Plantar faciitus- anything help?

[Elouera]

I've had it 7mths. I got new trainers, lost 10kg, do the stretches and exercises and nothing has helped. In fact, it seems worse! My GP said a steroid injection 'may' help, but are very painful! I've also been referred for physio, but I'm already doing the exercises, so not sure how that will help.

Anyone has success with steroids or has anything else helped?

If you don't already get yourself some good quality orthotics (the made to your foot kind not the buy for ten quid in boots kind). They made a world of difference to me. On the days that I don't wear them and walk i cannot believe this is how i used to feel all the time.

I had the steroid injection - it absolutely did hurt! Foot was quite sore for about a week after but since then (touch wood) everything has been OK.

gmb.io/feet/
www.marksdailyapple.com/plantar-fasciitis-stretches/

I know you said you were doing exercise - but you didn't say what sort. You need to really stretch out your calves and hamstrings, as well as strengthen your feet.

If you can afford it, it may be worth seeing a sports physio.

I found mine - both feet - just went away in the end.

Second time round, I found stretching my foot, as opposed to my hamstring, really helped.

I went to a private podiatrist. He was fab. He gave me daily stretching exercises to do, and on his advice I bought fit flops to wear. Both really helped. He also said not to go down the orthotics route unless a last resort as your feet may get dependent on them. You can also get rubber cylinder things, eg from Amazon, to roll on the floor with your feet (if that makes sense).

I got some Kybun shoes after suffering for over 18 months and having tried all sorts. They are super expensive but I can walk in them from the first day! It's not cured and hurts still if I wear flat shoes or barefoot. I think they make the facsia in your foot stretch out each time you walk and so doesn't seem to get injured each day agin when you get up. But I've gone from hobbling every morning and each time I got up to being pretty comfortable most of the time. I step into them from bed and keep them on all the time. The £££ was worth it for me for the relief. They aren't my favourite looking shoes and they are heavy but I was in so much pain I'm past caring.

Had it several times, used wooden foot roller, stretching, insoles. Some swear by freezing a bottle of water and rolling under foot.

My DP gives me a foot massage 2-3 times a week. I also have an electric foot massager which helps when he’s not here! I’ve tried the supports, I have some socks with toe separators which are supposed to help too. I’ve had rollers etc too.

Never had a steroid injection. But since the foot massages it’s so much better. So if you have a DP, get them on the case! If not, get yourself a robo-DP!

I wear Crocs instead of slippers around the house. I also found that I can only wear low to mid heels (I can't do totally flat shoes or skyscraper heels). It also seems to be better if the foot is more covered- anything with toe cleavage is a no no.

Swapping flip flops for Birkenstocks

Fitflops and massage ball works for me. Mine are linked to hypermobility so stretching is counter intuitive. Feet exercises to strengthen, hyper mobile yogis have a few videos on Instagram

I had really bad PF for about 10 months, tried everything about 18 months ago.

Eventually reluctantly went for steroid injections with GP, pain went overnight and touch wood have had no pain since.

I had ultrasound therapy at a podiatrists, went from being painful to walk to being able to go on the cross trainer within a day. Then followed up with obsessive levels of stretching (calves feet hamstrings lower back) strengthening (towel grabs etc as well as general whole body) use of anti inflammatory meds and special boot at night. Took 3 months to get back to running and every now snd again it twinges but i know the signs now so recognise my body telling me to condition it a bit!

Cortisone injections help tremendously and can save you months and months of pain with an inflamed plantar fascia, they are an anti-inflammatory so bring the swelling down rapidly.
They are certainly not agony I've had them in the heel twice and regular spinal ones. The thought is worse than the deed.
PF can take 6 months or more to heal properly even with orthoses (I used to make them). I'd go for the injection everytime.

I had steroid injections. The effectiveness diminished every time I had an injection until they were no longer effective at all. Don’t think about the pain of injection , if you get to the stage where you are in so much foot pain you won’t care about the injection.

