Plantar Fasciitis

Rainrunner

Mods, delete if i am overstepping the mark. I'm not looking for medical advice just hope really...

Has anyone got any tips on what helped them personally with this. 5 months in and it is not getting any better. I've done all the stretching, foam rolling, golf balling, gel insoles, acupuncture, and strengthening programme, oh did i mention i wear a booth to bed!!!

I am a stone heaver and feeling very disheartened, fed up looking out at people running on these lovely evenings. What seemed to work for you?

lazywhole

I had this trouble a couple of years ago.I did a few sessions of Physio and only got a little relief.

Then a friend told me about the Strassburg Sock.After wearing this to bed for a couple of weeks there was an improvement.

After about four weeks i was back light jogging. About 6-8 weeks it had more or less cleared up..

I still wear it every now and again if i feel any niggles in the foot.

Its a proper nuisance

tang1

Suffered with it myself for a while had me laid up for over 5 months, got few sessions of laser therapy to break it up, insoles and rolled the lard out of my feet with a tennis ball. Thankfully that solved the issue and haven't suffered since.

Initially I attended a physio, but got little benefit, but then attended a podiatrist, who specialise in foot problems, and made huge progress.
I can now run a 5k again, with little or no pain, and am working towards a 10k.
Not cheap went to 10 sessions at 50e a pop.

Dubgal72

Am just seeing the light myself, I feel your pain!

What has worked for me:

- alternating buckets of iced and hot water for five minutes at a time after exercise
- keeping the calves loose with deep tissue massage
- flat heel drops: standing on a stair and lowering the heels, then back to level/flat position. I did/do these morning and night and before a run
- general calf and foot/toe stretching
- calf and foot strengthening: towel scrunching etc, splaying toes as wide as possible
- resting when needed
- no bare feet This has been the hardest part! I have probably lived in all five of my pairs of runners for six months. These have the right support and right heel drop for me: not too low and not too high.
- I fashioned a night splint but am not sure if this caused imbalances elsewhere due to incorrect tensions.
- rolling it with a hockey ball worked too.

Good luck, I hope you find your sweet spot. You may have to keep trying until you find what works for you.

Rainrunner

Thanks all,

Did you guys manage to keep running? I have to walk a lot in work and this is seems to aggravate it. I'm hobbling towards the end of the day.

terminator74

rotten condition - it had me laid up for 11 months. Started in the left and then got it in the right foot. I have posted previously about my experience here http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=83655688

in my experience it takes a mix of physio, specific treatments, footwear change and foot mobilization/icing and massage. I now look for the warning signs and adapt appropriately

you will get back running and will need to adapt your behaviors as you return

Rainrunner

Rainrunner wrote: »

Thanks all,

Did you guys manage to keep running? I have to walk a lot in work and this is seems to aggravate it. I'm hobbling towards the end of the day.

I gave up running during the week, and went to the gym instead.
Not recommended, but I did a few races in pain that I had signed up to, took an anti inflammatory for a couple of days beforehand.

eoinín

I got PF 8 years ago, before I was a runner. It was really painful even walking - I struggled with it for a few months but it just got worse and worse. Someone recommended custom built orthotics which I got made up for ca. €300-€400 I think. Pricey but they sorted me out very quickly and i have had no pain since, even when I started running. It's a bit of a nuisance to have to put them in your shoes all the time but you get used to it and I don't have to do any stretching / exercises for them.

Sunflower 27

Rainrunner wrote: »

Mods, delete if i am overstepping the mark. I'm not looking for medical advice just hope really...

Has anyone got any tips on what helped them personally with this. 5 months in and it is not getting any better. I've done all the stretching, foam rolling, golf balling, gel insoles, acupuncture, and strengthening programme, oh did i mention i wear a booth to bed!!!

I am a stone heaver and feeling very disheartened, fed up looking out at people running on these lovely evenings. What seemed to work for you?

Hi OP, I am currently suffering with this too in my right heel. I walk a lot. Only ever did a bit of running. 6 months in now and no sign of it getting any better. The pain in the morning is excruciating sometimes.

Someone recommended castor oil to me last week. Anyone tried that?

Rainrunner

Folks some great info in these posts. It's a horrible injury but you all have managed to overcome it, Which is great and what I need to hear.

Anyone used WELLSHOD for insoles?

Dubgal72

One last point: I only ran on it when I was pain free (ok, mostly ) there is too much risk of an over-compensation injury in another area if you run through pain regularly.

