Plantar Fasciitis

[Pedal Wench]

Just diagnosed with it, been doing PT and stretching for two weeks now and it still hurts. Been riding a little bit, but need to really get back into training. Been avoiding bare feet, have inserts in all my shoes - including my cycling shoes. Anyone have any tips or hints to get this gone quickly???

[spokewench]

freeze a round bottle and ice your feet - look up on internet stretches for plantar fasciitis; they consist of stretching lower calves and that area. That gets tight and it pulls on your arch area

[OakLeaf]

Trigger point work, trigger point work, trigger point work. It will hurt like crazy, worse than your ITBs ever felt on the foam roller, but you'll be able to tell it's that same good hurt, and it should start giving you relief pretty quickly. Whenever you're standing or sitting, roll your feet out on a spiky ball or stick; if you have anywhere you can walk barefoot on gravel this time of year, or if you can bring a box of gravel into the house, do it for a few minutes each day.

The other thing that really helps my Achilles - very closely related - is barefoot single leg calf raises. If you need support starting out, do NOT hold tightly to anything since the point of the exercise is to strengthen the stabilizing muscles and align the feet and ankles. Just rest your fingertips lightly on a wall, chair back, etc., and experiment with doing them no hands, until you can do two sets of 15 on each leg without hanging on. Go as high up on the balls of your feet as you can. Then immediately stretch out the calves, both gastroc and soleus. If you have a varus or valgus heel, use a little wedge to align your foot while you stretch. (A rubber door stop works ... or stretching in a door frame between rooms where the carpet is of different thickness.) Whenever my Achilles or plantar fascia start acting up, I double down on those exercises and it works them right out.

Another highly recommended exercise (that I personally usually neglect :rolleyes:) is putting the edge of a towel under your toes, then use your toes to skrunch up the towel toward you and then extend it back out away from you.


Along the lines of the night splint (which only give me very temporary relief and I don't even bother with them any more), make sure to un-tuck the sheets on your bed, so that your sheets and blankets aren't forcing you to plantar flex while you sleep.

[Pedal Wench]

Thanks for all these great ideas! I'm doing all the stretches the PT suggested, and I'll add these to the repertoire. I was told that walking barefooted was bad - but is walking on gravel recommended? What about sand? (I'm in Miami, afterall...) :)

[Selkie]

First and foremost, I am so sorry. I had it over the summer and it took a good two or three months for it to heal. Be patient---you will get better. You should be able to ride your bike and do low impact stuff while you're getting better. Swim (so says the swimming addict, haha. Seriously, it does help). Or aqua jog.

Wearing a night brace helped me tremendously, especially with the horrible first steps after sleep pain. Forget the Strassburg sock--it will pull too much on your big toe. In any event, Road Runner Sports sells a decent brace online (worth every penny of the cost).

Proceed cautiously and don't do any foot/lower leg strengthening work until the PT thinks you're ready. I had major setbacks when an inexperienced PT had me doing barefoot balance work on a foam pad too soon. Stretching helps a lot, icing it as well (bucket filled w/ice water suffices nicely). Agree the massage will help it heal faster as well. I've found some good tips at a heelsspurs.com or .org (can't remember which). In addition, Wahine posted a thread on it, so if you search, you'll find her tips.

You might need to stick with having decent insoles in your shoes (work, sneakers, etc). Superfeet worked great for me. In addition, Birkenstocks and Naot make supportive shoes that don't require the insole. Naot has some work-friendly styles and so comfortable.

Best wishes for a fast recovery!!

[Crankin]

+1 on the Naot shoes.
I had PF about 25 years ago. One treatment I had, that hasn't been mentioned, was ultrasound/massage, when my foot was in some kind of small whirlpool and the ultrasound waves were sent through the water. Perhaps they don't do this anymore, but it helped a lot. I also did the stretches and got custom orthotics for my aerobics shoes, which were the source of the issue (more like teaching 7 classes a week on concrete floors, covered by carpet). I have never had another incident.

[Sky King]

just one more suggestion. Keep the knots out of your calves as everything works together. I get on my hands and knees, take the right knee and press it into the left calf moving it back and forth in circular motion up an down calf. Then repeat on right calf using left knee.

[OakLeaf]

Thanks for all these great ideas! I'm doing all the stretches the PT suggested, and I'll add these to the repertoire. I was told that walking barefooted was bad - but is walking on gravel recommended? What about sand? (I'm in Miami, afterall...) :)

Barefoot on gravel just to work out the knots in the fascia, not for any long period of time. I don't think I'd be walking on sand just yet if I were you - not even in shoes. :(

[katluvr]

All are great ideas/suggestions. I still have a "touch" of PF that does flare from time to time. But what worked the best for me is that I mostly wear barefoot style shoes for all walking. I went to 4mm heel drop on my running shoes and identified that the danskos I wore to work were probably what was aggrevating it and switch to a lower heel drop shoe. I am better. I am a poor stretcher but do try to work on my calves. Again, see if there are a certain pair of shoes that may be aggrevating/contributing. Just my 2 cents worth.

