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Best way to defeat plantar fasciitis (Read 126 times)

    I've been running for years and have logged thousands of miles, so this isn't the first time I've done battle with plantar fasciitis aka heel pain before.  I've usually been able to defeat it before using the right shoes, insoles. pain relief and stretches before.  I'm not having much luck this time around.  A podiatrist told me to use Powerstep insoles, which I've used before.  They did me no good this time around.  Dr Scholls failed too, so did Superfeet.  Is there anything I else I could be overlooking?  How about compression socks?  There's so many stretches to choose from too.  The one my podiatrist recommended did me no good.

    stadjak


    Interval Junkie --Nobby

      Fortunately, I have no personal experience, but a friend use this to success: Strassburg Sock

       

      Sock

       

      Crappy sleep for about a week with it, but the PF issue was eventually solved.

      2021 Goals: 50mpw 'cause there's nothing else to do

        I had a problem with plantar fasciitis and it was very painful.  The taping method in this YouTube video worked wonders for me.  Anytime my fasciitis flares up, I immediately use this taping method before every run and it heals up nicely.

         

        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jQv_CipqyU

         

        Good luck.

        I intend to live forever . . . or die trying.

          In my experience what works is to spend 2+ years trying ALL of the things people have mentioned and will mention, having none of it really work, suffering several seemingly unrelated injuries that were likely the result of favoring the hurt foot, starting, stopping, restarting several times until eventually, it just sort of went away on its own. Or maybe one or some combination of things I tried "worked" but it took so long and was so confounded with other things that I'll never know.

           

          Good luck!

          Runners run

            I had a problem with plantar fasciitis and it was very painful.  The taping method in this YouTube video worked wonders for me.  Anytime my fasciitis flares up, I immediately use this taping method before every run and it heals up nicely.

             

            https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jQv_CipqyU

             

            Good luck.

             

            Thanks I was thinking about giving taping a try.  Seeing you confirm it here gives me more confidence that it's worth a shot.

            LRB


              Support insoles did the trick for me. But it wasn't until I started wearing them in every shoe running or otherwise for a period of 3 weeks that the searing pain in my heel and arch started subsiding. That also came months after trying everything else and being at my wits end and desperate. YMMV

                I had orthotics for several years which fixed the PF issue but caused other issues. After I ditched the orthotics I went minimalist which at first made it way worse then gradually went away.  Running in minimalist shoes every day is not easy either.   Now I run in Altra zero drop shoes a few days a week and regular trainers the rest.  It seems to be the right balance for me but YMMV.

                  I'm happy to say that after a over a year of dealing with PF, my problems with the issue are behind me.  What solved it?  Time.  In my opinion, it's the best way to defeat planter fasciitis.  Although there are many claims for cures, there doesn't tend to be one that will solve the problems for everyone.  I tried them all.  Most made the problem worse, rather than improving the issue.

                   

                  I kept running through the problem for about eight months.  It didn't get any worse, and gradually felt better.  Eventually, I found myself in a new job, which cut into my running, and for about three months I ran only sporadically, with very little mileage, and then the COVID-19 thing came around and gave me way more time to run and magically, time had healed it completely.  Now, I'm building back up to reasonable mileage feeling great and am happy to be PF free.

                   

                  My advice would be to try everything that is suggested and maybe one will work.  The one I wouldn't suggest, is any type of deep massage of the area.  That idea made it way worse.  Ice made it feel better, but seemed to make it worse, after the fact.  Good Luck with your efforts.


                  SMART Approach

                    I see and treat PF regularly with success by simplifying things. I utilize H-Wave with amazing success as it treats both symptoms and also removes obstacles and puts body into the right state and on overdrive to encourage healing via movement, lymphatic flushing and without further irritation but there is more to it. PF is simply is not being treated ideally in medical community IMHO. Firstly, your body is amazing at healing. We forget this. We continue to put obstacles in the way. What is the goal? To heal right? With PF you have damaged and likely deranged tissue if it has been going on for a long time. More circulation, more oxygen and relieving congestion at injury site is the start to healing. You also have to address the cause. This is how you treat. It is not sexy but you have to put your body in best position to heal.

                     

                    Someone really needs to physiologically explain to me how sustained static stretching the "damaged deranged tissue" helps healing? Someone please. It flat out doesn't but is routinely recommended. Icing? Recommended all the time. Icing does the complete opposite of increasing circulation and cause furtther damage. It actually encourages slower healing and more congestion and an increase in adhesions which leads to deranged tissue and chronic soreness. And poorer healing. A viscious cycle. NSAIDs also disrupt healing response? Cortisone? We are so focused on symptoms and wanting to feel better in the moment but ask yourself what you can do better that will allow your body to do what is so good at - healing! Address the cause and get rid of the obstacles. Movement is crucial (without further irritation) as is a ton of hip/glute strength and mobility and working all the way down kinetic chain to increase tissue resiliency from hips to toes.

