Plantar Fasciitis - still....

[Newtosavage]

I could use some advice. I developed PF in my right heel last October after overdoing it on a pack workout with my incline treadmill. Prior to that, I had been training for my 1st marathon and was running (road) 25+ miles/week.

Since last October, the PF got progressively worse and at one point it was in both heels. I started treating it with the golf ball method and frozen water bottles and orthotic insoles back in March, and quit running entirely.

I can still do bleachers to some degree as my heels never hit the steps, but I haven't run in months and my fitness is definitely not where it needs to be for this fall's hunt.

Every time I think it's getting better and I'll be running again, I go for a walk or a hike and wake up the next morning barely able to walk to the kitchen to make coffee.

This really sucks. Before I go to a doctor and get cortisone shots or anything like that, what else should I try? I've considered those braces that keep your calves stretched while you sleep. Some folks say they helped.

Any thoughts?

Thanks.

 

[rbljack]

im following this one closely!! My story is SO similar. Ive been avoiding the dr route, but its looking like it will be coming. I cant shake this crap. My only saving grace is that I have no tags for 2020...what a GREAT (sarcasm) year its been!! IM sick of 2020 and I cant say it enough. Im ready to hit the reset button.

 

[Poser]

I could use some advice. I developed PF in my right heel last October after overdoing it on a pack workout with my incline treadmill. Prior to that, I had been training for my 1st marathon and was running (road) 25+ miles/week.

Since last October, the PF got progressively worse and at one point it was in both heels. I started treating it with the golf ball method and frozen water bottles and orthotic insoles back in March, and quit running entirely.

I can still do bleachers to some degree as my heels never hit the steps, but I haven't run in months and my fitness is definitely not where it needs to be for this fall's hunt.

Every time I think it's getting better and I'll be running again, I go for a walk or a hike and wake up the next morning barely able to walk to the kitchen to make coffee.

This really sucks. Before I go to a doctor and get cortisone shots or anything like that, what else should I try? I've considered those braces that keep your calves stretched while you sleep. Some folks say they helped.

Any thoughts?

Thanks.

You keep describing the pain as being in the heels. PF tends to be perceived directly in the arch. Are you sure that PF is the issue?

 

[Newtosavage]

You keep describing the pain as being in the heels. PF tends to be perceived directly in the arch. Are you sure that PF is the issue?

No, I'm not. But my wife had almost the same issue a year earlier, and she was treated for PF by her doctor. He gave her cortisone shots. She hated those and said she didn't really think they helped that much. She mostly treated hers by staying off her feet and rolling her arches/heels on frozen water bottles.

I have a much harder time staying off my feet than she does.

But the pain is in my heel. Not the arch. Almost like a heel bruise that won't go away.

 

[Poser]

No, I'm not. But my wife had almost the same issue a year earlier, and she was treated for PF by her doctor. He gave her cortisone shots. She hated those and said she didn't really think they helped that much. She mostly treated hers by staying off her feet and rolling her arches/heels on frozen water bottles.

I have a much harder time staying off my feet than she does.

But the pain is in my heel. Not the arch. Almost like a heel bruise that won't go away.

Could be that the tissue is inflamed near the heel, but you might visit the doctor to at least be sure you’re dealing with PF and not something else.

 

[Customweld]

I think mine started from switching boots from Whites loggers to Kinnetreks. I suffered for about a year and finally went to the Dr. before she did anything drastic, she told to me wear a pair of Sketcher memory foam shoes in the house. Apparently going barefoot is not good for PF at all. I did the stretching and switched back to White's. It took about 3 months for the pain to go away, but so far it has stayed away.

 

[Bowhuntone]

Take a anti inflammatory med to reduce swelling, stretch calves and try to find a shoe or boot w the right arch support. Google plantar fasciitis shoes these step worked for me

 

[Runwilderness]

Although the fascia itself runs across the arch the pain is often localized to your heel, and that’s were I have felt it when I’ve had my worst goes with it.

Do you stretch/strengthen your calves? Do a search for PF and calf stretch/strength and you may find other recommendations but this has worked for me:

Roll the calf with a ball (I use a 6 inch foam ball but a tennis or lacrosse ball would work too). You can get into the tight areas of the muscle with a ball better than a foam roller.

Stretch and strengthen the calves by standing on a stairs step with heels hanging off the back. Lift up onto the balls of both feet then remove one foot so your standing on a single leg. Slowly allow your body weight to drag you down (I count to 30) until your as low as your heel will go. You’ll feel the stretch and after a few reps the burn of muscle fatigue.

Counter intuitive but everything is connected. Release and strengthen those calves and you’ll be surprised. It still takes time if you’re broken, but it’s worked for me. Even better if I get on it before the pain is debilitating.

 

[Loper]

I had PF 7 or 8 years ago and it certainly sucks. I got it running a marathon and it took me a long time to get rid of it, probably 6 months before it started to not constantly bother me and 12 months before I could run again.

For me, my pain was in the arch and not in the heel. I went to the podiatrist and got it checked out. I don’t remember getting any shots but rather got some exercises to do and was told to get some strong arch supports to told in my shoes. To this day, I still use the arch supports in my running shoes.

