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Plantar Fascitis..............symptoms/solutions (Read 330 times)

    All the below is based on running. I sit at a desk so my PF is not work related.

     

    I am a heel striker and a supinator as opposed to pronator. I will wear the outside heal of my shoes down completely with very little or NO wear on the inside heal. A running shoe will last me 400 miles maybe. Shoe Gu etc were useless and would only hold for 2 runs maybe. I just bit the bullet and buy shoes as needed.  I'm 55 (180lbs) and have been running for 40 years. I was injury free until 5 years ago and started with PF symptom's. Pain trying to walk across the bedroom floor in the morning. Pain in the first half mile of a run. I fought it off for a year because the pain would dissipate during the run. I continued to race. The pain initially started in the lower Achilles and worked its way down to the heel and then underneath. I spent days doing all the internet search for cause and cure and that was very confusing so I'll supply with all the pertinent facts that may help all those that are heel strikers and have had PF. I did go see a sports medicine doctor. He gave me an arch support and also a Hapad "Sports Insoles". They felt like I had a rock in my shoe and made it worse.

     

    Advil and icing help the pain but in the long run do nothing to solve the problem.

     

    My wife had PF also and got a cortisone shot. She would not recommend except for extreme cases. Pain subsided for a few days but came right back. The shot put her through the roof.

     

    Rolling with a frozen bottle of water or golf ball or tennis ball made it feel OK for a minute but then made the pain 2 times worse an hour later when I stood up. ( If you have a tooth ache, rubbing it hard with your finger is not going to work)

     

    Strasberg Sock. No good, uncomfortable. Simple calf stretching or calf raises worked better.

     

    Any off the shelf insert. Made it worse.

     

    What worked. Bought a pair of Birkenstock sandals and keep them by my bed side and wear then all day if possible. They provided ME with almost immediate relief.

     

    As a heel striker I knew I had to change that. I am lousy at practicing something and sticking to it so I took a drastic approach. I did not go as far as buying Vibram 5 fingers but I switched to Nike Free's 5.0.  They force you to become a mid foot striker. It is impossible to run on your heel, you will feel it immediately and naturally go to a mid foot striker. It seems a little counter intuitive to go to a minimalist shoe. I wore them for 6 months and just got in the habit of leaning a little more forward. After all symptoms disappeared I did transitioned back to neutral trainers but still run in the Nike Frees. I tend to lapse into heal striking towards the end of a long run but I now know that I'm doing it and consciously try to correct it. Also 20% heal striker is better than 100% heal striker.

     

    I also took 4 WEEKS off with no running and did 3 or 4 SPIN classes at the YMCA, with very little fitness lost. The time off is the only way to get the recover cycle started. After 40 years of running I did not think I could stop for that long. But once the pain got so bad I had no choice. Once you make the decision to stop it was easy. Then finally once you become injured you NEVER want it to happen again.

     

    I felt another bout of PF coming on last year after an string of 3 half marathons and the training to go with it. I started back into the easy calf stretches, back to the Nike Free's and cut back on running for a few weeks and the symptom's completely went away . Hopefully some of this helps.

    Ed,

    Thanks for your reply. What shoe brand/model of running shoe were you wearing prior to going to the Nike Free 5.0? Thanks.

    JerseeJerry55

      All the below is based on running. I sit at a desk so my PF is not work related.

       

      I am a heel striker and a supinator as opposed to pronator. I will wear the outside heal of my shoes down completely with very little or NO wear on the inside heal. A running shoe will last me 400 miles maybe. Shoe Gu etc were useless and would only hold for 2 runs maybe. I just bit the bullet and buy shoes as needed.  I'm 55 (180lbs) and have been running for 40 years. I was injury free until 5 years ago and started with PF symptom's. Pain trying to walk across the bedroom floor in the morning. Pain in the first half mile of a run. I fought it off for a year because the pain would dissipate during the run. I continued to race. The pain initially started in the lower Achilles and worked its way down to the heel and then underneath. I spent days doing all the internet search for cause and cure and that was very confusing so I'll supply with all the pertinent facts that may help all those that are heel strikers and have had PF. I did go see a sports medicine doctor. He gave me an arch support and also a Hapad "Sports Insoles". They felt like I had a rock in my shoe and made it worse.

       

      Advil and icing help the pain but in the long run do nothing to solve the problem.

       

      My wife had PF also and got a cortisone shot. She would not recommend except for extreme cases. Pain subsided for a few days but came right back. The shot put her through the roof.

       

      Rolling with a frozen bottle of water or golf ball or tennis ball made it feel OK for a minute but then made the pain 2 times worse an hour later when I stood up. ( If you have a tooth ache, rubbing it hard with your finger is not going to work)

       

      Strasberg Sock. No good, uncomfortable. Simple calf stretching or calf raises worked better.

