Plantar Fasciitis hell

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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 🫠

I had it in 2017. I put these in all my shoes apart from sandals, and got FitFlops inatead of my usual sandals. Never went barefoot or wore very flat shoes while I had it, and I still now avoid doing either for long periods. I still keep buying those insoles and have them in nearly all my shoes.

These stretches helped, though I can remember it being excruciating but relieving. Also firmly massaging my feet and calves with foot cream with a drop of essential oil in. This type of foot roller again was excruciating but relieving.

I found a really good yoga class, still go to the same one. We regularly do things like this and up and down into squats while on the ball of the foot. Touch wood it has never returned.

Really feel for you. Being on your
feet alot will not be helping. When I first got this 3 years ago I had to stay off my feet as much as possible. it started because of working from home/going bare foot all the time, and a long flight with toddler on my lap. Physio, massaging instep and gel inserts under arch helped, aswell as supportive trainers (arch support again) The arch support helps to distribute your weight evenly across the foot. It did get alot better eventually, but I still need to be careful, no bare feet etc.

I had to give up my cardio workouts that involved any running or jarring. I did calf stretches and rolled foot over a tennis ball or spikey tumble drier ball.
Ibuprofen and arch support insoles. About 10 months later the pain was gone but about 2 years until I could run again.

Yes, I stopped doing high impact exercise for a good while too. I'm fine with it now, though am always careful.

Shockwave was horrific for me. My foot was made much worse. I thought the bones had collapsed

keep a small bottle of water in the freezer. Roll your foot over it at night. Heaven! Horrible Skecher D Lites and cheap arch supports or Birkenstocks
it will get better!

I had terrible agonising PF for two years before I went to see a private physio. I was ready to have my feet amputated it was so bad. It was ruining my life and making my job undoable. My NHS physio referral was a joke and the guy didn’t even diagnose me or examine me in person.

the private physio I eventually went to did a lot of physical massaging of the tendon under my arch and gave me very basic exercises to do with a golf ball. Basically he said the tendon was so taught it had no elasticity and I needed to tenderise it. Within a few weeks it was better and it was fixed within months.he told me to get cushiony running shoes with good arch support but Amy reputable brand would do.

if the shockwave isn’t working and you’ve been doing this for a while I’d look for a different physio as shockwave is expensive and it sounds to me like your physio is remarkably unconcerned with how little progress is being made. They sound like they’re in it for the business and I’d loo elsewhere. It’s three years now and it’s not come back.

That's interesting, with mine the treatment isn't so bad it's afterwards the pain is worse so I'm worried it's actually aggravating it

If you're currently going through a flare up you will need your foot taping up. When mine was at it's worse after nearly 9 months of a virtually fully ruptured plantar ligament( go to a foot specialist not any old physio/chiropodist) Get specialist Shockwave. You may need up to 5 sessions & time to heal. This can take a few months depending on the injury. My foot specialist recommended Oofos for home shoes, Joya or Hoka Cliftons. I also had some customised insoles made which I use in all my shoes.
Finally pick a foot guy who can scan your injury to see the progress & explain to you whats happening. This is essential when you're paying for treatment.

Had it for months and then one day it was gone.I didn’t get help. Mine was mainly when I got up out of bed or from sitting for a while then it would ease off when on my feet a lot. I found a prickly roller thing on Amazon and that was so good. Also put gel supports in shoes. Was about 9 months I’d say. Been gone at least a year now.

Like others have said :
-Arch support (Birkenstocks were perfect)
-Calf stretches and roll-outs (use a hard ball in a sock)

But also stretch the glute on the sore side. If you can get your leg up onto a bed or chair so that the calf is parallel to the front of your torso but your thigh is straight out, so an L shape in front of your torso, and flex your toes up towards your ankle (this protects your knee joint) then lean forward and to the side so you can really feel the glute stretch. This helped me a lot. The tight calves start further up the chain in your glute/hip. You can also use the hard ball in a sock on your glutes - just lean against a wall and push in where it hurts. I felt this going right down into my calf and foot.

Thanks for this. Where do you find these though? There's such a lot out there and feel I've wasted so much money already. Taped my feet and it's not helping at all

I had this for about 8 months and it was utterly awful.
Sorry to tell you that nothing helped except strong painkillers to cope with the pain.
Then suddenly one day I felt something tear within my foot whilst walking and the pain just stopped.
I presume some sort of adhesion because it felt like a plaster being ripped off.
I think my PF was caused by a lot of walking in wellies (had horses) which didn’t support my instep/ arch.
I bought better boots and thankfully never got again.

I know this is not helpful as you are not overweight but Mounjaro resolved mine. After over four years of pain, it went within two months of me starting Mounjaro.

I had PF over 10 years ago when my kids were little and I would be out pushing the pushchair, walking a lot, usually wearing flat converse shoes. I was worried I would drop my baby I was in so much pain.
I learned from mumsnet that fitflop brand shoes were really good and resolved the issue. At the time I bought fitflop trainers, fitflop winter boots and fitflop summer sandals, and it resolved itself. No idea if the shoes are still designed the same way, but definitely get supportive shoes and hopefully that will really help.

I had PF years ago, after researching on the internet I went and bought a pair of crocs clogs and a pair of fit flops. It was gone within weeks, because I bought them both at the same time I don't know which one cured it.