Another thing that helped me was putting shoes on before I got out of bed in the morning (that’s when it hurts the most). Also, I had to stop wearing sandals for a year, which is hard to do living in Florida.

 

[Newtosavage]

I bought a pair of Birkenfakes from wally world just to use around the house. I almost never go barefoot now, especially since we have tile floors which are really tough on the heel strike.

I appreciate all the advice. Keep it coming.

 

[Chris B]

I delt with plantar fasciitis in my left foot for two years . DO NOT walk barefoot that only makes it worse . Walk fit orthotics did wonders . Freeze a 12 ounce water bottle, roll it back and forth under you foot every evening. As been said , stretch the calf muscles . There is a brace that you wear on your foot overnight that keeps the foot more or less 90 degrees to the lower leg . When the foot relaxes and " droops " the fascia tightens up . When your foot hits the floor in the morning the fascia stretches and aggravates the torn area and " OUCH " ! Gentle foot massages to help stimulate blood flow helps too .

 

[LostArra]

I had a chronic case of PF with acute flare ups. I did all the stretching, Strasburg sock, frozen golf balls and it "helped" but never went away until I swapped out all my insoles for Heal That Pain inserts and or heel seats.
It might be worth taking a look. I don't wear them all the time now but the PF has been gone for over 3 years.

 

[Newtosavage]

Thank you for all the ideas.

 

[Catahoula]

Easy calf stretches... my spouse had this issue a couple years ago. She did easy calf stretches 5-6 times a day and slowly but surely this issue subsided for her. The post-static discomfort she had after sleep was likely the worst for her. The plantar fascia is not very elastic and is fairly unyielding. But, with daily stretching and time she was able to correct the problem this way.

 

[Phil4]

I have it right now and it sucks. My pain is mostly in the heel as well, although occasionally the arch hurts as well. The calf stretches with the stairs recommended above help for sure. The nighttime boots are probably the thing that’s helped me the most although I’m not cured. I also haven’t stopped running though. I don’t heel strike so it doesn’t hurt to run until after I’m done. I’m getting custom orthotics that insurance will cover as well. I’ll report back how those work.

Side note: 3 of my friends did the same 6 week kettlebell program in the middle of quarantine or whatever this is. All of us (independently) did it barefoot. All of us have PF now.


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[Scrappy]

Go to a physical therapist and get it fixed with the right exercises and stretching. They will get you fixed. All a doc will do is treat the pain.

 

[P Carter]

Go to a physical therapist and get it fixed with the right exercises and stretching. They will get you fixed. All a doc will do is treat the pain.

Agreed. A doctor may help with the diagnosis, but their main concern is often to get you to an "acceptable" level of use. A PT will often really work with you to get to the level of performance you want. I would personally start with a sports-oriented PT.

I would also take the next period -- say 6 weeks -- and view it as a focused, acute intervention period. Whatever treatment route you take, do it all and do it perfectly for 6 weeks. Hopefully that tamps things down a bit, and after that you can carry forward the most effective treatments as a lifestyle change for the long haul. I've found that if I conceptualize a shortish period as an acute intervention period, it's the best way to really focus and get something under control.

 

[TheCougar]

I’ve just recovered from PF. It took me over a year. I wish I could tell you what I did to make it go away. I tried every gimmicky product, PT, rest, exercises, stretching, etc. Not sure why it got better, to be honest with you. Maybe it was just time, or maybe some combination of PT and exercise to work on mobility and strength. Just be patient and try a bunch of things to see if anything helps and give it time! It takes a while to knock down inflammation. I made it through hunting season last year with taping my foot, icing, and proper arch support in my hunting boots.

 

[Tod osier]

as said above stretch. Look up the stretch and do it several times a day. Until you recover, no bare feet. That combo was magic for me.

I could use some advice. I developed PF in my right heel last October after overdoing it on a pack workout with my incline treadmill. Prior to that, I had been training for my 1st marathon and was running (road) 25+ miles/week.

Since last October, the PF got progressively worse and at one point it was in both heels. I started treating it with the golf ball method and frozen water bottles and orthotic insoles back in March, and quit running entirely.

I can still do bleachers to some degree as my heels never hit the steps, but I haven't run in months and my fitness is definitely not where it needs to be for this fall's hunt.

Every time I think it's getting better and I'll be running again, I go for a walk or a hike and wake up the next morning barely able to walk to the kitchen to make coffee.

This really sucks. Before I go to a doctor and get cortisone shots or anything like that, what else should I try? I've considered those braces that keep your calves stretched while you sleep. Some folks say they helped.

Any thoughts?

Thanks.

 

[def90]

I have it from working construction, wearing shitty shoes and standing on ladders all day.

If you are doing some serious hiking or work construction and are on ladders all day like I am get some stiff soled shoes/boots. Then stretch your feet on a regular basis. Sit up against a wall with your legs out in front of you, pull your toes towards your body, you will feel the stretch through your calves and the bottoms of your feet. Pull your toes back and hold it for 10 seconds, release and repeat a dozen or so times.

This has fixed the pain throughout the bottom of my feet though I can still get a hotspot on the bottom of my heel once in a while. I think this will go away with time though.