Plantar Fasciitis hell

[SMLSML]

Need a hand hold, had PF since March and it's been getting steadily worse even with treatment. Currently getting weekly shockwave therapy, halfway through the course and it's gotten so bad again, I'm struggling to stay on my feet as it's so sore and they're constantly burning and painful. Doing all the recommended things, you name it I've tried it. Seem to be just burning (pun intended) money away trying to solve it. Anyone who has had it, do you just have to ride it out and it'll go on its own? Need reassurance as really struggling, have two kids under 5 and a demanding events job where I need to be on my feet for 12 hours plus at a time. I've lost a stone, not overweight, I've got autoimmune conditions but nothing drastically out the ordinary. Just looking for reassurance I'll get better eventually and idea of timescales that others experienced 🫠

Oh gosh - I literally feel your pain - awfully painful

With me - I bought gel heels similar to these ones which made walking more bearable.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/SMATIS-Protector-Fasciitis-Achilles-Tendonitis/dp/B07YXLD821/ref=sr_1_4_sspa?crid=2ZUO4GQF1GVJD&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.wpgzgL0xi3ezn70_D1ASJsrbB_V10kSYxtVCeXIQ2VAfzvBImLg-IKZyuI18D3ZNP1UevrHav0lsmWfg_SnRklHpwfmjpGNogVO8OGjVttiQTWIham3kJVldKs8hpyeH2ykh08Bd6yVldZD94zcrKlQ2tWQn8h9q_76_c33n-iKUF-5qRYmFDm07GirZ9-dCvVUCjbswVUxsIeI3xG57xvspTh0rbpOxJtlwEb6jbochjNFs1E_VnJ3qoQYjSm4CiBuIpBJv8CfgHbtlYPKkjcy4oVd9tjDv2l3grlZdQ2w.rhMvDxquORXXZsxPlJX_y-d2ff3Dd82PL5BW3z-2eJ0&dib_tag=se&keywords=plantar%2Bfasciitis%2Bgel%2Bheel%2Bsleeves&qid=1754947107&sprefix=plantar%2Bfaciatus%2Bgel%2Bheel%2Bsleeves%2Caps%2C74&sr=8-4-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&th=1

I also did stretching of the foot exercising by - actually on my bike - pushing my heel down with my toe on the pedal as far as it would go - and it really liked that!

I understand you might not have a bike - but if you could replicate that exercise on a step or similar? it may help = My foot as I said liked it.

What helped me was a pair of crocs for around the house at a small blue spikey ball from home bargains for 99p that I rolled my feet and calves over every night. Also calf stretches really helped, standing on the bottom step and dropping my heel down.
I suffered dramatically for around 10 months, few weeks of the above consistently and touch wood no return!

God I had this shit for 3 years and actually shockwave therapy gave me a bone bruise which means I had to stay off my feet to let it heal so beware of that.

you need:
asics trainers (acc to my physio)
keto (reduces inflammation really fast)
epsom salt baths

I still live in fear of it coming back.
I have autoimmune diseases and am convinced it’s related.

Im about a year in and I think it's getting better.... Or at least doesn't seem to be getting worse. Things I tried included shockwave therapy (didn't do anything...tried 6 sessions) which was incredibly painful. Mctimoney chiropractor who also did sports massage (helped a bit). A pulsio machine whenever I'm in passenger seat of the car. Podiatrist gave me a supposedly made to measure insoles which I last 20 minutes with. Went back and they're making me a new one. I think good, old-fashioned time is probably the main helper.

I stopped wearing my Kickers which had no arch support. I also realised the plantar insoles I bought for my work shoes were making my foot roll out and affected my knee and hip and added to the PF pain. I've had two bouts in three years but it's kept in check with weekly yoga and wearing the right shoes.

Birkenstocks! All the time. NEVER go barefoot

I've bought all sorts of inserts and special shoes (spent a small fortune on both) and tried exercises recommended by the podiatrist.The only thing that cured my 7-year hell of Plantar Fasciitis was doing lower back & leg strengthening exercises which a friend told me about by chance. 5 months in and the pain in negligible.

Gel heel inserts in all your shoes. Stretching exercises - it will probably go away in its own time. Very painful at the time and worse first thing usually- anti inflammatory helped loads - ibuprofen. It will get better

Thanks for this, how long did it take to go? Think I'm just conscious I'm months into this 🫠

So interesting as a lot of people I've spoken to have autoimmune stuff, could definitely be that 😫 how did you find out you had a bone bruise? Did you do those three things and it then went?

Firstly it's normally caused from a tight calf so start calf stretches.
Second roll the foot out daily, rolling over a rolling pin works wonders.
Third avoid shoes that encourage you to grip your toes so no flip flops or sandles, wear a good structured shoe like a trainer that lifts the heel slightly from the floor to stop the calf being tight when too tight anyway.
Never walk bare foot, leave your structured shoes next to the bed and put them on as soon as you get up as the foot is stiff in the morning it needs help.
You can also manually massage the underside of your foot too.
It's a slow injury to heal as there is limited blood flow to the tendons but it does get better but you must stretch daily good luck

Crocs instead of slippers.
Skechers archfit trainers.
Find the heel height that suits you (for me it's a medium heel).

