Forums >Health and Nutrition>Plantar Fasciitis - Treatment Options that worked for you
I'm dealing with PF too, and have found rolling the golfball to be the most beneficial for me, accompanied by lots of stretching. I'm also doing most of the other things mentioned here, except for the taping. Thanks for sharing the links!
I have a question for those that are no longer dealing with it. As it heals, will the pain move to other areas? Mine first started primarily on the bottom of the heel, but recently seems to be more towards the back of the heel. Almost like its rolling up the Achilles.
I used a golf ball to roll out my foot. Lots of calf stretches. Tried to keep my foot dorsi flexed whenever possible(why night splints are good to help stretch the tendon) and also rolling out on a frozen water bottle. When I got it bad I took two days off and focused on that. In the past when I've had mild cases I'd be pretty okay running through it, I would just stay on flat soft surfaces, wear arch support socks, and heavier shoes
Immediately upon waking, before I get out of bed, I stretch (foot circles, point/flex) and then massage with a ball I keep on my bedside table. For my runs, I tape it and the taping makes a TREMENDOUS difference. I know because I've forgotten to tape and the runs are TONS more painful than they are with tape. I use Leukotape which is stronger/holds better than the KT tape I have. I do this method - but not as sloppy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Z2XlqsuQSY
I would have to cast my vote for the taping method shown in the video above. Have a running buddy that used the taping method in the video to get rid of her PF, and I have used it successfully as well. I just use the regular 1.5 inch athletic tape that you can find at any store with a pharmacy isle. Of course, your preference may vary.
I just got this a few days ago and it is a bajillion xs better than the Foot Rubz, tennis or golf balls. Its really sturdy, good sized, doesn't roll away when you are trying to get around to the various parts of your foot, and gets in crazy deep. SO worth buying. I saw that Camille Herron recommended it on her blog and that's why I pulled the trigger.
http://www.amazon.com/Foot-Log-FL101/dp/B004QZPVEA
I saw that Camille Herron recommended it on her blog and that's why I pulled the trigger.
IF Camille recommended its worth considering. She's given me a LOT of good advice over the past couple of years....
Champions are made when no one is watching
I recently started having pain in my left foot. I'm not entirely sure it's PF but I don't want to take chances. I am taking a week off and stretching and icing it. Is it possible to rehab PF while running?
Chief Unicorn Officer
I think I'm getting it. This week I've developed a murderous pain in my heel. This is very frustrating because I recently went back to using my orthotics which help with metatarsalgia in the opposite foot. After running in them for a week, I got the PF. I can't win!! I have a massage appointment Monday and my therapist is also trained in KT tape, so until then I'm stretching and rolling. Downhills are murder. Flats are not too bad.
Mile 5:49 - 5K 19:58 - 10K 43:06 - HM 1:36:54
I looked through the posts and didn't see anything about the toe spreader things. Those really work for me. Other than that, I rub the heck out of mine with a golf ball every morning and night. I've literally rubbed the cover off the ball. Good luck getting through it.
I looked through the posts and didn't see anything about the toe spreader things. Those really work for me. Other than that, I rub the heck out of mine with a golf ball every morning and night. I've literally rubbed the cover off the ball.
Good luck getting through it.
Yogatoes feel awesome. I'm not sure if they help, but I *heart* them. MJ recommended them for general use.
Now that I am 5-6 weeks into PF, heat helps often times too - more than ice. I am stretching, icing, strengthening, self-Grastoning/getting Graston still. I'll add to my OP that Green Superfeet are FANTASTIC for arch support - that's my newest discovery and I wish I had bought them weeks prior. The custom insoles from my PT are junk. The Superfeet insoles work super week along with low dye taping to give me that added support.
Someone asked about running through it. I tried initially to run through it - ran two 100+ mile weeks and an 80 mile week, before I had to shut it down. I got Cortisone x 1 9 days ago. I improved somewhat from that shot and I'm able to run now, but nowhere near the distance I'm use to running. Oh, and that freaking Strassburg sock - I take back my recommendation. It caused me MORE probs because of the way it cranks your toes back at night (top of foot pain, ankle issues - they resolved now, but OMG was I pissed that I was trying to treat 1 prob and ended up with another). I ended up getting a night splint from Running Warehouse that works much better and doesn't crank my toes back. I'm going to get another Cortisone shot Monday and hope to hell that that shot gets rid of what's left of this.
MJ: OMG, downhills SUCK. Finally, the last few days, downhills have gotten better/less painful than they have been since I got PF. That is how I know I'm healing up because they are so excruciating otherwise.
Icing worked best for me. I would ice it a couple of times each day for as long as I could stand. The progress was gradual, but I was able to continue running and the symptoms eventually disappeared.
Full Stride Running
Highly, highly recommend finding a therapist that does Graston and ART. It will solve your PF...guaranteed.
For what it's worth, here's my article on the subject: http://fullstriderunning.com/2012/06/running-injuries-plantar-fasciitis/
You seemed to have missed a big one. Cortisone shot in the heel.
I had PF for about 2 years. Nothing really worked..and I mean nothing. The first cortisone shot lasted a couple weeks, the second shot lasted a little longer.
I did find that taping (you can look on youtube) provided the best relief so that I could still train through it. Mine was never horrible, but it was painful.
The thing that probably helped me the most to finally get rid of it was the introduction of the Kinvara.
I think the lesson here is that each person responds differently.
I do have an old Strassburg sock...if anyone is interested.
run, rest & read
Walking on these stones worked for me, along with night splints. The stones helped break up the scar tissue. Kind of like a self applied foot massage, but more painful. You can just see the feet in the photo of the person wearing shoes. I walked on them barefoot to help my pf.
I have recently found some relief by using a heating pad.
Consistently Slow
Easy trails and minimalist shoes did it for me. Two weeks of trails/ grass( soccer field) 4 days a week.
Run until the trail runs out.
SCHEDULE 2016--
The pain that hurts the worse is the imagined pain. One of the most difficult arts of racing is learning to ignore the imagined pain and just live with the present pain (which is always bearable.) - Jeff
http://bkclay.blogspot.com/