I tried physio. I did the exercises and one week the physio strapped my foot up in a special way, which initially was more painful. Gave some relief fir a few days Then useless.

The only way to cure it is to walk on it. Very painful, last thing you want to do but does help. Had it more than 5 years. Think I have have nerve damage now as my heels don’t hurt anymore but the soles of my feet are hot and stinging pain all the time. Its a different sort of pain from Pf.

The injection didn't hurt me at all and the pain was reduced the next day and gone the day after.
Four years on and it started coming back but I've been doing daily yoga which has really helped. That and never going bare foot.

You also need to find the root cause of why you are getting it, people with high arched feet are very prone as the high arch makes the achilles tendon very tight, poor range of movement due to age or lack of regular exercise, obesity, hyper-pronated feet, lots of reasons, by all means have the injection as a one off but I'd see a podiatrist who specialises in biomechanics to give you the once over and get to the bottom of it.
You can get this on the NHS or private which will be around £60-80 for an initial assessment. The NHS will also make you insoles if you need them but bear in mind the waiting list will be longer.

Time! When I spoke to my GP about my PF, he mentioned exercises, orthotics, etc., but went on to say that he'd found they only worked for some people and it was a case of trial and error. He didn't recommend steroid injections for most people. He did say he'd never known anybody to suffer longer than two years (sorry), and the pain would gradually go. I did try exercises and bought orthotics, but found neither seemed to help much. From start to finish, I think I suffered for a bit longer than two years, but have been totally pain-free for a long time.
One of my chums realised if she wears slippers/anything too flexible on her feet, her PF returns very quickly, she now wears only supportive shoes, even indoors.

Shoes and flip flops from Vionic, specially designed for Plantar Fasciatus

A combination of stretches, massage and orthotics cured mine, also avoiding any shoes with squidgy soles such as Skechers and Crocs. It's about three years since it was at it's worst and I can walk around barefoot at home all day again now. I still wear orthotics and supportive shoes such as Birkenstocks most of the time but can go without as well. I also do yoga and ballet which I think help.

I also don’t wear flat ballet style shoes anymore. Only FitFlops or trainers/boots with moulded soles to support the arches.

Thanks for the replies. Interesting that many had relief from the steroid injection. That seems to be the next option which I'm really considering now. To answer some questions:

• I also saw a private podiatrist last year when it started. I don't have flat feet, a high arch or other foot problems other than a slight pronation inwards and he didn't recommend an orthodic
• I got new trainers to stop the pronation and I wear these when I leave the house. I've worn heels once in 6mths for a christening!
• I was given a list of exercises to do by both the GP and podiatrist. Among others, I do calf/heel stretches, roll my foot on a spiky ball and rolling pin and also tried the frozen bottle
• I bought a sock with a tape which stretches the foot and toes up whilst I sleep. I found this useless and I awoke each time with painful toes.

• I wear a brace on the opposite knee due to osteoarthritis when I go out. I can only assume that the brace is throwing my gait out or somehow preventing my foot healing?

It could well be, it is surprising how much of a knock-on effect there can be from different parts of the body. That might be something the physio could evaluate for you, see if you have imbalances, maybe the knee brace is affecting your hips which is in turn affecting your other foot and leg. On FB I follow a sport therapist's page called Range of Motion, he posts about PF and all sorts of other muskulo-skeletal stuff, worth a look at his videos.

I've heard back from the GP. I'm being referred to a complex case clinic who may do shock wave therapy, a scan and/or an injection if needed. At least something will be done and I might get some relief in time. Thanks everyone.

Always wear shoes with good arch support. Fitflop and Vionics are good.
Wear Fitflops or Crocs in the house dont go bare foot (particularly when going from sitting to standing or when first get out of bed).
Stretch calves. Roll your feet on a can of beans or similar when sitting.
Vary your footwear. mid heels or wedges are best nit overly flat or overly high.