When you are doing calf stretches, be VERY careful not to drop your inner foot arch, or you will actually be overstretching the arch rather than the calf - the achilles will 'cheat' and tilt the heel to the outside rather than stretch the calf muscle, which will worsen the problem.

Another exercise that helps is learning how to take your big toe out to the side - the abductor hallucis is often completely wasted away in plantar fasciitis.

Once you have decent calf stretches and have strengthened the muscles that support the arch of the foot, then stand on your toes on a step (heels over the edge), and lower your heels as far as you can then raise them. Again, don't let your inner foot arch drop. Begin with both feet and progress to painful foot only if needed.

Salford Insoles - blue if you can, orange if you must.

I had this for a very long time - in one foot, then the other, swapping, both, really bad flare ups and then it was less bad but still there...tried so many things and saw so many people (have a lot of equipment in the house a result). Reduced my hours at work because of it (teacher - p/t spread hours over more days so I don't do a full day on my feet). Now it has gone but I know I am prone to it so if I don't get my footwear right it is very likely to come back.

Kybun shoes made a massive difference to coping with it, and I only wore these for a long time. They are £££ though, and not that great looking. Previous to this I had tried a few others (e.g. hated vionics, sketchers felt comfy but were rubbish really, fit flops). I now wear kybun slippers in the house (didn't like them for the first few days but they are amazing - I will definitely buy these again when they need to be replaced, despite them being ugly) and Hoka Bondi (these have more cushioning than the cliftons) trainers (even at work, I have permission!). These are what I wear 99% of the time I am out of the house. Sandals are from kybun, as are hiking boots. I only wear 'normal' shoes very occasionally e.g. going out to dinner and only need to walk from car park to a seat and the back.

I think one of my issues was that I didn't know what it was for ages - just ignored it basically. A colleague complained of PF pain one day - I recognised it immediately of course and lent her my heel inserts (I was in full inserts at this point) Heel that pain inserts at amazon. Hers was gone in a week.

I think a lot of things I did helped a little bit and then eventually worked I guess. Somethings just gave relief. Lots of things didn't though - taping, night splints...but they help others. It was the most frustrating time of my life.

I should add that I'm not suggesting you get the heel seats - that was just an example of something simple working quickly for someone probably as it was caught quickly or maybe the cause was different. I've got a multi-page word document outlining all the things I have tried. The main thing is to continue with the exercises that have been prescribed and trying what you can. For me I felt it made a difference doing the stretching exercises in warm water (I am a member at a spa hotel, so that was accessible for me) and I think the foot routine on the Pilates refomer really helped too.

The main thing I am suggesting now is footwear that has definitely worked for me in reducing the pain (allowing me to be on my feet a bit longer without it really flaring) and now keeping me pain free. Hoka bondi trainers and never going barefoot. Just checked and Kybun have massively reduced their range - no longer sell the slippers (previous to that I wore their sandals round the house and I guess I will go back to that when these slippers fall apart...).

Birkenstocks. Haflingers. ASIC trainers. Never go barefoot.

Calf stretches every time you go upstairs.

Find a good osteopath for maintenance.

That’s how I sorted mine. Good luck.

Interesting about the glute stretches - just goes to show that for some people just stretching the foot and calf isn't enough. I tried everything, but what cured me was a short set of yoga stretches designed for runners to do after a run, though I think it was probably specifically the downward facing dog one that did it - as that stretches all the way from your glutes to the balls of your feet.

The key thing imo is to really do the stretches as often as possible (even though it's annoying!), and especially after walking or prolonged standing. Orthotics, taping, night splints did nothing for me. Neither did Fitflops. Crocs around the house help massively though.

1 Make sure it really is PF. See a physio - I'd choose a sports physio as they see a lot of people with plantar fasciopathy.
2 It's a chronic, degenerative condition and the long-term fix is to strengthen the intrinsic foot muscles. Any decent sports physio can advise on specific exercises.
For info and general guidance on rehab look at:
Resources from a UK physio (mostly concise)
Podcasts 1 and 2 from US physios (a bit rambling)
Video on PF from the same physios

Paying for a physio will be worth it. I'm on a very limited budget but when I injured my knee I explained this to the physio during the initial free call, said I needed to minimise appointments and needed lots of advice on rehab. Physio was fine with spacing appointments accordingly.

I second good footwear. I used orthopedic slippers myself, but anything that cushions your steps and provide arch support is a big help. I got customized in-lay soles from a podiatrist. They are expensive, but have really helped.

Second best thing you can do if buy category A walking shoes with good arch support.

Mine went away after 18 months. There are as many treatments / solutions / wonder cures as there are people, unfortunately, and what works for one person may not work for someone else.

What worked for me (a bit): soleus stretches, sports massage, memory foam slippers around the house and trainers (proper running shoes, not fashion styles) 100% of the time outdoors.

Insoles are often recommended and work for some people but I found all types too firm and painful. Ditto some brands of trainers. My preferred brands are Asics and New Balance but some people find Hokas helpful too.

I was referred to a physio for a while who said that most cases go away by themselves after 12-18 months. Strengthening exercises are useful to prevent recurrence but won't necessarily be the 'cure'. I don't know how true that is but it seemed to be the case for me.

My husband suffered with this. Step heel stretches did work for him. Very flat shoes caused his. He now wears Birkenstock slippers and shoes with arch support. A steroid injection definitely works, after a week or two.