plantar fasciitis?

[chiver78]

what kind of self-treatment can I do for plantar fasciitis? I've had some heel pain lately, and a quick google search just gave me the following spot-on description of what I'm feeling:

Plantar fasciitis (subcalcaneal pain). Doing too much running or jumping can inflame the tissue band (fascia) connecting the heel bone to the base of the toes. The pain is centered under your heel and may be mild at first but flares up when you take your first steps after resting overnight. You may need to do special exercises, take medication to reduce swelling and wear a heel pad in your shoe.

basically, when I first wake up, I have to limp around for a little while to essentially "walk it off". by the time I get to work, I'm fine.

what's worked for you? exercises of some sort, heating pads, anything? I really don't feel like calling my doc, but I would like to be able to walk normally when I first get out of bed.
thanks!

[Sharon]

Get a golf ball and roll it around on the floor with your foot. It will hurt but it helps loosen things up. If you can put your toes on a board or incline and then do heel raises. This helps also.

[Deleted]

MIL has this. Her doc suggested the things that Sharon said and also that she shouldn't walk around barefoot anymore.

[chiver78]

Jul 12, 2011 8:57:08 GMT -5 @beerwench said:

she shouldn't walk around barefoot anymore.

at all??

thanks for the tips, I will try that out.

[Deleted]

I guess it can exacerbate the symptoms. She's got Birkenstock sandals that she wears when she's in the house.

[chiver78]

ugh...that sucks. makes some sense though - my heel has been bugging me since a day I walked all over Boston in a pair of $2 Old Navy flip flops. it wasn't supposed to be a 12+ hour day, but that's what it turned into.

[busymom]

Try not to walk on cement. (Yes, I know, it sounds like a joke.) Retail stores are famous for putting carpet directly over cement, and too many retail workers end up with plantar f. because they're walking all day on that hard surface. You'll notice that people who walk for exercise will choose a tar path over a cement one to walk on. That's why....

[chiver78]

can I keep wearing heels? if you're doing it right, you should be balancing on the ball of your foot and not the heel.

fwiw, this is the pair of sandals I live in all summer - office wear. mine are black. they are a couple years old already, so I'm surprised I found a pic at all! anyway, it's a cork base, 3" platform heel.

[Deleted]

I don't think MIL has any restrictions on shoes. She's had cortisone shots in her foot (YOUCH! ) but I don't remember her saying anything about not wearing heels anymore.

[Deleted]

.....and then I find this:
1. Ditch the High Heels
Choose shoes with a low or medium-sized heel to prevent or reduce pain from plantar fasciitis. High heels may be stylish, but they put a lot of pressure on your arches and can inflame the fibrous band on the bottom on your foot, called the plantar fascia. If you need to dress up for an event, bring your high heels with you and change into them when you arrive so you won't hurt your feet any more than absolutely necessary.

2. Get Plenty of Arch Support
Shoes that have too flat a heel can also aggravate plantar fasciitis. Avoid shoe styles that have a flimsy sole, such as flip flops and many kind of sandals, because they do not give you the arch support you need. Choose a sneaker, loafer or other "sturdy" shoe that provides both cushioning and support in the arch and heel areas. If your arches ache or you feel heel pain after wearing a pair of shoes even briefly, they don't provide enough support and can make your plantar fasciitis worse.

3. Add Orthotics to Your Shoes
Sometimes even a good pair of shoes doesn't give you enough arch support if you already have plantar fasciitis. Ask your doctor to recommend a brand of arch supports for you to buy and use in your shoes. If you have severe problems with heel pain, you may need to have orthotics customized to your feet.

4. Replace Your Sneakers Every 400 Miles
Runners often experience plantar fasciitis when they wear their running shoes longer than they should. Don't wait for your sneakers to be completely worn out and torn up inside, because they won't be giving you the support your foot needs. Be proactive and buy new shoes before you start feeling foot pain. Runners should replace their shoes every 400 miles to prevent plantar fasciitis and other foot problems.


So take it FWIW.

[Taxman10]

Honestly, I don't mean to sound like an infomercial, but the Walk-fit "orthotics" worked very well for me. They were about $30(?)with shipping and everything, but they'll last years. I used to buy those Dr. Sholls flimsy thinks at $5-$6 a pop, every 6 months.

Rolling a tennis ball also helps after long day and elevating your feet.

[chiver78]

a tennis ball is OK too? good, I have those. I was going to have to go out and buy a gold ball.

beer - I think I'll lay off the spiky heels for a bit, but I think my cork wedges should be OK. they are squishy, after all. I guess those Old Navy flip flops need to go.

so does this go away after awhile?

[Mad Dawg Wiccan]

In addition to heel lift stretches, you need to also stretch the opposite muscles. I do this by standing by just my toes on a stair or curb, and then dropping my heels as far as I can. It also stretches the calves.

[Artemis Windsong]

"so does this go away after awhile?"

It will go away with TLC, continued care, and not over stressing the area. My DH has a mild case that can be managed by not overdoing the tennis and golf. Wearing shoes with good support even in the house. He buys a good quality insole.

[Malarky]

Hey Chiver,
Remember the ugly shoes I wore to Fenway? Planar fasciitis would be why.

I spend between $40-$80 on flip flops (Teva or Reef, usually) because they offer some arch support. I can't even look at heels anymore.
Because I'm on my feet all day, I'm doomed to wear mostly Brook's running or cross training shoes. With orthotic inserts.
I roll the arch of my foot over my hand weights (little barbels) while I'm watching TV. I still limp after I've been sitting.

