Plantar Fasciitis??? Any theories/happy stories??

[EvilEmperorZurg]

I went for a run this morning. I usually run 18/24 miles per week spread out over 3/4 days. Following on from a half m last month I took a few weeks off and have been easing back into my regular schedule so have not been overdoing the running. Today's was a slow and gentle run. About two hours after I got back I got this terrible pain in both my heels - as if they had lead weights in them. The pain got worse throughout the day and is easing now (but I've taken 2 nurofen). At times today I could've cried with the pain. I am googling PF but still hoping it is not this.....@d love to hear any positive stories about pf or not-pf! I have what I think is achilles tendonitis for 2 years on one foot (but the maybe-pf is worse on the other foot) but live with it.
If I do have PF does this mean I cannot run any more????

Didn't want to read and run but have to leave in 5!

Having PF doesn't mean you can't run it just means you have to take extra caution and make sure you have well fitting supportive shoes

how do you treat it?

the two most important things (For me) are proper supportive insoles/inserts and a good stiff soled shoe.

if the sole is too flexible, it allows the PF to stretch too much, a stiff sole will protect it.

i've had it for a couple of years, my insoles are a permanent fixture!

oh, and if it is PF, you'll noticed it more after sitting still, its mostly noted by rubbing the arch of your foot and it feeling painful like a pulled muscle where the plantar fascii joins the heel.

if that is what it is, taken painkillers, and massage the muscle and gently stretch it by pulling your toes back before getting up in the morning, because first thing in the morning its going to HURT.

essentially, PF is caused by the plantar fascii tearing at the anchor point, and overnight it starts to heal, so when you first get up without massage/gentle stretching, you just re-tear it!

If you have PF it takes ages to heal as the Plantar Fascia has a relatively low blood supply. I had it for months and was seriously considering going to work in roller skates so I could get around without the screaming agony!
I tried to make an appointment to get it looked at but the podo guy was so busy he advised me over the phone and I did as he said and that is what made it start to heal. I was already using a pair of orthotics (the pink Scholl ones) but he said to use sticky tape or Elastoplast and build up the instep until it is so high it is almost painful to walk on. This takes the pressure off the ligament enough to start it healing. I cut diminishing half moon shapes out of fleece and elastoplasted them to the instep on the orthotics and within days it turned the corner to healing. I also used ibuprofen gel rubbed in and put a bag on my foot even though the instructions say you shouldn't the combination of the two made it heal. It still took the best part of a year before it wasn't sore though. I use orthotics all the time now. I can't face that again. I have lost weight too as I was a lumpen heifer and that can cause it.

Acupuncture helps

I have PF caused by a heel spur- a little bony bit that sometimes seems to move to a point where it's agony. Osteopathy helped when I first had it. Currently got a flare up for no obvious reason that I can work out. Good luck OP.

had this for a while up until fairly recently, still have some achilles problems, think it all stemmed from compensating for calf strain in the other leg but one injury kept leading to another and another. I must have really tight calves or something.

anyway what helped me was following physio's advice to wear running shoes (maybe old semi-retired ones) as far as possible for walking around in and I used velcro pad things round each arch and cut back severely on running, I think some weeks it was literally just 5 miles in tiny bursts of a mile or two. I did a lot of 4 minute run 1 minute walk type ratio when I did run, made up the rest of my miles (25-30 a week) with walking and on the rowing machine (am convinced it kept my endurance up) and it got better thank holy fuck. I'm back up to 20 miles of running (just normal continuous running) and around 10-15 miles of walking and the PF isn't coming back. Yay. (Also lots of hot yoga, no idea what part that played if any but strengthening everything else and making it all so much more elasticated can't hurt?)

can you see someone about it? might be helpful to have it checked out

I have PF, I walk a lot but do very little exercise...

When the pain got so bad that I thought I had chipped a bone in my foot, I went to the docs; the moment I took my shoes off he commented how Flat my feet are. He gave me a few basic exercises (I've since googled them, easy to find) that should be done after sitting still/on waking, and reccommended insoles and no longer wearing flat shoes (ballets/pumps).

The insoles have made an incredible difference, they're not cheap (around £20 per pair from any decent pharmacy) but I just move them from shoe to shoe. I've also stopped buying crappy, flat, cheap shoes - its taken 31 years for me to realise you get what you pay for with shoes.