       

      Any off the shelf insert. Made it worse.

       

      What worked. Bought a pair of Birkenstock sandals and keep them by my bed side and wear then all day if possible. They provided ME with almost immediate relief.

       

      As a heel striker I knew I had to change that. I am lousy at practicing something and sticking to it so I took a drastic approach. I did not go as far as buying Vibram 5 fingers but I switched to Nike Free's 5.0.  They force you to become a mid foot striker. It is impossible to run on your heel, you will feel it immediately and naturally go to a mid foot striker. It seems a little counter intuitive to go to a minimalist shoe. I wore them for 6 months and just got in the habit of leaning a little more forward. After all symptoms disappeared I did transitioned back to neutral trainers but still run in the Nike Frees. I tend to lapse into heal striking towards the end of a long run but I now know that I'm doing it and consciously try to correct it. Also 20% heal striker is better than 100% heal striker.

       

      I also took 4 WEEKS off with no running and did 3 or 4 SPIN classes at the YMCA, with very little fitness lost. The time off is the only way to get the recover cycle started. After 40 years of running I did not think I could stop for that long. But once the pain got so bad I had no choice. Once you make the decision to stop it was easy. Then finally once you become injured you NEVER want it to happen again.

       

      I felt another bout of PF coming on last year after an string of 3 half marathons and the training to go with it. I started back into the easy calf stretches, back to the Nike Free's and cut back on running for a few weeks and the symptom's completely went away . Hopefully some of this helps.

        Spenco's arrived this morning. Will try them out tomorrow morning on my run. I also purchased a pair of Sof Sole Massaging Gel insoles on Saturday. Cut them to size and put them in my dress shoes and they are so far so good. Pain has subsided quite a bit and I am hopeful this will do the trick. Crossed fingers for the Spenco's in the GT2K's.

        JerseeJerry55

        Ed F.


          Shoes I wear... The entire Plantar thing puzzled me. I racked it up to body changes at age 50 AND running shoes. I always rotated 2 or 3 pairs while running so it is hard to identify if a culprit exists or exactly what I was wearing. Because of my supination, bow legs that essentially cause me to run on my outside heel and stay there as opposed to a pronator that turns in, I am thankful that I am forced to wear only neutral cushioned shoes. Any stability or motion control shoe is out. Because most shoes in the neutral cushioned area seem to suffice I generally buy last years model when they go on sale. (I have been running since 1974 so I have seen it all and don't believe this year is SO MUCH better than last). My only love with a shoe that seemed to give me no problem and I bought from 1995 to circa 2005 when it was discontinued was the Brooks Radius. Since then I tend to steer towards a light weight neutral trainer 10oz or so. During the year of my Plantar I was wearing primarily a lightweight Saucony shoe that was probably more of a racing shoe but not advertised as one. That combined with the heel strike and my stubbornness to not stop running was the root of my evil. When symptom's start I now think it is now possible to simply cut back a little, switch to 100% soft surface like a trail and easy calf stretching and calf raises to ward off the full blown PF.

           

          I currently run in the New Balance 890V2 (even this model is changed and tweaked every year) and Brooks PureFlow Cadence. The Nike Free's for as light as they are hold up very well. I'm sure it has to do with the mid foot strike. Because everyone is so different I can really never recommend any shoe. I run with a group and almost everyone is opinionated. Some will wear ASCS only, others Mizuno. I think the minimalist thing and Nike Free's has some merit. It is a useful way to strength the calf muscles and arch when used in moderation and is a good training tool to change your running style (heel to mid foot).


          Loves the outdoors

            I've been suffering from this for months now. It first started about 18 months ago when I had some severe calf issues that ended up being diagnosed as compartment syndrome (whether it really was that, I don't know). As part of that I started getting foot pain. A lot of rest, some physio treatment and eccentric stair raises eventually healed my calf issues and I haven't had any problems with that since.  However, my foot pain came back some months later and late last year got to the point where I can barely walk after any short period of sitting down after I've been running or walking. 6-8 months later it's much the same. I've tried rest, my feet do feel better but it comes straight back as soon as I go for a long walk or a run. I tried always wearing shoes, again this helped treat my pain, but hasn't stopped the pain recurring. Stretching hasn't seemed to make much of a difference, but perhaps I haven't been diligent enough. Ice helps too, but nothing I've tried has stopped the pain recurring. It is a bit better than it was, I can now rest my heels on surfaces, which for a while caused me too much pain. I wouldn't say mornings are the worst for me, I find several hours after the activity (running or longer walks) after I've sat down for a period of time the most painful.  So clearly I have no magic solution to offer you, but I watched the SocDoc video with some interest. My pain is most on my left foot and when I felt down for trigger points, my calf on the left is seriously tender when I push in where he suggested. My right feels completely different. As in my case this all started with a calf injury, I'm going to give that a try and see if this makes any difference at all.