                    Run Coach. Recovery Coach. Founder of SMART Approach Training, Coaching & Recovery

                    Structured Marathon Adaptive Recovery Training

                    Safe Muscle Activation Recovery Technique

                    www.smartapproachtraining.com

                      I see and treat PF regularly with success by simplifying things. I utilize H-Wave with amazing success as it treats both symptoms and also removes obstacles and puts body into the right state and on overdrive to encourage healing via movement, lymphatic flushing and without further irritation but there is more to it. PF is simply is not being treated ideally in medical community IMHO. Firstly, your body is amazing at healing. We forget this. We continue to put obstacles in the way. What is the goal? To heal right? With PF you have damaged and likely deranged tissue if it has been going on for a long time. More circulation, more oxygen and relieving congestion at injury site is the start to healing. You also have to address the cause. This is how you treat. It is not sexy but you have to put your body in best position to heal.

                       

                      Someone really needs to physiologically explain to me how sustained static stretching the "damaged deranged tissue" helps healing? Someone please. It flat out doesn't but is routinely recommended. Icing? Recommended all the time. Icing does the complete opposite of increasing circulation and cause furtther damage. It actually encourages slower healing and more congestion and an increase in adhesions which leads to deranged tissue and chronic soreness. And poorer healing. A viscious cycle. NSAIDs also disrupt healing response? Cortisone? We are so focused on symptoms and wanting to feel better in the moment but ask yourself what you can do better that will allow your body to do what is so good at - healing! Address the cause and get rid of the obstacles. Movement is crucial (without further irritation) as is a ton of hip/glute strength and mobility and working all the way down kinetic chain to increase tissue resiliency from hips to toes.

                       

                      H-Wave sounds good but after looking at this https://www.h-wave.com/store/h-wave-h4-device-programs/ it's more than I can afford right now.


                      From the Internet.

                        In my experience what works is to spend 2+ years trying ALL of the things people have mentioned and will mention, having none of it really work, suffering several seemingly unrelated injuries that were likely the result of favoring the hurt foot, starting, stopping, restarting several times until eventually, it just sort of went away on its own. Or maybe one or some combination of things I tried "worked" but it took so long and was so confounded with other things that I'll never know.

                         

                        Good luck!

                         

                        That's basically been my experience as well. First battle began in mid-2017 with my left foot, still dealing with the tail-end of recovery in my other foot now. I just throw EVERYTHING at it and eventually something works, or time helps, or all of the above.

                         

                        I had been running with insoles (Spenco Max something or other) for a year when this current iteration cropped up. Insoles had begun to exacerbate the problem because I had also developed a heel spur (MTA this was probably from training for the indoor mile - your girl is no spring chicken and had been racing in spikes for the first time ever) and I needed a few weeks completely off to jump-start the healing process. I had some heel cushions lying around from a previous battle with PF that I used in my regular everyday walking-around shoes (and I wear shoes literally from the second I step out of bed in the morning when I'm in that acute oh-no phase). Tried low-dye taping and KT taping with varying levels of success just to give it a little extra support during everyday activities. Went back to religiously sleeping in a night splint. Ice, ibuprofen, massage, stretching, bought a gua sha tool off Amazon to really dig into that scar tissue. Sometimes massage is bad, sometimes it's good, I never know until I try it once and wait a couple days. This time it was good.

                         

                        When I was ready to try running again, I was able to pad around the spur a little bit by cutting a hole in some cheap foam insoles and laying those on top of the ones already in my shoes. Fine again now with just my usual insoles (almost 5 months post-injury).

                          I had a bout with it.

                          A couple weeks not running and very painful walking, and a month of too painful running, and an additional 4-5 months of gradually decreasing pain until it was gone.

                           

                          I tried all the stuff, ice, stretches, taping, the placebo of KT tape. Nothing provided instant relief except the Strutz.

                           

                          In order to continue to get a few miles in, I went "orthopedic" and bought super cushioned Hoka Stinson shoes, and Sole Dean Karnazes rigid insoles. That combo allowed me to hobble at a very slow pace for 3-4 miles.

                           

                          I also picked up a pair of Skechers Shape-Ups at Goodwill (their copy of MBT) which were available at the time to wear around during the day. Stepping on my midfoot instead of heel really reduced the pain. It was totally worth the $8 gamble on barely used shoes, and they were UGLY so people stayed away from me.

                           

                          The one thing I discovered later that was instant relief were cheap elastic bands with a pad called Strutz. I wore them during the day, and sometimes running, but they hurt a bit due to the thickness of the pad. I tore off the pad from one and used it running with some success. I only wore them on the affected foot.

                          Amazon.com: Ontel Strutz Cushioned Arch Supports, Green, 2 Count ...

                           

                          It was 6 months between onset and disappearance. The last month or so when I could still feel it, I could do long runs and some tempo runs and it wouldn't be worse the next morning, it was just noticeable.

                          60-64 age group  -  University of Oregon alumni  -  Irreverent and Annoying

                            I had a bout with it.