For quite a while, this meant running every other day and limiting the type of hard session or run which would bring on an attack. Walking a lot was particularly harsh for my pf.

Have you had a cause for the pf diagnosed before you commit to insoles?

Rainrunner

Dubgal72, thank you. I've not got a definitive cause. The physio reckons it was the lack of 20 mile runs in the lead up to the DCM. ( I used the Hanson marathon method ) which was my most comfortable and quickest marathon I might add!!!

He has not suggested insoles to be honest but I recon the walking I do in work is causing me a lot of bother. I have found relief on weekends which suggests my job might be aggravating the injury and a proper insole may help.

thomas anderson.

I've taken the insoles out of some old runners and put them into my everyday shoes. Also stand on a step and push your heel down. I take the stairs whenever I can and do this.

A good dose of dry needling sorts me out as well

I found Birkenstock sandals very comfortable, also bought special sports insoles, and foot sleeves designed for plantar fascilitis on Amazon

terminator74

Deleted User wrote: »

I found Birkenstock sandals very comfortable, also bought special sports insoles, and foot sleeves designed for plantar fascilitis on Amazon

I would second Birkenstocks - I use their slippers indoors all the time. Helps takes the load of the plantar.

kookiebrew

Have had PF since before Xmas, thought it was that I needed new trainers but that didn't make any difference. Have been training 18 weeks with it and at times I could barely walk in the mornings, for some reason it has really improved the last few weeks though. Only thing I did was ice it, soak in hot water then roll with golf ball. Got great relief from this but got lazy and stopped and it did come back.

Had a sports massage today before a marathon this weekend and he did say my right calf was very tight which would have made it worse, he recommended plenty of foam rolling on calves and stretching, along with rolling the foot with the golf ball again.

He said he will have a proper look at it post marathon.

I did put a heel lift in my shoe which I found helped when I ran but the physio today said this is a quick fix and not good in the long run ( no pun intended) as its better to treat the symptoms from source.

Only good thing is the more I run the less it hurts or annoys me.

Rainrunner

Thanks folks,

Birkenstocks ordered, it's a pity they don't do dress shoes that I could wear at work.

Walking in work is definitely causing me the most problems. I can't even stand this evening.

terminator74

Rainrunner wrote: »

Thanks folks,

Birkenstocks ordered, it's a pity they don't do dress shoes that I could wear at work.

Walking in work is definitely causing me the most problems. I can't even stand this evening.

as far as I know they have work/dress shoes - not the most fashionable but effective. They also sell their patented insoles.

Pmaldini

Hi Rainrunner,
I have suffered with PF for a long time and thankfully I am at the end of it, I have tried everything mentioned above including an image guided injection last summer which worked temporarily until after an IM last September, when it came back i started all the usual exercises again but I have to say the best cure I have found is walking around the house in bare feet, it was sore at first but I stuck with it and bought a pair of vibrate 5 finger barefoot runners that I use running on grass, I am now comfortably able to run and do intervals again (I could not walk the day after intervals last year) in normal runners and have no pain, I still wear orthotics in my work shoes but at home it's bare feet all the time, I would also recommend using a roller on your calves as much as possible and also a golf ball on your foot, hope you start getting relief soon.

Rainrunner

Pmaldini wrote: »

Hi Rainrunner,
I have suffered with PF for a long time and thankfully I am at the end of it, I have tried everything mentioned above including an image guided injection last summer which worked temporarily until after an IM last September, when it came back i started all the usual exercises again but I have to say the best cure I have found is walking around the house in bare feet, it was sore at first but I stuck with it and bought a pair of vibrate 5 finger barefoot runners that I use running on grass, I am now comfortably able to run and do intervals again (I could not walk the day after intervals last year) in normal runners and have no pain, I still wear orthotics in my work shoes but at home it's bare feet all the time, I would also recommend using a roller on your calves as much as possible and also a golf ball on your foot, hope you start getting relief soon.

Thanks Pmaldini

That's great, glad you are over PF. Was the injection a blood platlet injection? and out of interest, the orthotics you use in your work shoes. Are they off the shelf or prescription.