             

            Has anyone else tried the calf trigger points with any success?

            One day I decided I wanted to become a runner, so I did.


            Mostly harmless

              The only thing that really helped me was stretching. Lots and lots of it. At least three times a day I would use a guitar strap looped around the ball of my foot. Pull until it was stretched out good and hold it for a full minute. Repeat 4 more times.

               

              I did this for about three weeks. I think of it as stretching it into submission.

              "It doesn’t matter how often you do it or how much you accomplish, in general, not running is a lot easier than running." - Meb Keflezighi

                The only thing that really helped me was stretching. Lots and lots of it. At least three times a day I would use a guitar strap looped around the ball of my foot. Pull until it was stretched out good and hold it for a full minute. Repeat 4 more times.

                 

                I did this for about three weeks. I think of it as stretching it into submission.

                Hello boys and girls it's official I have a really........not terribly bad............but still not good case of plantar fasciitis. As I thought this came from the last 15 years of being a lazy, majorly overweight, unmotivated slob. Doc said I should be doing the following (not breaking ground here)

                1. Calf stretches. Pigeon toe my feet spread apart, and do a wall push up. Do four sets then go back further, and further.
                2. During the day at my desk while working run my left arch over a tennis ball.
                3. Take a regimen of anti-inflammatory drugs (ibuprofen) 2 in the morning and 2 at night for a 5 day period.
                4. At night repeat the tennis ball trick this time using a frozen water bottle.
                5. Last resort would be cortisone injections (don't want to go that route but will if I have to).

                We shall see if this is just what the doctor ordered, or it's back to the drawing board. Thanks all.

                JerseeJerry55


                Mostly harmless

                  Hello boys and girls it's official I have a really........not terribly bad............but still not good case of plantar fasciitis. As I thought this came from the last 15 years of being a lazy, majorly overweight, unmotivated slob. Doc said I should be doing the following (not breaking ground here)

                  1. Calf stretches. Pigeon toe my feet spread apart, and do a wall push up. Do four sets then go back further, and further.
                  2. During the day at my desk while working run my left arch over a tennis ball.
                  3. Take a regimen of anti-inflammatory drugs (ibuprofen) 2 in the morning and 2 at night for a 5 day period.
                  4. At night repeat the tennis ball trick this time using a frozen water bottle.
                  5. Last resort would be cortisone injections (don't want to go that route but will if I have to).

                  We shall see if this is just what the doctor ordered, or it's back to the drawing board. Thanks all.

                  JerseeJerry55

                   

                  My experience with cortisone injects is that they are a waste of time.  Other may have had better results but for me it was just temporary relief and then a few days later the pain would be back.

                   

                  Cold therapy also didn't work for me.  The cold just seemed to make things tighter and more painful.  Again, I'm probably not in the norm here. I'm just relaying how my body responded.

                   

                  Good luck!

                  "It doesn’t matter how often you do it or how much you accomplish, in general, not running is a lot easier than running." - Meb Keflezighi

                    When I had bursitis in my right hip years ago, a cortisone injection relieved the (excruciating) pain and tightness so that I could do the exercises that the physical therapist wanted me to. That's pretty much the only reason (I think) to get a cortisone injection.

                     

                    It doesn't sound like you're in terrible pain, so I would just start doing the foot exercises that your doctor recommended, and see how it goes. I'm also struggling with PF right now, but the heel pain isn't bad enough to stop me from running, so it's not so bad.

                    "It's hard to dance with a devil on your back, so shake him off, oh wo-oh!" - Florence Welch (Florence + The Machine) - Shake It Out

                    MojoJojo


                      Kinda surprised nobody has mentioned "The Sock".  This has helped a number of my friends for PF and me for achilles & calf tightness.

                       

                      http://thesock.com/

                      illinois68


                        What finally eliminated my plantar fascitis was the starter kit by Trigger Point Performance Therapy. Two years of intense pain gone in less than 2 weeks. I highly recommend it.

                         

                        Rick Crawley


                        Dream Maker

                          I've had it for two years, and have spent more money than I care to admit after a solution and tried everything anyone suggested...  nothing worked, and some things made it worse.