                            A couple weeks not running and very painful walking, and a month of too painful running, and an additional 4-5 months of gradually decreasing pain until it was gone.

                             

                            I tried all the stuff, ice, stretches, taping, the placebo of KT tape. Nothing provided instant relief except the Strutz.

                             

                            In order to continue to get a few miles in, I went "orthopedic" and bought super cushioned Hoka Stinson shoes, and Sole Dean Karnazes rigid insoles. That combo allowed me to hobble at a very slow pace for 3-4 miles.

                             

                            I also picked up a pair of Skechers Shape-Ups at Goodwill (their copy of MBT) which were available at the time to wear around during the day. Stepping on my midfoot instead of heel really reduced the pain. It was totally worth the $8 gamble on barely used shoes, and they were UGLY so people stayed away from me.

                             

                            The one thing I discovered later that was instant relief were cheap elastic bands with a pad called Strutz. I wore them during the day, and sometimes running, but they hurt a bit due to the thickness of the pad. I tore off the pad from one and used it running with some success. I only wore them on the affected foot.

                            Amazon.com: Ontel Strutz Cushioned Arch Supports, Green, 2 Count ...

                             

                            It was 6 months between onset and disappearance. The last month or so when I could still feel it, I could do long runs and some tempo runs and it wouldn't be worse the next morning, it was just noticeable.

                             

                            Thanks, I decided to add Strutz to my huge collection.  I have arch supports that are similar to it but they don't wrap around my foot.

                            Seattle prattle


                              I had PF twice.

                              Like several people said here, time is the only sure fire remedy. The fascia is messed up, and the area heals very slowly, but if you don't continue damaging it, it should heal. Takes about 6 months.

                              I ran through mine both times, tentatively, doing what i could. Which generally meant cutting out the long run and laying off speed work, but i was able to run my usual schedule, and i played it by feel each time.

                              I had to alter my stride so i was not a fore-foot runner while it healed. And when i had a similar achilles tendon injury, it took many months after healing until i could run aggressively like i do on the forefoot.

                              The guiding principals i learned regarding PF is this:

                              1) footwear is key. I simply could not run in lightweight, unsupportive running shoes more than maybe once or twice a week at the very most.

                              2) strengthening - i would only get PF when i was weakened significantly due to over use. Once you are on the mends, you simply have to take prevention very seriously and do the strengthening exercises.

                              3) Mobility is your friend. Don't let yourself get too tight esp. when doing a lot of volume or speed work. Both mobility and strengthening are for the whole drive train, not just the foot/achilles. One tight or weak area puts undue stress on other areas.

                              Take it easy and run it out, reduced intensity. Concentrate on a balanced stride and don't limp or shorten your stride. If you can't withstand a certain stride, then slow down or shorten your workout. THis is a re-building time and best to think of it that way.

                              Ultimately, i don't think getting PF for me was a mistake. It was something i had to learn, and it made me a better runner. Honestly, as a masters runner, working through these setbacks has prepared me well for life of running, and I don't think i could continue running as much as i do at this age without working through the challenge of overcoming physical limitations and injuries, and knowing what to look for to avoid subsequent injuries and down time.

                              flavio80


                              Intl. correspondent

                                Ideally you would work with a physio who's an expert in working with runners to identify the root cause.

                                One potential cause to PF is weakened upper chain of muscles in your legs and butt. Think of it like this, your leg joints work to support your body and cushion the impact against the ground when you're walking, running, or just standing.

                                The impact should ideally be well distributed through the muscles, though obviously the big muscles should brunt quite a bit of the impact and also since you bend at the knee and ankle making a Z shape with your leg, that also helps a lot with softening the impact.

                                So what happens when your glutes are too weak because you sit on your ass 14 hours a day? Well the glutes slack forcing the other muscles to take extra load. It becomes a problem some some of that extra load hit ankle and the fascia, which are small. Also the fascia is a tendon, it takes a long time to recover. If you have poor ankle dorsiflexion or high arches the problem becomes worse (I have both those).

                                This above was my root cause. I have to do stuff constantly to avoid it ever coming back:

                                1 - Strength training every single week to strengthen core, legs in general, upper body, but especially glutes in my case.

                                2 - Mobility work to keep a supple body and improve ankle dorsiflexion.

                                3 - foam rolling calves, hamstrings, quads, use a massage ball to roll the piriformis (muscle behind the glutes).

                                These above are things that attack the cause of PF thus reducing or eliminating the problem.

                                 

                                4 - Failing those, if it starts getting painful (sometimes I feel it under the foot , sometimes on top of the foot, sometimes near the ankle), I'll foam roll, and another resource is to make a figure 4 with your legs, spread something (detergent, soap) on the bottom of your feet and press your thumb against the fascia on both sides. To me that's usually painful to do and I have to be soft when pressing, but it helps.

                                PRs: 1500 4:54.1 2019 - 5K 17:53 2023 - 10K 37:55 2023 - HM 1:21:59 2021

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