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Original poster

Plantar Fasciitis nightmare!!

26 replies

Tarabelle · 06/12/2018 07:28

I know this is a common condition but I’m really suffering with this in one foot and I just feel like it’s never going to get better.
I get really bad pain after around 10 mins of walking and it’s having a huge impact on my life... normally I love walking. I couldn’t even contemplate running as I get searing pain with just one step.
I’m doing the excercises, wear insoles, use a night splint, and I had a steroid injection around 2 weeks ago, which hasn’t worked. I’m so disappointed!
What I want to know is has anyone had this badly for going on a year and recovered? What did you do? I’ve seen a consultant who didn’t have any new advice to offer other than having the injection.

OP posts:
TolstoyAteMyHamster · 06/12/2018 07:36

How long have you had it for? Mine lasted for nearly two years then more or less vanished - I did lots of ice, physio and stretching and had custom made orthotics. I’m now really careful about what shoes I wear and get the occasional twinge but it did go away. Eventually. It’s horrible - you have my sympathy.

Original poster
Tarabelle · 06/12/2018 13:10

Had it for nearly a year Tolstoy. Good to hear yours went away... in the end! That’s a long time. I don’t really know if I should be resting it or just staying as active as usual. Walking aggravates it but it’s hard not to. The docs themselves give me conflicting advice....

Aaaargh! Need to try the custom-made orthotics I think.

OP posts:
Jimpix · 06/12/2018 14:40

I had it in both feet for 2 years 😩 utter agony.

Funnily enough, it went away one summer whilst I was heavily pregnant with my twins. I’d taken to wearing crocs flip flops and im convinced that’s what did the trick.

I’m still super careful about what shoes I wear.

BusterTheBulldog · 06/12/2018 14:44

I he it for best part of a year too. Completely changed all my trainers and became super careful about what I wear on feet general. I had physio and did a lot of exercises to strengthen muscles on that side and eventually it went away. I also completely restarted my running. Took it right back to basics, slowed down massively and have now built back up. It’s a long process but I ran a half in 1:41 a couple of weeks ago with no pain. (Well no plantar pain, I have other niggles!)

Are you having regular physio? The doctors were worse than useless, but physio really helped.

Original poster
Tarabelle · 06/12/2018 15:45

No physio yet, just doing the exercises and feeling like they’re not making any difference... but maybe I need to intensify them. I get the feeling the medics I’ve seen don’t take it very seriously... I can walk, so what’s the problem?!! Just such a bugger though, have a dog (and kids) to walk and it’s agony. Longing to run Buster, seems a very long way off!

OP posts:
doglover · 06/12/2018 15:47

I found wearing FITFLOPS was the best solution for my feet. They are expensive but now they're all I wear - sandals, shoes and boots.

MrsMoastyToasty · 06/12/2018 15:50

My podiatrist recommended Crocs to wear instead of slippers (I also wear a pair on the beach) and to
Lose weight.

puppymouse · 06/12/2018 15:55

I'm completely ignorant OP but your post came up on my feed and reminded me of this foot pad advertised with thousands of comments of folks who'd tried them saying they were really good. Anyway my point is many of them had your exact condition and said they felt loads better after using them.

I'm always sceptical of these types of things but they weren't overly expensive and ingredients all natural so worth a try maybe? This is them www.misfitcosmetics.com/collections/featured/products/ultimate-foot-detox-pads

I mentioned them on an S&B thread as I've been using them and have felt less tired and getting out of bed is easier (no idea why!)

YesitsJacqueline · 06/12/2018 16:01

I had this in the summer it was awful. My brother who is a long distance runner recommended an exercise involving a tennis ball , I was disbelieving at first but it cured it after 1 week. There are tutorials on YouTube. I used a golf ball .

MrsWooster · 06/12/2018 16:04

Another vote for fitflop and tennis ball exercise- roll under the instep. Good luck

thenightsky · 06/12/2018 16:13

I had it for around 9 or 10 months. I only did the exercises, I gave up running, bought inserts for my shoes, did the tennis ball thing, iced it etc. Nothing worked. One day I got out of bed and noticed I put both heels to the floor and didn't grab onto the wall. Then I realised it had just gone!

Spoke to a lot of other people at the running club who'd had exactly the same experience... some had PF for two years and then it suddenly disappeared one day.

TchoupiEtDoudou · 06/12/2018 16:17

Crocs got rid of mine. I had a pair for in the house (instead of slippers) and flip flops outisde (it as summer)

Took a couple of months but they went completely

AHintOfStyle · 06/12/2018 16:28

Mine disappeared after I had lost 2 stones in weight.

