Plantar fasciitis is making me miserable

[woollyminded]

Just come on to have a bit of a moan really and on the off chance that somebody knows about something I haven't tried. Doing my exercises, got some orthotic shoe inserts and things are MUCH better than before. But still nursing very sore feet after only moderately active days and it's getting me down, I'm not getting enough fresh air, feeling lethargic and boring. Will it ever go away?

Frozen anything is good, even a bag of peas wrapped in a tea towel. Iced anything really helped me a lot. I had the injection, tbh was not particularly painful and it did help, but I have heard that they can wear off.

DH has this and uses a frozen bottle as PP do, he was advised not to use a tennis ball as that can make it worse. He has also started tying his laces differently which sounds daft but really helped - would this help OP? (he has very high arches and ties like the green picture ).

Hello all - I'm wondering if PF is what I have. It's just one heel and it's been painful for a while but comes and goes. Walking barefoot or in flat, thin-soled shoes makes it much worse. Wearing trainers all the time makes it better. I run, but with a forefoot strike. I think it's walking that's caused it, not running.

Can I ask - where exactly is it supposed to hurt if it is PF? I have high arches too btw.

Eolian - what you describe is how my feet felt before it got really bad. I Would describe it as my 'barwoman's feet', like I used to get after a shift and a half waitressing, but much sharper. I think what clinched it as PF was that it got worse (obv, as this is what I came on to winge about!), that it is particularly bad first thing in the morning or after sitting for a length of time. It will ease a bit then come back with a vengeance after 20 minutes or so of walking. I'm not a medical person so I can't say anything about your gate, but I also have high arches and I have never had a smooth and elegant walking style, bit of a clumper.

DarkVader - ta for the laces thing, I'll try that.

Gait.

And grammar.

And probably spelling.

Please don't judge too much, it's me bad feet.

Oh it is horrible horrible horrible . I have had it since march and it just seems to be going. Kinesiology tape and (don't laugh) reiki worked for me. It really is miserable and I completely sympathise

I have this too, ballerinas and long walks on London pavements, and packing for a house move barefoot, haven't helped! Also think I have "morton's neuroma", inflammation around nerve between toes

Has improved with the ugly sketchers and calf stretches.

If anyone has exercises for this and could post a link that'd be amazing!

In terms of exercise that doesn't hurt feet too much, swimming is great, and I like yoga and pilates too, and body pump, some standing on feet but not high impact. Running/walking/aerobics seems to make it worse.

Went to a physio and she gave me exercises but also advised icing my foot up to four times a day. Each session to be 20 minutes - no longer. It does reduce the pain but I confess I don't do it four times. I use a frozen small water bottle as I can also massage it.

Will have a look at shoes as I'm guilty of flat shoes all the time.

Thanks woollyminded. I went for a run this morning as it had been feeling better, but it's much worse again now.

Eolian I was talking to my DHs cousin who is a podiatrist. He said do not run as it will make it worse. You need to wait until it has healed. Not too much walking either and nothing where you are landing heavily on your feet. Apparently if you wear good supportive shoes and do the exercises you can cure it in maybe 3 months (depending on the person) but if you make it worse and it becomes chronic it can be hard to fix. I know someone who has had it for 5 years.

Strengthening the muscles fixed it (touch wood) - I did the exercises (golf ball, lifting each toe and pushing it down again, drawing figures of eight in bed with my toes, going onto tiptoes) and yoga, but the thing that worked best was reflexology at a slightly scruffy shop in Chinatown - it gave me back mobility in the rest of my foot so the exercises were more effective.

I had the steroid injection. Sorted the pain and discomfort in 4 days.

Back running in 2 weeks - this was 6 years ago - no looking back.

Me too! Have had it for about 4 months.

My physio friend recommended fit flops rather than the birkenstocks I was wearing. I do rolling on frozen water bottle and she is going to look for orthotics for me. But finding that winter shoes are helping I think.

It is fucking miserable though. I haven't run for yonks. Massive improvement on holiday when I swam every day though...

Dontask- thanks so much for your explanation.That makes sense.
I do stretch out the calf muscles - but will exercise them even more regularly following your advice.

I was Googling heel pain just this morning. For a few months now the back of my heel has been really sore when walking, but not on the underneath part, it's higher than that. It feels swollen there too. Could this be Plantar Fascitis??

I am overweight (hugely, am nearly 17.5 st and only 5'2), but also I am severely agoraphobic, so the amount of walking I have done in several years is minimal. The heel that hurts most is my right leg that I had an operation on when I was about 7 as I was born with one leg shorter than the other and the tendon was shortened. I think I have a high instep-is that the same as high arches?

I live in Birkenstocks or bare feet. Is there anything I can be doing to help? I know I should go to the GP but the agoraphobia makes that difficult and they won't do a home visit unless the patient is bedbound.

TIA

I found two things helped turn the corner with PF for me. I bought a pair of scholl pink orthotic arches but took advice from a podiatrist who said to build up the arch further with a 'Blue Peter' arrangement of elastoplast. This takes the pressure off the ligament and starts it healing. The other thing was Ibulieve gel slathered on, then a bag then a sock at night. The instructions tell you not to cover it but I did and these two things together started it healing after months of sheer agony. I had a job where I wore Crocs all day and IMHO that is what caused it - no support whatsoever/

Dollalytats, are you getting help for your mental health? It does sound like seeing a doctor for your foot would be good.

My problem is that I have a large, energetic dog. So I can stop my running but I can't really avoid the walking. I am wearing supportive trainers around the house instead of my usual crocs or bare feet and will start doing the exercises though.

Apologies, had a night off the internets to see to poorly MIL.

Dolallytats - I wouldn't dare suggest what might be giving you foot pain but doing the PF exercises would do not harm at all, they are just mindful stretches after all. Also wearing something sensible instead of going barefoot, crocs of fitflops or some such might help. Worth a go to see? The exercises had an immediate effect for me, pain dropped maybe 40% in 24hrs.

Eolian - I too have large and boisterous dog. Have pimped him out to a cani cross club who don't have enough dogs for the juniors to practice with!

Dozer, yes, I've seen the GP. I'm on Sertraline and have had CBT 3 times over the last few years. I've just been seen by a psychiatrist who is referring me for more in-depth/longer term therapy....although how I get there I have no idea!!! Nothing's worked so far.

woolly, you're right, they can't hurt!! Will have a go. I do have some Sketcher Go Walk's and they have been mentioned a lot. Better start wearing them,

I suffered from this for about a year. Did all the exercises, icing etc. Wearing sketchers cleared it up.