite common with that, being on your feet a long time. I couldn't put one foot to the floor because of the pain. I went to a local podiatrist, turned out to be a trapped nerve in my lower back,deep tissue massage from her,then visit to my osteopath.

If it's plantar fasciitis (sounds probable) then you need shoes with arch support.

Also Oofos. They are expensive and hideous, but miraculous. I wear mine round the house instead of slippers.

Absolute agony. I had it for nearly a year. Paid €100 to a podiatrist who wanted me to come back for TEN more sessions. Every single thing she told me is on the internet for free. Actually not quite true. She said Skechers are the worst thing you can put on your feet. And she also said to never ever go barefoot, even at home.

Sounds like plantar, it’s an arse but it is entirely fixable yourself. As PP say don’t ever go barefoot, I got some new trainers to wear inside. Get arch supports in all you shoes, even if it’s just something for a tenner off Amazon, that worked fine for me.

Roll a tennis ball or a broom handle under your foot even though it hurts. What helped me enormously is activating the muscle, the physio gave me an exercise where you hang off the edge of a step for a few seconds, then come up onto tiptoes. There’ll be videos online that show you.

It does go, it feels like it never will but then one day you wake up and it’s loads better.

It doesn’t sound like plantar to me. Plantar fasciitis is just pain in the heel and it gets worse with walking not better.
Either way you need to get a physio appointment as they will know. You can go private or call your gp surgery and ask for physio first. In most areas you can see a physio within a fortnight without needing to see your gp.

Yes it is horrendous but proper shoes and support all the time and I got bespoke insoles which I wore until they wore out. Also flip flops etc are rubbish. Exercises help too.

I actually wore a ski boot style brace in bed at night to keep my foot straight for maybe a year (!) I know it's so grim but I am fine now and I always wear something supportive.

I wouldn't agree that plantar gets worse with walking. Not immediately anyway.

In my experience the two times that PF makes you swear with pain are getting up first thing in the morning, and then getting up for your chair after an hour sitting down . It then calms down after a bit of walking.

It might feel worse the day after a long walk mind you.

If it is PF OP then the key is supportive shoes and slippers and special exercises which you can find online. And burn your ballet flats and Converse.

I had this (plantar fasciitis) in my left foot for a long time and it's now much better which I credit to wearing a home made "Strassburg Sock" for long period to stretch the bottom of the foot and calf. It's recommended to sleep in it but I found that impossible (couldn't get in comfy sleep position with it on). Instead I wore it whenever I was sat down watching tv or reading. I also did a lot of calf stretches. I can now run again without the pain flaring up.

Can you find a local podiatrist who does ultrasounds? Mine was in centre of foot and around toes, eventually diagnosed as a bursitis, and 2 anti inflammatory injections completely sorted it out. It cost, but worth it. A podiatrist/chiropodist who didn't have ultrasound scanner diagnosed me with the wrong thing.

Thank you all - slowly but surely the pain is becoming less... I've been doing the stair stretch, rolling on a ball and wearing the toggle sock thing - also got some gel heal caps
Oh and of course better shoes and never barefoot!