Plantar Fasciitis

[Brandon Pattison]

I haven't been to the doc but I am pretty sure this is what I have based on extensive research. Please tell me what you did to get rid of it. I was doing stairs and running and now I have been taking Aleve and icing it along with taking it easy. I am almost at the point of getting a Cortisone shot but I would rather fix it than mask it. I have flat feet and am looking at Synergy insoles and I also feel that orthotic insoles make your feet weak.

This particular paragraph might be better suited in the PT section but what can I do to keep up the cardio while being a broke dick?

 

[Backpack Hunter]

I don't know if it is different with flat feet, but in addition to rest and aleve my doc told me to sit down, put a can of coca cola on the floor, place my foot on the can and slowly put pressure on it while rolling it from the front to the back of my foot, and then back again. It worked.

 

[a3dhunter]

Started with problems a couple years ago, and have learned a few things.
Good shoes.
Stay away from Nike Air or Asics Gel, as these types of shoes have what is known as a double sole, which can aggravate symptoms.
I went with Brooks Beast and every time I try something else I return to these.
The way it was explained to me was you need a shoe with support, something that won't let you twist the shoe. I found hiking boots were the best thing, and elk season is what worked best for me.


Ice you feet when you get home, once chilled I started using a frozen golf ball under my foot rolling it around in the arch to help break things down. They also make a device you can put water in and freeze, has little nobbies on it that you roll your foot over. About the size of a can of coke like mentioned above. Bought it at Walgreens or Walmart.

If you choose to do a night splint to keep the plantar from contracting, get the one that goes under the foot and braces solid, not a wrap or something that straps to the top of the foot.

Most importantly, before getting out of bed spend 5 minutes stretching the arches on both feet, then always wear something with arch support walking around the house (YES, EVEN IF JUST GOING TO THE BATHROOM). Something like birkenstocks sandals or crocs will work.


4-5 times a day stretch your arches and calves, a simple wall stretch will work. Put your toes against the wall at a 45 degree angle or more and slowly and steadily stretch things out.

Get your wife to give you a foot massage at night (this may take some reciprocity...LOL) and I found at times even using a muscle rub like flexall will help. Just don't put some socks on afterward and try to wear some shoes (trust me).

Ibuprofen helped relieve some swelling but I had to go for shots a couple times and it took a long time before I could walk normal again.


On the cardio, an exercise bike is the best thing I found. Rowing machine would come a close second.

 

[Brandon Pattison]

a3dhunter,

Do you have flat feet as well? Thanks for the advice.

 

[a3dhunter]

a3dhunter,

Do you have flat feet as well? Thanks for the advice.

No, I'm actually on the other end. When I started having problems and they did x-rays of my feet they said I had one of the highest arches they have seen, which didn't make sense with me weighing 330 lbs at the time.
SOLE inserts have much more arch support, I would say too much for people with flat feet. Superfeet would be better, and a good gel insoles like Lathrop and Sons may work for you, but the biggest thing is stretching that ligament out and keeping it stretched out.
Using a solid boot will help relieve how much the arch is being worked during the day, and help with recovery time.

 

[kcm2]

What A3d said. New Balance and Birkenstocks have stuff that works. Never go barefoot even at home. I've had it 3x, and been PF free for about 5 years. Talk to a podiatrist. Last time I had PF, I blew it out skiing..first run. Hurts like hell. Lathrops is a podiatrist's office, ask them. Dr. Lathrop knows his stuff.

It sucks. All three times it took me about six months to get rid of it. Six miserable damn months.

 

[fire arrow]

Something else also. Tight calfs will throw off your strike patter, whicwiccan aggravate PF. Do a search for calf stretches, and find one that works for you. A glof ball works good, inplace of the soda can. Something else to, do you have shinsplints?

 

[Brandon Pattison]

No shinsplints.

 

[Stephen Lathrop]

Heel height in combination with a flat sole provides stability through gait and also off loads the tension in your heel cord and also the fascia band. Consider a good training and work shoe. Note not all insole work! There is more to after market insole then just filling the arch, much more. Sometime a good Doc is the answer.

 

[Travis Bertrand]

What A3d said. New Balance and Birkenstocks have stuff that works. Never go barefoot even at home. I've had it 3x, and been PF free for about 5 years. Talk to a podiatrist. Last time I had PF, I blew it out skiing..first run. Hurts like hell. Lathrops is a podiatrist's office, ask them. Dr. Lathrop knows his stuff.

It sucks. All three times it took me about six months to get rid of it. Six miserable damn months.