[Deleted]

Ugh - I feel your pain. I wrecked my feet last summer wearing flip flops to walk my dog every night. I had to wear shoes with major league arch support for a few months (while doing the stretching exercises the others have mentioned). Now I can get away with ballet flats and flip flops and the like, but not if I am going to be doing a lot of walking or standing.

On the bright side, Clarks, Born, Danskos, etc have all done a lot to make orthopedic shoes look less orthopedic. Look to those types of brand for your every day shoes and slip in the cute ones from time to time when you just can't stand it anymore.

[chiver78]

Malarky, I don't remember ugly shoes, so they couldn't have been that bad!

I usually don't spend much time on my feet during the day, but I will definitely be swapping out my old sneakers for the new ones I bought a couple months ago that are still in the box. I will also be wearing sneakers instead of flip flops when I'm supposed to be all over hell and creation, walking around.

all that said, I will wear heels as long as I can stand it. there isn't much on me that's skinny these days, my feet definitely are. they look awesome in all those cool heels.

[chiver78]

so I'm trying the "rolling a tennis ball around" thing right now. it's not too bad, but it has some unpleasant spots - probably where the tissue is the tightest, right?

thanks again for the tips!

[gooddecisions]

I got it in one foot after running about 400+ miles over the course of 3 months on pavement. I've always exercised but not to that extent of pavement marathon training. I had waited too long to replace my sneakers and was favoring one leg, which is probably why it happened to me. I opted not to go to the doctor but self treat.

It took me almost 9 months for it to go away, but I didn't stop training immediately and sleeping in a boot was uncomfortable. It was 3 months from the time I stopped training for it to go away. You should go by a drugstore and buy one of those boots to sleep in. The key is you have to keep your foot flat and stretched, which is why wearing high heals is not going to help it go away any faster. Do the tennis ball/golf ball thing, do the shape of the alphabet with your feet, don't run or jump if you can help it and sleep in the boot and you might be able to get rid of it in a few months as opposed to a year.

[ezrida]

Hi
There are many things you can do to treat your plantar fasciitis. I had plantar fasciitis for about a year and I discovered that treatment is individual. Things that work for one will not necessarily work for the other. The good news is that you have many treatments you can try but you must be persistent and patient.
I have followed a good plantar fasciitis treatment review website in:
www.plantar-fasciitis-elrofeet.com/How_is_Plantar_Fasciitis_Treated.html
There are many self care treatments ideas in there but I think you should consult a podiatrist before do something.
Take care

[HappyCat]

I have this problem as well. One day, I was in a fancy shoe store and they had this little green ball called "Foot Rubz" and the clerk swore by it. I paid the $7.99 (I'm sure it's cheaper on the web.) and it was the best purchase I've made in recent memory. The Rubz has little massaging spikes that work wonders. I have tried golf and tennis balls but there is something about the little "spikes" on this that I love.
I've also learned to set my alarm a few minutes early and do some stretches with my feet before I get out of bed (which is when my feet hurt the most...the first time I step on them.)
Oh...another article on WebMD said that the best way to ease foot pain is to lose 10-15 lbs.
So...I love the Rubz and I'm working on the weight loss.
ETA: Chiver...i just noticed your post about pain in certain spots with the tennis ball... I have noticed that with the Rubz, if i stick with it and gently work on those spots I feel relief.
(BTW..I am an accountant not a foot doctor or Rubz representative!)

[chiver78]

Aug 8, 2011 1:38:45 GMT -5 HappyCat said:

Oh...another article on WebMD said that the best way to ease foot pain is to lose 10-15 lbs.

that's a parallel project.

good to hear you've found a solution for you! the tennis ball has been working wonders for me.

[Artemis Windsong]

[upstatemom]

I had that for about a year, I can feel you pain and wish you luck. The following worked for me:

Invest in good shoes with arch support.

I got a pair of crocs to wear as slippers in my house, if I forgot to put them on and go barefoot, my feet soon begin to hurt.

I went to a running shoe store and got properly fitted for a pair of sneakers. I told them I am not a runner so they worked with me on a walking sneaker. Best money I ever spent!!

[Deleted]

upstatemom.. Crocs are the answer, I tellya!

I have tiled floors in the main traffic areas in my home.. It's the dura-rock beneath the beauty that can torture the feet and lower back.. A good pair of crocs, not the cheapies (of course if the cheapies work well for you, great) makes a world of difference..

But make sure the croc has great heel bounce..

[chiver78]

thanks for the tips in the recent posts. I've gotta say, I'm a girly girl, I need my snazzy shoes. props to those of you that can leave the house in crocs, I wouldn't be able to bring myself to put them on even within my own home.

I spent a couple weeks doing the tennis ball rolling thing every night, and now find that I need to do it only once in awhile.

[Deleted]

O O O.. No no no.. I only wear crocs indoors..

I absolutely do not like croc adorning anywhere else but in and around my home.. I do try to wear good soled shoes for my outside wear though, but not as often as I probably should. I wear Daniel Greens indoors if not the crocs indoors..

There's not a cute enough croc I've seen yet that I'd venture in away from home.. Uh uh..

[shelly527in]

I've had pain in my left heel off and on for about a year now. It was the worst first thing in the morning when I got out of bed. It felt like my foot couldn't stretch out. I looked on WebMD and discovered that this PF was what I have. I went to WalMart a couple weeks ago and found some insoles (Dr. Sholl's I think). They were about $10 and made a world of difference! I teach school so I have to wear dress shoes and now I can without feeling like I'm stepping on a marble! I can definitely tell when I wear a pair of shoes without the insoles. My dress shoes w/ them feel better than the tennis shoes without them! Wished I'd found them sooner!