Plantar fasciitis - relief?

[Chasaway]

Hi, all!

For about five days, I've been fighting what I believe to be a bout of plantar fasciitis. Ow.

The pain is bad when I get up and eases throughout the day. If I'm still too long (sitting, etc.), it gets really painful again.

I've been doing ibuprofen, rolling a frozen water bottle, stretching my toes against a wall, using a stretch band for my feet, calves and hammies, and wearing a boot. I just ordered a Strassburg sock that I read is supposed to really help.

Does anyone have any experience with this that can pile on? I'd rather not get shots, etc. for it and am not convinced of their long term effectiveness, either. So any advice or direction would be appreciated.

This sucks.

[mountaineer]

The only thing that has helped me when PF flares up is taping the foot. I got what they call "athletic tape" at Rite-Aid. It came off easily, although a friend of mine tried it and said it ripped her skin. I think you also can use that kinesio tape (more expensive). Something like this website describes, although I use less tape. Just four strips - two as in figure 5 across the arch and two around the back of the heel as in figure 1.


Not a guarantee, of course, but it really does clear it up for me.

[Chasaway]

Thank you! I truly appreciate the response and the linky.

C

[sinkspur]

Well, my wife went to a place called "Good Feet" here in DFW and got some custom made inserts for her shoes.  She's worn them for 15 years with absolutely no pain.  Orthotics are probably your best bet.

[Texas Yellow Rose]

I have this problem from time to time.  Once it lasted all summer.  Following is a good link with several of the things my doctor recommended (the calf stretch).  I, too, taped the area between my toes and arch around the foot.  I have done it several time when I get the slightest hint of pain and it does help.  Here's the link:  http://www.footvitals.com/health/plantar-fasciitis-exercises.html  Good luck!

[NavyCanDo]

For me I think there is only one way to stop all the new aches and pains of getting older - go back to my teens. Anyone have Marty McFly's number?

[Chasaway]

For me I think there is only one way to stop all the new aches and pains of getting older - go back to my teens. Anyone have Marty McFly's number?

Youth is damned sure wasted on the young. It was in my case.

Who was it, Mark Twain/Mickey Mantle/Eubie Banks, that said, "If I'd know I was going to last this long, I'd have taken better care of myself."

C

[Chasaway]

The only thing that has helped me when PF flares up is taping the foot.
[...]
Not a guarantee, of course, but it really does clear it up for me.

Wow, @mountaineer! My first try was RBU (rough, but useful) and I had no pain when walking around. I taped it a little tight, so I can't feel my toes now. Is that okay?

JOKING!!

But I did cut that off and try again. It really does provide some relief. Thanks for the heads up.

C

[Chasaway]

I have this problem from time to time.  Once it lasted all summer.  Following is a good link with several of the things my doctor recommended (the calf stretch).  I, too, taped the area between my toes and arch around the foot.  I have done it several time when I get the slightest hint of pain and it does help.  Here's the link:  http://www.footvitals.com/health/plantar-fasciitis-exercises.html  Good luck!

Thanks, @Texas Yellow Rose. Great stretches and ideas. I've got one of those green StretchOut Straps for stretching and have been doing some similar stuff, but not everything here.

[BTW, where in Texas are you?]

C

[Texas Yellow Rose]

[BTW, where in Texas are you?]

C
[/quote]

I'm about 20 miles south of Houston.

[LadyLiberty]

Hubby and I have both found relief from using a boot at night such as the ones shown here:

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2050601.m570.l1311.R4.TR12.TRC2.A0.H1.Xplantar.TRS0&_nkw=plantar+fasciitis+night+splint&_sacat=0

[Suppressed]

I've been doing ibuprofen, rolling a frozen water bottle, stretching my toes against a wall, using a stretch band for my feet, calves and hammies, and wearing a boot. I just ordered a Strassburg sock that I read is supposed to really help.

@Chasaway, I don't see calf stretches listed.

According to Runner's World instructions:

Keep your right leg forward, foot flat on the floor, and extend your left leg straight back, placing your heel flat on the floor. Don't bend your back knee. Lean into the wall until you feel the stretch in the calf of the straight leg. Hold for 30 seconds and switch sides.

But I hold the position as long and as low as I can go, not just 30 seconds.



That, and The Boot, were keys for me.

Oh, and you can try freezing a golf ball....depending on the nature of your plantar fasciitis, you can evidently have scar tissue to break up.  The frozen golf ball helped.

[truth_seeker]

For over 20 years I ran 6-7 days a week, including a personal best marathon of 2:55.

And although I have flat feet, they did not bother me.

Eventually miles and years caught up, and I cut back and finally stopped running in favor of biking and walking. Sometime after age 55 by the way.

Lately I have had pain on the bottom of my feet when walking, more near the start.

I have always rejected drugs of any kind. But recently I decided to try Aleve, naproxen (on my wife's suggestion)

And it helps quite a lot. So I am sticking with one tablet each morning. I enjoy my daily two hour walk much more, when it doesn't hurt.

[mountaineer]

Wow, @mountaineer! My first try was RBU (rough, but useful) and I had no pain when walking around. I taped it a little tight, so I can't feel my toes now. Is that okay?

I should have mentioned I don't tape all the way around the foot. Strips of tape about 5" long.  ^-^

[mountaineer]

This link for shoes that supposedly offer PF relief popped up on my Facebook. Worth a look, I guess. https://www.usadawgs.com/

[Neverdul]

Hi, all!

For about five days, I've been fighting what I believe to be a bout of plantar fasciitis. Ow.

The pain is bad when I get up and eases throughout the day. If I'm still too long (sitting, etc.), it gets really painful again.

I've been doing ibuprofen, rolling a frozen water bottle, stretching my toes against a wall, using a stretch band for my feet, calves and hammies, and wearing a boot. I just ordered a Strassburg sock that I read is supposed to really help.

Does anyone have any experience with this that can pile on? I'd rather not get shots, etc. for it and am not convinced of their long term effectiveness, either. So any advice or direction would be appreciated.

This sucks.

Well, my wife went to a place called "Good Feet" here in DFW and got some custom made inserts for her shoes.  She's worn them for 15 years with absolutely no pain.  Orthotics are probably your best bet.

I have plantar fasciitis. It was actually diagnosed with it many years ago, it showed up on an x-ray (a heel spur) when I suffered a severe sprained ankle, long before I was experiencing any symptoms.

I used to play a lot of golf and often walked the course instead of using a cart whenever I could. Great exercise but my feet really suffered, and that’s when I first noticed the problem. Then I worked a seasonal temp job at Target and was on my feet for 8-10 hours a day. That’s when I got my first really bad flare up, some mornings I could barely walk.

I got one of those boots/splints to wear while sleeping but found them not only uncomfortable to sleep in, they also left my ankle and lower calf really sore.

I found that regular stretching of the foot, the ankle and the lower leg and calf, and doing this several times a day, really helped a lot. But it has to be done regularly.

Last year I went to see an orthopedic because of a flare up of my lower back issues but also mentioned my plantar fasciitis as it was also flaring up at the time.

She watched me walk and said I had a pronounced over pronation (flat feet and rolling inward when I walked).  She recommended a local independent shoe store and to go there to get fitted for a shoe to wear when I was walking or on my feet a lot.

While they mostly specialize in high end athletic shoes, mostly for serious runners, the owner fitted me with a pair of walking shoes (Brooks) made for people with pronation. He measured my feet for size and fit and spent nearly an hour with me and also fitted me for orthotic inserts to provide arch support to wear in my other shoes including dress shoes. 

This has really helped.