Plantar Fasciitis, what can I do?

[GonnaGetGoingReturns]

Have restarted a new job a month ago where I'm commuting into the office 2 days a week (train and tube) and have noticed Plantar Fasciitis has got worse - on one foot where I rarely had it before but sometimes and now on the other foot but twinges. I don't get it much, if at all, at home but am definitely walking a lot more (e.g. up and down stairs both in and out of office on commute). Was WFH since March 2020.

Just wearing normal trainers and sometimes flat work shoes.

Should I get fit flops? Or similar? I did buy some insoles for it (plastic?) but not used yet. Anything else I can try? Doctor?

I went to my chiropodist with this. She did acupuncture on my foot . Painful! BUT , instant cure . Now I just keep up maintenance by stretching and rolling. One big help is to lose weight if you need to.

It only took one laser treatment to cure mine, have it as high as you can stand.
I got it in one foot from wearing ballet flats. Because I put more pressure on the other foot I got it there too. Had steroid injections in my heels, one worked for 6 weeks, the other not at all and I wouldn’t bother with them again. Tried stretching etc, didn’t work.
Now I’m careful with my feet, always wear supportive shoes with a bit of a heel. Doesn’t matter what they look like as long as I don’t get PF again !

I do need to lose weight, not a huge amount but do need to lose some - but having an underactive thyroid I hate to say it, doesn't help much at all! Plus, if running makes it worse, that's what I like to do.

When you say a bit of a heel? Do you mean wedges?

will definitely look into laser rather than steroid and maybe acupuncture too and correct footwear.

I kind of wonder what do the stars like Victoria Beckham do. Just limp around or not wear any nice shoes?! Have seen some do wear specially made orthopedic (?) shoes or get insoles for them.

Get a proper pair of orthopedic arch support shoes. Don’t faff about with the things that help a bit. Just make the switch.

also get a pair of orthopedic house slippers with arch support. I actually use a pair of flip flops for high arches instead of slippers because my feet get hot. The point though is that you should never walk barefoot.

No, not wedges. Just not absolutely flat, like ballet slippers.

www.amazon.co.uk/JADE-KIT-Adjustable-Stretcher-Balancing/dp/B088BFZ5FX/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=Calf%2BStretcher&qid=1655827237&sr=8-5&th=1

Calf stretching. I had terrible PF and someone on here suggested this type of stretcher and I was basically cured in about 2 weeks after a year of trouble.

You need to make sure your trainers are the right sort for your feet- over/under pronating, neutral etc so you should get an assessment if you can. I found I needed a neutral trainer rather than an arch support one.

I wear FitFlop Rally style trainers and they really stopped my PF. I also did some foot exercises. My Podiatrist also told me to wear shoes with a back - so no mule style slippers or shoes.

Get shoes with rocker soles. They're not drop dead gorgeous but they should help you to heal. Walk to work in them and change when you get to work if you don't feel comfortable but try to wear that type of shoe whenever you can, even at home, as they stop you from putting all your weight on the back of the foot.

Ask for GP referral to podiatrist. I did this after the most crippling attack of plantar and she was fab. Made me custom insoles for walking and for when I was able to run again. Prescribed a set of physio exercises that I did 2x a day for 2 months. After that I was able to run again and now I just do the exercises weekly or more if I feel a warning twinge. I don't need the insoles any more but I'm really careful about choosing supportive running and walking trainers - apparently too much foamy cushioning is bad! I still spend a lot of time barefoot because I love the feeling and physio exercises seem a small price to pay for it.

Get some good Skechers Go Walk trainers and some Fitflop boots or shoes for work. Travel light. the more weight you are carrying, the tougher it is. And avoid having to run or any high impact movement.

At home I wear flip flops - cheap on Amazon - with tiny little massage bubbles on the soles as these have been life savers when the PF was at its worst. Similar, I guess, to PP's experience of wearing Crocs.

.

You absolutely need to get professional advice from someone who can actually see your body.

for me, it was a combo of exercise, massage and shockwave therapy courtesy of a local
sports therapist.

I spend a lot of money on various insoles and shoes and things to help - I should have just invested in the physio from the beginning.

PF shouldn’t mean no more barefoot for the rest of your life - the aim is to strengthen the weakness (specific to you) so that you’re no longer susceptible.

Agree. My feet are wrecked from years of walking miles in totally flat ballet pumps with zero cushioning or support. I find a small heel much more comfortable now.

I agree with professional help, I saw a podiatrist. Everyone is different, and what helps some hinders others - my podiatrist specifically warned me off Skechers Go Walk but they seem to help some. She said she sees a lot of cases caused by them.

Stop walking around barefoot or in flat shoes.
Skechers do a range called ArchFit - the arch is built in to the shoe.
The easiest way to stretch calves is to stand on bottom step of stairs with half foot on step and drop your heels down - it's on YouTube.

Calf stretches as mentioned by PP. I found rolling a hard, spiky massage ball firmly was agony but worked. Ibuprofen, ice pack, elevate foot when sitting. I can't recall changing my footwear but did get little heel pads for my running shoes.

Doing yoga 3-4 times a week sorted mine out. Nothing stretches my calf muscles like downward facing dog! Getting out of bed in the morning used to be agony, even getting up from the sofa I would wince and limp. Now I don't even remember the pain.

Sketchers arch fit and the those gel pads from Amazon. No flat shoes, ever!

I’ve posted a few times about this - maybe different username but I only changed for fun not privacy so you might find it. Anyway I’ve been down every road with this and discovered that Diet Coke was the inflammation “agent”. Literally changed my life by giving it up. Even a few sips brings it (and hip pain) back. It seems to cause inflammation and I know lots of other people found the same- coffee can also have the same effect.

I tried insoles/orthotics, night splints, taping, spiky ball etc etc and nothing worked. Two things cured it: 1) always wearing crocs around the house 2) 'Yoga with Adriene' (short) runners' post-run yoga stretch religiously after any run or walk, or at the end of a day on my feet.

Shut the front door! Get out of here! No way! Nooooooo! I've just read your comment and now I can't unread it and unknow it. I can't have dairy anymore, if fixing my foot means never having Coke again, my life would be a sad one indeed! Your comment was TMI for me! I wish I hadn't read that!

Definitely no ballet flats, wear slippers around the house, get shoes with a little heel or a small wedge/ not totally flat flatform sole. Clarks have loads of shoes like this.

I've been told by my podiatrist to avoid Skechers - even the arch fit ones as they are not that great.

I'm wearing Fitflops Rally trainers, Vionics loafers and Birkinstocks at the moment and have no pain.

Ha!! Seriously it’s not that bad. If you’re not having dairy then you’re probably very likely to be getting inflammation from all the nastiest in Diet Coke (delicious ones!). Trust me- try it. I think its my most posted about discovery! A top tip is to move to ginger ale or strong real lemonade and drink it with a straw…the lemon or ginger gives you the same feel as Coke.

@MarthanotMarfa I don't like ginger ale but I do like lemonade. However, nothing comes close to how Coke Zero makes me feel: ahhh delicious! I know if you stop drinking Coke you lose weight, I know it's used to unclog pipes, to clean coins and if you stick a whole egg inside a glass with Coke and you keep replacing the Coke, sooner or late you'll be left with just the membrane and everything else inside (looks like a placenta but more disgusting!) but that hasn't stopped me haven't it...
Bloody heck, your comment was the straw that broke my love for Coke. I'll avoid it for a while and see how it works for me. I was down to a can whenever I go to the supermarket but now I will have to find sth else to have instead. They say ignorance is bliss and they're right!