plantar fasciitis rest or exercise?

[bosshog]

As above.

Seems I have this in my right foot brought on my too much skipping rope one day. I;ve had this for a month and I've tried to keep off my feet as much as possible, icing, stretches etc. However nothing much has changed and I'm getting very very bored. I need to go out for some walks and bike ride or I'll go mad.

Good to use or better to keep off as much as possible until better?

[jmorgan]

Had this a affliction a few years ago. All the doc said was a particular set of stretches twice a day, and referred me to the NHS department that dealt with this, who dealt with me over the phone! (busy, waiting times and all that). Same advice, do the stretches!

Had some inserts for me shoes as well that were recommended by the phone examination non entity, took a while but I think it got better when I got back on the bike more than anything.

[pdaccus]

I have had this for over a year and it is horrible. For the first few months I continued running (40 miles per week) but it reached a stage where i couldn't put any weight on my foot at all and had to crawl to the bathroom in the morning. I tried pretty much everything going with very little success and stopped running for around 4 months, my experience in order of effectiveness is
- Loads of calf stretching definitely helps, plus calf raises on and off steps
- Roll a Frozen bottle of water under the foot every day
- Keep a golf ball in the freezer and roll that
- Get some ortho inserts for your work shoes and wear trainers at the weekends
- Get a night brace to keep the foot extended when you sleep and massage the foot when you wake up before getting out of bed
- I had months of physio but didn't seem to make any difference so stopped
- I also had two steroid injections but neither really seemed to work
I started running again around 3 months ago and am back up to full mileage with little or no pain but still stretch loads and ice every night.
Good luck

[Wacky Racer]

Had this.

My doctor recommended getting an empty jam jar (or similar) and rolling it along the carpet, with your bare feet on top for five minutes or so...thus stretching your tendons...

Worked for me,....... all at no cost....

[bosshog]

thanks for the replies. Yes I'm doing the stretches and ice rolling etc. I suppose my question was: does walking make it worse or is it good to get the blood going?

[jmorgan]

I found some footware terrible and others better. A good support required, I happened to find Merrel OK. With them it was a lot better. Work toe tectors were diabolicaly painful without inserts.

I also used an orthopaedic insert in my shoe.

[pdaccus]

I found walking ok (after stretching and massage) and cycling really good, just try and avoid any sudden extensions like running or jumping.

[condor]

I was diagnosed with plantar fasciitis in my right foot a couple of weeks ago - I bought some compression sleeves from Amazon and they have really helped to minimise pain when walking. I've ordered some heel gel pads too but they haven't arrived yet.
I was told that trainers were bad to wear and what I needed was to wear leather shoes with heels.

[stevesingo]

The bio-mechanical podiatrist I saw advised me to stretch the soleus muscle as it was a lack of flexibility in the soleus transferred excess load to to the plantar fascia.

Due to the lack of flexibility the knee was not progressing far enough forward before the heel leaves the floor whilst running. I was told to aim for stretching the soleus so with the heel on the floor, the knee should be in front of the tip of the big toe.

[Podie]

Another one who suffered with this. Spoke to the quack, saw a specialist had the insoles, did the exercises and none of it worked for 2 years.

Then I lost some weight and it's gone.

[latned]

I went down with plantar fasciitis after a run November 2014

Tried everything, foot exercises, inserts and visits to various professionals

October last year went for acupuncture, pain dropped by 75% after the 1st visit, totally gone at the end of the 4 courses of treatment

Started power walking on the treadmill December and back running February

Acupuncture worked for me

[oilandwater]

I had this in my right foot, I was told it can last for between 12 and 18 months. Two years down the line and yes it's gone, but I can easily get a twinge depending on what shoes I wear. I wore one of these every night in bed. Not the most attractive footwear, but you get used to it.
Plantar Fasciitis Adjustable Night Splint
http://www.firstaid4sport.co.uk/product.asp?pf_id=...
Also MBT's helped.

[stevesingo]

Mine has come back with a vengeance. Ran 24mile today, and within 1/2mile I had pain. It didn't get worse, but I was guarding it. As I live by the sea (30m when the tide is in), when I finished I had 15mins with my lower legs in the tide. I have a 42mile race in 4 weeks!

[jonmac73]

I had/have this - initially from a strain whilst playing 5-aside, no pain that evening but following morning sharp pains on right heel. Got worse after few days - GP advise rest & stretching - no diagnosis though.
Eventually got so bad went to private foot specialist - diagnosed this within 5 mins seeing me. Offered custom full length sole inlays but recommended I try some off the shelf 3/4 length ones first.
Have Scholl I think that I got first - now used in sports shoes.
Tried some from Amazon from 'sole control' and never looked back - can do everything - just means I have to wear 3/4 length soles in everything. It may be cured but for the sake of a few pairs a year I'll stick with what I have - small price to pay for no pain.

Sure everyone is different but these worked for me.

[silverthorn2151]

Also a sufferer here. Well, just about the same. Mine is actually bruising the end of the metatarsals because the big toe isn't flexible enough but the pain is similar and is debilitating.

I am on my feet for most of the day and, contrary to what is noted above, I have found trainers to be the only things that are bearable for a day combined with sports socks with a padded foresole.

M & S ones are good as are the athletic range from Happy Socks.

I have tried many types of trainers before ending up with Adidas Flux which they do in a plain blue and a plain black which work with my dress down working attire.

If I try my 'normal' shoes I am ruined by mid PM.

[condor]

Even though I was told not to wear trainers, I still am - mainly because the compression sleeves with socks over the top are too thick for my normal shoes, and the sleeves are what's helping me...also have loads of pairs of trainers.
Will have a look on Amazon for the 3/4 sole insoles to try too.

[HoHoHo]

Another sufferer here due to running 5 or 10k five times a week.

I gave up excercise last October immediately having thought it was simply knackered running shoes, changing then but still having the sale problem. For me it's not easy to rest as my business builds exhibition stands so I'm constantly on my feet! Currently I can't see a day when I can excercise again which is depressing as I used to looked forward to my 'me time'

My left foot aches constantly, it has done for 7 months now and even in bed when I'm sleeping I have a dull ache, perhaps I should try a sock or similar to help?

I've narrowed my shoes and boots down to one pair that I can wear which are my Merrell walking boots which clearly have good support however that doesn't help when I have a meeting! I ordered some gel inserts built into little sock things from Amazon a couple of days ago and hope that helps in all footwear.

I haven't been to the doctors, I can't really see how they can help other than confirm what I've got but it open to suggestions from the other members of this club on PH

Ah well, the joys of getting older I guess!

[jonmac73]

my suggestion as above is to try some 'off the shelf' 3/4 soles first, if no good still bypass the GP (based on my experience only) and go straight to a specialist - be prepared for option of full moulded insoles for several hundred though.

[HoHoHo]

jonmac73 said:

my suggestion as above is to try some 'off the shelf' 3/4 soles first, if no good still bypass the GP (based on my experience only) and go straight to a specialist - be prepared for option of full moulded insoles for several hundred though.

I had also thought of having some moulded soles made as per my ski boots, they will probably do the trick?

£60 a pair.

[wombleh]

I've suffered from this when doing a lot of running. In my case was sorted with a £5 foot arch support insert from local pharmacy and upright pushups. From posts above it sounds like I was quite lucky to resolve it this easily!

You'll probably get more useful help from a local physio than the GP for this condition and treatments, ours is about £50/appt so maybe worth a shot?