K

[Pedal Wench]

.....identified that the danskos I wore to work were probably what was aggrevating it and switch to a lower heel drop shoe. I am better. I am a poor stretcher but do try to work on my calves. Again, see if there are a certain pair of shoes that may be aggrevating/contributing. Just my 2 cents worth.
K
Wow. I wore Keens everyday this summer. Same pair, forever. When I went to NY for Thanksgiving, broke out my old Danskos for the colder weather. By the time I got back home, I had to change out of the Danskos just to get out of the airport. I wonder if that's what did it!!! *written while icing foot, which will be followed by stretches and more icing tonight!*

[PamNY]

+1 on identifying problem shoes. That's what caused my problem. Good luck.

[pll]

I swear by this roller/log: http://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/products/FOL001/

I keep it at hand (or should I say "at foot"?) all the time, under the sofa. I dealt with PF nearly 10 years ago, for about 18 months. Luckily, I have not had it again.

[Wasp]

Wow. I wore Keens everyday this summer. Same pair, forever. When I went to NY for Thanksgiving, broke out my old Danskos for the colder weather. By the time I got back home, I had to change out of the Danskos just to get out of the airport. I wonder if that's what did it!!! *written while icing foot, which will be followed by stretches and more icing tonight!*

i ended up with PF a few yrs ago, and im pretty sure it was caused by the Dansko clogs i wore to work, the sole is so stiff that the clog does not let your foot bend naturally (the pair i had didnt).
I would apply ice packs to the bottom of my feet as often as possible. For work, i would take a second pair of shoes and put them in the freezer at the beginning of my shift and swap the shoes every couple hrs. Applying Ibuprofen based cream to the bottom of feet helped a bit.
Now im super picky with what i put on my feet. I own 8-9 pair of Noat shoes....worth every penny! Munro also makes good shoes.

[Kerry1976]

I have had it for 13 months and still struggling. However, you have been given really good advice and I hope you find relief soon.

[pll]

Indeed! You will recover. For me, the last tiny bit of pain went away went I started jogging again. I went through physical therapy, some anti inflammatory medication delivered with iontophoreis, icing, taping my feet, night splints, etc -- at some point, the pain was so bad, I could not walk 2 blocks... I'd literally take a cab at that point. After 18 months, I still had some residual pain, but I started jogging very gradually: 10 min three times a week for a couple of weeks, 15 minutes, 20 minutes... + walking and thorough stretching afterwards and again later in the day. I also stretched first thing in the morning, right out of bed. I also used the log I linked in an earlier post, every evening.

For about a year after the worst of the pain was over, I'd get pain if I was on my feet several hours. I am still careful about the shoes I use for walking (sometimes even between buildings at work), but I can use heels at work. For walking and jogging, I always have some arch support. My favorite insoles are Powerstep Pinnacle (http://www.amazon.com/Powerstep-Pinnacle-Orthotics-Supports-W8-8-5/dp/B001337704/ref=pd_sim_hpc_1) ones (esoles (http://www.esoles.com/) on the cycling shoes). Superfeet just do not have enough of an arch for me. In the summer, I walk with Chaco sandals (http://www.chacos.com/US/en/Women-Styles-Sandals), following recommendations I read in this forum. I use the sandals with the toe loop. Once in the office, I change into dressier shoes.

[OakLeaf]

Just because my acupuncture doctor has my shoulders all taped up at the moment, I googled "kinesio tape plantar fasciitis," and there are lots of resources online about how to tape, including this (http://www.kttape.com/instructions/plantar-fasciitis/) (video) from KT Tape. There are a few variations, so you might look at several and even try different methods. Kinesio Tape has a pre-cut foot fan (http://www.theratape.com/kinesio-tape-foot-precut.html).

Don't know anything about it, don't know anyone who's tried it for PF, might help.

[OakLeaf]

Here's what Danny Dreyer, founder of Chi Running, has to say about PF (http://www.chirunning.com/blog/entry/everything-you-need-to-know-about-plantar-fasciitis/). Not much that hasn't already been said in this thread, but he pulls it all together in a way that makes it easy to understand.

Also ... since I'm getting acupuncture for my spinal and thoracic outlet injuries ... and as I mentioned my usual attitude toward healing pain is "please sir, may I have some more" :p ... but I hadn't mentioned PF to my DOM since the thought of acupuncture needles in my PF was just too painful to contemplate. (For those who haven't had acupuncture, mostly you don't even feel them going in, unless you feel the surrounding tissues respond in a non-painful way, but hands, wrists, ankles and feet - where the soft tissue is thin and there are a lot of nerve endings - can be sensitive.)