                          Especially the $500 orthotics. If only I could take that back! And the cortisone shot didn't make it worse... it just did, Nothing- like the Strasburg sock or the boot. (Though to be fair, my PF was untypical in that it wasn't at the worst first thing in the morning - which led to  two nice expensive MRIs to rule out stress fracture, but definitely PF)

                           

                          Taking time off made it worse of all... I'm guessing because I was no good about crosstraining or dieting and gained even more weight. I was overweight to start with and am now firmly obese.  I decided recently that I might as well resume training again and deal with the pain - riding my bike to alternate, and that the extra weight is what I need to get rid of....

                           

                          I am continuing stretching in the ways the physical therapist suggested and the exercises to strengthen the core/hips/glutes-- I'm pretty sure that's where the problem come from (I never had it until I got a hip injury at a timed race on a small loop with no direction change)

                           

                          I dropped my shoes not to minimalist but from the Brooks Adrenaline to the Saucony Guides.  I'd been told for years I didn't need all the support in the Adrenaline anymore and showed some supination in them but wasn't going to mess with 14 years running with no injuries, but all this gave me a chance to go with what was recommended,  THAT was the biggest step in reducing it.

                           

                          Also, mine doesn't seem to get worse with running but it definitely does with walking.  Day to day things seem to effect it more than training. Go figure.  Physical therapist said it had to do with the way I run vs the way I walk.

                           

                           

                            I've had it for two years, and have spent more money than I care to admit after a solution and tried everything anyone suggested...  nothing worked, and some things made it worse.


                            Especially the $500 orthotics. If only I could take that back! And the cortisone shot didn't make it worse... it just did, Nothing- like the Strasburg sock or the boot. (Though to be fair, my PF was untypical in that it wasn't at the worst first thing in the morning - which led to  two nice expensive MRIs to rule out stress fracture, but definitely PF)

                             

                            Taking time off made it worse of all... I'm guessing because I was no good about crosstraining or dieting and gained even more weight. I was overweight to start with and am now firmly obese.  I decided recently that I might as well resume training again and deal with the pain - riding my bike to alternate, and that the extra weight is what I need to get rid of....

                             

                            I am continuing stretching in the ways the physical therapist suggested and the exercises to strengthen the core/hips/glutes-- I'm pretty sure that's where the problem come from (I never had it until I got a hip injury at a timed race on a small loop with no direction change)

                             

                            I dropped my shoes not to minimalist but from the Brooks Adrenaline to the Saucony Guides.  I'd been told for years I didn't need all the support in the Adrenaline anymore and showed some supination in them but wasn't going to mess with 14 years running with no injuries, but all this gave me a chance to go with what was recommended,  THAT was the biggest step in reducing it.

                             

                            Also, mine doesn't seem to get worse with running but it definitely does with walking.  Day to day things seem to effect it more than training. Go figure.  Physical therapist said it had to do with the way I run vs the way I walk.

                            Heather,

                            Hi and thank you for your reply. It seems that you tried everything when it comes to combating PF. I have had it on and off for about 5 years. I was a runner from my high school days in the mid 1970's to about 2000 when I stopped running. Never had an issue outside of some cramping, and general fatigue. Was at my heaviest 3 years ago when I was 250 lbs. Subsequently I have taken ownership of the issues that I created and am now at 203 lbs. That being said I am changing my life for the better and running has a great deal to do with that. I do have a tangible target goal. Realistically I think that I can get down to 180-185 and stay there. One thing that I took from your reply was you went from a support based shoe Brooks Adrenaline and have gone to a lighter weight shoe Saucony Guide. I have a couple of questions for you.

                            • The weight differential is .8 oz. between the Adrenaline and the Guide (mens would be 1.3 oz. differential). Do you find that the support/cushioning aspect is equally good ? Have you gone to more neutral/supinating foot type? I was a MAJOR overpronator. However in doing the wet foot test it appears that I no longer need a medial posted shoe, but maybe more of a neutral type shoe with some stability features.
                            • I currently have the Asics GT 2000 and the Asics Gel Blur 33 2.0 (discontinued) and the weight differential is about .6 oz. Therefore I think that I would have similar results. The closest replacement for the Blur 2.0 is the Asics Gel 33 Electro 33 which Asics America has recommended to me. Did you find that you specifically no longer needed a traditional support based shoe?

                            If you can help me with any of the above questions that would be great. Thank you as always.

                            JerseeJerry55

                            bap


                              2 PRP procedures and my foot isn't healing.

                               

                              I found out today I may have arthritis in my big toe.

                               

                              Certified Running Coach
                              Crocked since 2013

                                2 PRP procedures and my foot isn't healing.

                                 

                                I found out today I may have arthritis in my big toe.

                                 

                                Bap man sorry to hear that. Good luck moving forward. I truly feel for you.

                                JJ55

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