Really similar. The game changer for me was some cheap massage flipflops from Amazon. Flipflops are supposed to be bad for PF but these were the only footwear I could tolerate when it was really bad, and I noticed that wearing them eased the pain. They had tiny little rubber massage bobbles all over the instep. I stopped wearing any footwear except Skechers trainers and Fitflop leather boots outside the house, and the cheap flipflops inside.

Also this weird video from a teenage dude instructor on how dragging a spanner over your instep takes the pain away. I was at the try anything stage so I tried this and it worked far better than ice, cold compresses, hot compresses etc (which all made the pain even worse) or voltarol, insoles etc (which didn't work at all) or other calf stretching exercises which didn't seem to help much either. I don;t know why this worked but it did.

Keep going!! I’ve just come out of 18 months of horrific PF, I did alllllll the things and finally had shockwave, on session 3 I was crying in the session and it had to be done in bursts of 30 seconds as that was all I could bear (it was my choice to continue!)

I had 6 sessions and now it’s about 98% resolved, session 3 and a bit of session 4 were the worst, but it’s the best thing I did for it!

Wearing Oofos at home. The arch support really helps. Wearing the mules & flipflops in the summer cured my plantar fascitis. Going to a proper foot specialist. I went to a useless physio at first & his treatment just didn't work. I don't think his equipment was up to date Proper shockwave should work but you do need someone who knows what they're doing. Finally If you're menopausal you will need Hrt. Oestrogen has a huge effect on P.F.

My dad had cortisone injections for his and it’s never returned. I’m massively struggling and I have to agree with the above about never going bare feet. I always have some form of footwear on in the house whether it’s fitflops or sliders. On really bad days I wear an arch support with my shoes as well. I’m considering the injections as this time it does not seem to be going anywhere

Hoka trainers! I've suffered for years and these have absolutely sorted it (shockwave, dangling off steps and gel inserts all did bugger all!!)

Been suffering for about 4 years with this, tried all the soaks / chiropodist / stretching exercises etc. the gym helped a bit but the thing that has far and away helped the most is having a cushioned heel and arch support.
i started out with Oofos flip flops after seeing them on here, then progressed to Fitflop shoes and boots and Birkenstocks and now wear nothing other than those. Totally pain free as long as I keep to the FitFlops and Birkies :)

I had it years ago and then had a steroid injection in my foot. The pain has never returned

Here is my tuppence-worth after having 2 separate episodes. But the same foot each time.
It took at least 9months to recover each time.

1. Wear a night splint. Less pain in the morning.https://www.healthandcare.co.uk/plantar-fasciitis-braces/M_GREY_046201.html?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=20630176213&gbraid=0AAAAAD7hp2oISdGan0SJwlBXts1ZeNG6_&gclid=EAIaIQobChMImdqIxt6DjwMVeZtQBh0PoSz3EAQYAiABEgIW-fD_BwE
2. I wore flat lace up shoes in the house (i kept a pair specifically clean as indoor shoes) never go barefoot.
3. Calf stretches if i remembered.
4. Toe exercises such as picking up tissue with toes and moving it. Whilst watching tv if i remeberd.
5. Jelly heel shoe insert.
6. No heels.

Good luck 😎

I suffered badly for months and months. My GP told me to roll a hard tennis ball under my foot as many times a day as I could. It totally cured me.

Have had it twice. Once very bad and ended up on crutches. I work in farming so on my feet all day.

• calf stretches (essential)
• never go barefoot, I wear crocs in the house.
• trainers, my go to shoe are brooks trainers. Anything else I wear for only a short time.

If it feels like it’s flaring up or painful I wear my trainers in the house and up my stretching to three a day instead of once. After ending up on crutches I did luckily have time to rest up for couple of weeks which really helped as it was winter on the farm. Good luck.

Hi SMLSML - with mine it was probably 'only' a couple of months start to finish. The first day, I got up to go to the bathroom and literally had to crawl on my hands and knees. The pain as you know is excruciating. It was only per chance after a couple of weeks after reading about the exercise on the stairs as per another poster, that I did that when on my bike and the stretch was a pleasure and pain thing, but my foot really liked it. The gel heels were a right saviour though and made walking so much less painful.

Wishing you all the best with it though as obviously you've been suffering a while.

I saw a sports therapist, tissue massage of my calves and soles of my feet with a rock blade combined with wearing a very glamorous Strasbourg sock cured years of pain within a month.
https://www.physioparts.co.uk/strassburg-sock
Never had any issues since, it must be 10 years ago. Barefoot and any shoes are fine now, it was hot today so I walked to the shop in my £1 Primark flip flops that I had been wearing around the house.
I reckon the spanner massage would be effective too.

I’ve not had this for as long but it flares up occasionally. I found the toe raise heel drop exercise, done consistently everyday, really helped. If you can do it one legged all the better. Add in a calf stretch while you’re on the step and it all adds up.

And yes to no bare feet.