Elephantina · 06/12/2018 16:52

I'm in year three. Had intensive physio (on second round now), exercises, orthotics, heel pads, physio taping under my foot. Nothing makes much difference really.

Both my dad and brother had it and had a cortisone injection which cracked it, but nobody has suggested that yet. Physio slightly mystified by its persistence but it seems related to excessively short calf muscles.

There is vague talk of surgery where the tendon is "snipped" to elongate it, but I noped right out of THAT.

ggirl · 06/12/2018 17:03

OP I have had it in since march , I went to podiatrist and he did and ultrasound and diagnosed fat pad syndrome and plantar fasciitis.
Said the stretching exercises won't help and not to do them..so I agreed to pay for a course of shockwave therapy (£250) for 3. That did sweet FA.
So then I decided to invest in some custom made insoles (£300) ..haven't helped much at all..I still get pain .

As an added bonus I developed 2nd toe metapharyngeal capsulitis , probably caused by me offloading my heel and putting more pressure on my toe joint.

Podiatrist said he would make a sole to offload that joint ..but by then I was pissed off and declined to pay for anymore treatment and have asked for referral to orthopaedics by GP ...appt is end of Feb.

I am thinking of asking for steroid injection now but was reticent as had read that with fat pad syndrome it can make matters worse ..

Sunshineonleaf · 06/12/2018 17:08

I had it for a couple of years.
My main tip would be never go barefoot, wear solid well fitted shoes at all times and never wear flip flops.

Bestseller · 06/12/2018 17:14

I had it for over a year too. Its one of those things youve heard of but have no idea just how painful it is until you've experienced it. I sobbed in my GPs office when he told me it would take 4 months to get a telephone referral as it was badly affecting my life and work.

I spent a fortune seeing different people but what made a difference in the end was lots and lots of calf stretching, much more than I thought "lots" meant - 30secs 15-20 times a day and ice 3 times a day. Ice was a revelation.

Also, using a roller or giving the soles of my feet a good massage before getting out of bed made much more difference than doing the same thing later.

Original poster
Tarabelle · 06/12/2018 17:21

Thanks for all the replies, some good food for thought. I thought I was doing lots of calf stretching, think I’ll intensify it as you suggest Bestseller. I already spend a fair bit of time standing on the edge of the stairs looking vacant but time to up my game! I really feel quite desperate.
If anyone’s wondering about the injection btw, it didn’t hurt at all as I was led to believe... shame it hasn’t worked though!! It does work for some I believe.

OP posts:
MeetOnTheSIedge · 06/12/2018 17:26

Mine was cured by stretching, massage with a small ball, rolling on a bottle of frozen watef and wearing orthotics in trainers, off the shelf ones. Crocs are a total NO for me, they set it off again in no time, and I actually think over-wearing of Croc flipflops was what started it in the first place.

granadagirl · 06/12/2018 18:38

I had steroid injections, I nearly shot of the bed! They really really hurt
I had to calm myself down before I said yes to the other foot.
Never again

daisychicken · 06/12/2018 18:50

I've had it a year now. GP told me off for wearing crocs and recommended inserts or slight heeled shoes and exercises. What has actually helped is going barefoot and that was a tip from a previous PF thread on here. It's not completely gone but it a lot better and I can always tell if I've worn shoes for too long.

So, I think it's trial and error to see what works for you

daisychicken · 06/12/2018 18:52

Yes, totally agree with MeetOnTheSledge

"Crocs are a total NO for me, they set it off again in no time, and I actually think over-wearing of Croc flipflops was what started it in the first place."

Bonkerz · 06/12/2018 19:54

I changed all my shoes to sketchers go walks. Bought BOB sketchers slippers to wear in the house. Ice packs constantly when stood in kitchen or sat on sofa.
After about 2 weeks it got a lot better and it now rarely plays up unless I wear stupid shoes.

rememberatime · 06/12/2018 20:05

I have had it for a year - a stupid job in retail standing all day for hours caused it.

I haven't cured it, but I am at the stage where I can get up in the morning and walk for an hour or so, three times a week and it is bearable the next day.

I bought slip on FitFlops for inside and I wear them constantly. I got them on Ebay for around £15 second hand. I also bought FitFlops covered shoes for outside - but the best shoes I bought for this winter have been Skechers Wedge Heeled ankle boots. The heel height is just right and the sole is bouncy. I can wear these for around 3 hours without my feet hurting.

Never wear flat shoes or bare feet - ever! The right shoes are a worthwhile investment and they are not all ugly or unfashionable.

beanaseireann · 06/12/2018 20:16

rememberatime
Can you post a link to the Skecher wedge boot please