Pmaldini

Rainrunner wrote: »

Thanks Pmaldini

That's great, glad you are over PF. Was the injection a blood platlet injection? and out of interest, the orthotics you use in your work shoes. Are they off the shelf or prescription.

the injection i got was corticosteroid, it took a few days to start working but when it did it was great, but even with the injection the pain came back very badly last september so it really is only a temporary solution the orthotics are prescription, got them from archway orthotics in Shannon through a sports massage clinic i go to, they worked out about half the price of going to other well known franchises.

ooter

Never had a problem with this until fairly recently, my left heel suddenly got very sore, started doing these stretches that I found on YouTube and they have really helped. Started doing them on both feet and what I noticed was that my right foot was very tender also.
Still get the pain now but hardly ever when walking and never when running, I can wake up at times at night and it can be really sore and sometimes first thing in the morning it can be sore which makes me wonder if the position of feet when asleep has anything to do with it?
I tend to sleep on my back a lot so my toes would be pointing upwards.
Never heard of the strassburg sock, must check them out.
Anyway, here's the YouTube clip..
https://youtu.be/hauyuX-uCq8

uvox

Article on PF Stages of Plantar Fasciitis in Runners in Kinetic Revolution. Kinda academic but explains what it is and thoughts about dealing with it. No recommendation from me on approaches. I was surprised to read it was that widespread, but #mybad. Glad I don't have it - I'm stuck with ever-more innovative ways to injure myself running..

http://www.kinetic-revolution.com/stages-of-plantar-fasciitis-in-runners/?ref=sportything.co.uk

YMMV

Techless

uvox wrote: »

Article on PF Stages of Plantar Fasciitis in Runners in Kinetic Revolution. Kinda academic but explains what it is and thoughts about dealing with it. No recommendation from me on approaches. I was surprised to read it was that widespread, but #mybad. Glad I don't have it - I'm stuck with ever-more innovative ways to injure myself running..

http://www.kinetic-revolution.com/stages-of-plantar-fasciitis-in-runners/?ref=sportything.co.uk

YMMV

What about trying Chi running ? Think it claims to help avoid this.

loyatemu

Deleted User wrote: »

Initially I attended a physio, but got little benefit, but then attended a podiatrist, who specialise in foot problems, and made huge progress.
I can now run a 5k again, with little or no pain, and am working towards a 10k.
Not cheap went to 10 sessions at 50e a pop.

who did you see and what sort of treatment did they carry out?

europhile

I'm suffering with this at the moment too. I'm not a runner but was probably doing too much walking on concrete. I've found Birkenstocks good too and Asics Fuzex shoes but I can't really wear these in work. Any shoe suggestions? Also suggestions for a decent podiatrist in Dublin.

Foot Solutions on George's Street seems to be enormously profiteering and keen to sell their 300EU orthotics.

Any other suggestions would be much appreciated.

Many thanks.

mickymcmuck

Give the foot a rest, no running, get a bike or use elliptical machine to keep fit.
Stand on edge of step with toes and stretch your calf/foot tendons, several times a day, when you are cured continue to stretch, that its, no need for any expensive/painful procedures or expensive footwear.

europhile

mickymcmuck wrote: »

Give the foot a rest, no running, get a bike or use elliptical machine to keep fit.
Stand on edge of step with toes and stretch your calf/foot tendons, several times a day, when you are cured continue to stretch, that its, no need for any expensive/painful procedures or expensive footwear.

Thank you.

Birdsong

Just being diagnosed with PF myself, and a heel spur. Very painful after walking any distance. Running off the table for the foreseeable future, though reading here that people off 5 months is depressing.

intheclouds

Developed this from running and having taken a long break, did 5k one evening and completely injured my foot so badly that I was limping and in agony for the next 4 or 5 months. Did all the usual, stretching, the boot, rolling the foot with a ball, saw a physio etc... I seemed to have a double whammy of heel pain coupled with a very stiff and tight achilles tendon.

Only thing that seemed to help was being sick with something else and a course of anti inflammatories!

Anyway, got new boots for work in February, slight heel on them (maybe just under 1 inch?) and like magic the foot improved.

Now I barely notice it (but its still there) and if it flares up I go back to the heeled boots for a few days til its better again. Prolonged wear of flat shoes seems to set it off.

Have an appointment with Well Shod next week and suspect I will need orthotics with heel lifts.

Havent run on it since the big injury as its never been fully better since.

Have been taking cider vinegar and chanca piedra for the heel spur and the heel pain has dramatically improved. Now its mostly a tight achilles - tight all the way up to the ass some mornings despite me stretching it out all the time.