Well, I bothered to google, and it turns out that the typical acupuncture points for PF aren't in the PF at all, but in the calves and more general systems points. So I AM going to ask him to treat it on my next appointment. Lots of results on google for acupuncture for PF, too. :)


Apropos of not much, but very interesting, I asked my DOM why he thought so many acupuncture doctors are ex-engineers. (LOTS of them, including both of mine.) His speculation was that "engineers are systems oriented," which I thought was a very insightful answer. Unlike the reductionist approach taken in so much of north/western medicine, engineers understand that you can't tear down a part of something to rebuild another part of it, without having the whole structure fall apart ... you have to repair the whole bridge, so to speak.

[KatzPajamas]

I dealt with severe plantar fascitis for about one year. Tried everything- medication, stretches, ice, $400 orthodics in my shoes. Every step of the way my pain got worse and worse. One day I noticed a co-worker wearing those shoes with toes and asked her what's with the funky shoes. She told me that she had suffered with plantar fascitis. She had put the little pedicure wedge thingys between her toes at night. After a week or two her pain was gone! She bought the shoes to wear so she could have the same effect on her toes all day long. I immediately bought these wedge thingys and had them between my toes as often as possible. I also bought the most flat shoes I could find. It took a couple of weeks but my feet haven't hurt since! That was a solid 2 years ago!

[Pedal Wench]

THANKS everyone! Really, really fabulous advice. I've been doing it all - stretching, icing, inserts, and well, it's working!!! I'm pretty much painfree now, but the real test will be a weeklong convention in a week. I've never survived that when going in 100%, so this will be interesting. Screw the pretty fancy shoes, I'm packing my sneakers and inserts!!! Keep your fingers crossed I come home okay from that!

[Kernyl]

Great! Now that you are feeling better. I second (or third) getting more minimal shoes. I had PF many years ago and it would continue to crop up now and again running. Since I've been running in lower heel drop shoes (4mm or lower) for a couple years now it has disappeared. (As well as my achilles tendonitis I also had several years before)
Do take some time to get used to them. And honestly, I actually think walking around the house barefoot helped me. You need to strengthen the muscles in the calves and feet. Walking in shoes all day doesn't help.

[Artista]

I haven't been able to understand the zero-drop concept, but assume it helps with something that doesn't affect me. :)

My theory about one of the benefits of zero drop shoes is that the absence of heel elevation helps to keep the muscles and tendons of the calf, heel and foot stretched out. I don't personally run in zero drop shoes but I do wear negative heel, casual shoes a few times a week. The negative heels help balance out the soft tissue shortening effect when I wear elevated heels.

[OakLeaf]

I don't understand why anyone (shoe companies) would push the idea that running in high heels is good for you when everyone understands that standing and walking in high heels is bad for you ...

I agree with Artista, plus also, if you are a natural midfoot striker, high heeled running shoes force you to either run on your tippytoes or smack your heels with every step. Neither is good for PF or Achilles issues!

I can't run minimal, nor do I really want to considering the gauge of the crushed stone roads I normally run on - but I loved the feel of Altra zero drop shoes for the 50-some miles I put on them, unfortunately they were just way too narrow for me. I keep nagging them to start making Wides ... can I get an Amen over on their FB site from some of you other wide feet gals? ;)


PedalWench, so glad you're feeling better ... good luck at the convention! I think rest and stretching throughout the day is a good idea ... and if you can slip a spiky ball into your purse and roll your feet out during sessions that could help too. ;)

[Pedal Wench]

<<<
PedalWench, so glad you're feeling better ... good luck at the convention! I think rest and stretching throughout the day is a good idea ... and if you can slip a spiky ball into your purse and roll your feet out during sessions that could help too. ;)

What's funny is that a few years ago at the same convention a company gave away little spiky wooden roller thingys as a gag gift. I've been using it daily... ;)

[OakLeaf]

Another super intense self myofascial release technique (ow): https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=BM4g6lRSA_E

[Kerry1976]

Just got a Foot Rubz ball yesterday. It is basically a rubber spiky ball for massaging the foot, just like what you could carry around in your purse, as mentioned above.

[OakLeaf]

More exercises for PF ... farther up the kinetic chain. Good stuff.

http://blog.altrazerodrop.com/zero-drop/preventing-easing-plantars-fasciitis/

[KatzPajamas]

Had SEVERE plantar fascitis starting in late 2011. Someone told me to get the Dr Sholls inserts to support my arches...made it worse. So I spent tons of money for Podiatrist visits and finally the orthodics...which only made the pain even worse. I was in so much pain at the end of the day that I was reduced to sitting around if not at work or out cycling. Our adult daughter moved back home in early 2012 to save for her wedding. She noticed me wincing while walking from the couch to the potty. Her advice was LUDICROUS but I was now helpless and willing to try anything. In July of 2012, I bought some sock with toes in them and wore them constantly, replaced all of my shoes with flat, flat, totally heel-less shoes, AND...Every night, for a good three months, I would spend the evening with the little pedicure toes separators between my toes. By her wedding in late September, I was able to wear a pair of modest heels for the entire wedding and reception with absolutely no pain! Since then, I continue with the flat, flat, heel-less shoes and have had nary a hint of pain in either foot!