I will have to disagree. I say go barefoot all the time. Humans have been doing it for more than a few years. It is the most natural way to walk, run. You have to retrain your feet to do so. Once you do, it's amazing how strong your feet legs will be.

 

[a3dhunter]

I will have to disagree. I say go barefoot all the time. Humans have been doing it for more than a few years. It is the most natural way to walk, run. You have to retrain your feet to do so. Once you do, it's amazing how strong your feet legs will be.

Have you ever had PF?
I would say you haven't according to your response.

If you try to go barefoot, every morning when you step out of bed you will tear the plantar a little more. This tearing can cause blood clots to form around the affected area, which can then harden, when that happens with each step you will continue to tear the ligament a little more with each step.
It feels like you are steeping on an ice pick with each step.
You first have to allow your feet to heal, once healed you can begin to stretch the plantar a little. This will take time.

If someone jumps to trying to go barefoot all the time, they are asking for problems.
Once you have PF, all other advice is out the window.

 

[Travis Bertrand]

A3d, yes I have had it, I believe there is another thread on this subject here but not positive.

I got it when I switched to barefoot running. I did it cold turkey which I am glad I did. I suggest that to anyone who decides to make the switch. The first time I ran barefoot, I ran I think 3/4 of a mile, my feet hurt later that day and into the next, that's just the way it goes. You need to get that ligament back to the length it naturally should be. Work through it. My feet are super strong now along with my legs. I love running barefoot and if I run over 7 miles after not running for a few days, they will hurt the next day but I think of it like I am taking my feet to the feet gym because at is what I'm doing.

Not trying to argue with you, just another perspective. I try to walk barefoot as much as possible.

 

[hunting1]

I had it bad! Used a tennis ball every night before bed and it helped, but in the end I went to the Good Feet Store and paid $600 for special inserts. It was worth every cent! I have no more pain and can where boots again. It was awful and I would have paid double! Good luck and wear good shoes or boots when you work out, I think heavy packs with tennis shoes is what did it to me.

 

[Stephen Lathrop]

Be very careful here!! Barefoot is not going to work in most PF cases seen, and will most likely cause more tearing and scare tissue!
Nerve damage follows and then you get to spend a month in an air cast. I'm not going to toot my horn but I have helped treat and seen hundreds of cases
and do fully understand the condition. I've been raised in a Podiatry office and we own two...... My Dad is the Doc. We are a state Lic.Podiastrist.

 

[Brandon Pattison]

I bought some Brooks Beast shoes and the people at the shoe store told me that I could still run but to let the pain level dictate how much I can do. I feel like I am getting weaker while Charlie is getting stronger. Suggestions?

 

[BrentC]

I've been dealing with it for a while now thinking the whole time i just had a bruised heel until this thread started. What I did was make an appointment with a Podiastrist and im still waiting to be seen. Ill pm you with an update after my appointment. Like the quote watched that movie last night.

 

[Brandon Pattison]

I thought I had a bruised heel too. I too have an appointment with a podiatrist. What movie are you referring to?

I've been dealing with it for a while now thinking the whole time i just had a bruised heel until this thread started. What I did was make an appointment with a Podiastrist and im still waiting to be seen. Ill pm you with an update after my appointment. Like the quote watched that movie last night.

 

[BrentC]

Apoclypse Now. Martin sheen says that line "I am getting weaker while charlie is getting stronger".

 

[Brandon Pattison]

Oh, duh, right. I thought u meant Chesty Puller.

 

[Bryan Martin]

a3dhunter, you have given some good advice. I suffered from planter f. for years. It really sucks. All the pointers/tips you suggested, I did also. For me, the best was rest and getting proper, custom orthothodic insoles, which fit my feet and kept my feet from flattening out. It got really bad about 9 years ago. Excruciating pain. Before my last and best set of custom insoles, I had several cortisone shots in my feet. I'd say at least 2 per foot. I have not had a shot in 8 years and have been pain free.

Stretching, ice, anti-inflamatories are good. I even had a chiro give my foot a really good hard rub out, trying to break up the scar tissue. I had to bit a towel to keep from screaming. Putting your nuts under a rolling pin with spikes would describe the pain. Also, I wore a night brace, which stretched my achilles and foot when I slept. I'd say the custom insoles made the biggest difference. As a backpack guide, having to deal with this for 3 months, doing 6-7 hunts back to back, really tested my tolerance for pain. At the end of the day, I hobbled around like a cripple.

I wish you good luck with your symptoms. See a specialist or two and I feel with the right insoles and some work on your part, you'll be back to 100%. I'm doing 8+ backpack hunts in 2012 and have no issues now.