Birdsong

intheclouds wrote:

Have an appointment with Well Shod next week and suspect I will need orthotics with heel lifts.

Hi there, just wondering how you got on with Well Shod, have heard good things about him.

Don't feel like I am getting any better with PF

intheclouds

Birdsong wrote: »

Hi there, just wondering how you got on with Well Shod, have heard good things about him.

Don't feel like I am getting any better with PF

Definitely go see Michael in Well Shod.

I saw him last week, lovely guy, great manner, really seems to know what he is talking about.

Its in a beautiful place and I had a bit of a wander before going in to him. Then when I went in he said that he had watched me wandering and noticed that I walked this way and I pronated that way etc... Ive had a lot of knee surgery and he has a lot of experience dealing with people like me who have had ongoing orthopediac issues.

Anyway, he had me walk about, do various movements, got me to walk on sort of carbon paper stuff to get an impression of my feet.

He doesnt touch your feet, just assesses how you move about.

He is making me insoles for running and heel lifts for walking, so I should have them in the next few weeks and will report back.

As I said, my foot pain has mostly resolved itself but I do want to get back to running so am hoping this is the answer.

Birdsong

Thanks for that feedback, will definitely look at getting an appointment. So hard not being able to run it walk in this weather.

intheclouds

Birdsong wrote: »

Thanks for that feedback, will definitely look at getting an appointment. So hard not being able to run it walk in this weather.

Yes, I agree. I'll post back when I get the insoles etc...

kildaremum

intheclouds wrote: »

Definitely go see Michael in Well Shod.

I saw him last week, lovely guy, great manner, really seems to know what he is talking about.

Its in a beautiful place and I had a bit of a wander before going in to him. Then when I went in he said that he had watched me wandering and noticed that I walked this way and I pronated that way etc... Ive had a lot of knee surgery and he has a lot of experience dealing with people like me who have had ongoing orthopediac issues.

Anyway, he had me walk about, do various movements, got me to walk on sort of carbon paper stuff to get an impression of my feet.

He doesnt touch your feet, just assesses how you move about.

He is making me insoles for running and heel lifts for walking, so I should have them in the next few weeks and will report back.

As I said, my foot pain has mostly resolved itself but I do want to get back to running so am hoping this is the answer.

Just googled Well Shod - is the person you went to see based in Monasterevin, Co Kildare, or are there various branches around the country.

intheclouds

kildaremum wrote: »

Just googled Well Shod - is the person you went to see based in Monasterevin, Co Kildare, or are there various branches around the country.

Think it's just the one place, Bell Harbour in Monasterevin.

Birdsong

intheclouds wrote: »

Yes, I agree. I'll post back when I get the insoles etc...

Hi there, just following up on this & wondering did you get the insoles. I am suffering with PF just short of a year at this stage. I think I am pain free & then bang, its back.

Little CuChulainn

I had this really bad. Hurt to get out of bed in the morning. It's gone pretty much completely now. Only thing I can think of is I had been in a car crash and was on anti inflammatory and muscle relaxant tablets for months. I'm only about half as active as I was before the crash so it remains to be seen if being more active will bring the pain back.

denis160

Birdsong wrote: »

Hi there, just following up on this & wondering did you get the insoles. I am suffering with PF just short of a year at this stage. I think I am pain free & then bang, its back.

Hi there, suffered for near a year too after 2014 marathon, didn't running for most of that time & when I did go back it was to the gym first & then to running. Was able to train for last years marathon only because I had to do 3/4 different exercises before every session regardless of length/duration. Mostly exercises to strengthen the glutes & calf & foam rolling! I do think, for me it was long term rest & then the exercise to engage/activate the glutes that sorted & kept me okay. Even now if I run without rolling or stretching exercises I can feel my foot starting to ache the morning after. Hope it improves for you soon it is a very frustrating & painful condition.

ErinGoBrath

intheclouds wrote: »

...Now its mostly a tight achilles - tight all the way up to the ass some mornings despite me stretching it out all the time.

Do you get lower back pain? This sounds like sciatic nerve issue if it's going from your ass to foot. Something may be trapping it

thesimpsons

Had this anout 2 yrs ago. Went so far with a physio and exercises and then as not much improvement she moved to using dry needling and a thing that looked like s computer mouse which kinda pulverised the foot with sound waves. 2/3 sessions and all sorted. Took up running after that and no problems since.