After Holly mentioned this might draw some interest, I decided that maybe I could get some helpful feedback from other runners who have dealt with PF.

 

- What kind of shoes were/are you running in? Stability, neutral, etc

 

- Has anyone used steroids to treat it?

 

- How long did you have to stop running, and did it ever completely heal?

 

- Or, did you run through the injury? Did that help/make it worse?

 

- Orthodics, yes or no?

 

- Could you use machines like the eliptical while you were off?

 

- Foam roller, tennis or golf ball to relieve sore spots on the bottom of your foot? Which worked best? Ice?

 

My DH told me I was already crabby, and I've only been dealing with not running for one day. Help me out, people!

I've had 2 really bad episodes of PF.  1st in 1999 I had been running in neutral shoes with some Dr. Scholls inserts.  I also was in the process of building 2 youth baseball fields & had been doing a lot of kicking, jumping and pushing the shovel with my left foot.  It started slow & progressed steady until it became unbearable in 4-6 weeks.  3 weeks no running & very limited walking.  I could not walk, run or even stand without great pain.  The doctor said I could try oral steroids or a shot. He felt it had progressed to far for other options.  I took the shot & it was amazing.  I swear the pain was gone instantly.  I could feel the pain leave the foot along with the needle.  I walked out of the office a new man.

 

In 2003 I stepped on a upside down home plate in the storage barn of the ball fields.  This time it was the right foot (not the left) the spike got me right in the heel.  What we put up with for the things we love!. The pain seem to spread & worsen the next 2 weeks.  It was definitely PF although the cause was a bit unusual.  I went back to the doc & he recommended another shot because it worked so well the 1st time.  This time the shot itself hurt like heLL.  The next day I felt like the shot had failed but 2 days later it was much better then gone completely the 3rd day

 

Between the PF episodes I switched over to stability shoes and over the counter orthodics .  I do have feet that are very flat. 

Icing helped temporarily but it was always the same or worse the next morning.  Golf ball rolling was very painful & did not seem to help.  Rubbing in Aspercream felt great but also temporary.  I think it was the rub more than the cream. 

 

Since I do not believe my PF bouts were not caused by running, I'm not sure how this may help.  But I wish you the  best and speedy recovery.  . 

OK.. SInce I've sucessfully treated what my Dr said was the worst case of PF he had ever seen. I'll share my story and opinion.

 

Getting through Plantar Fasciitis

 

This is my account of a really bad PF issue which was successfully resolved:

 

 

On February 17, 2007 I ran my (still) PR and BQ marathon.  Upon training for my first Boston in 2 months, I too aggressively built miles and hills and my foot started complaining by hurting during the first steps out of bed in late February. I still ran. Another 50 and 60 mile weeks and it progressed to a point where I found myself icing the bottom of the foot with a frozen bottle, wearing a foot splint (keeps the foot near 90°) at night, taping the foot (only to have skin peel off).  It finally hurt enough to back off. But two runs later it had a stabbing, burning, searing pain which prevented any running and made walking difficult.  Running was abandoned by March 20^th. I started doing only elliptical.

 

 

March 23^rd I saw my Sports Doctor who said; sure we can get you to Boston.  Just wear an Air Cast and try running in 2 weeks.  So I wore that all day and night for two weeks. Still hurt. Dr ordered MRI and gave me 3 more weeks of AirCast foot immobilization. More elliptical.

 

 

The MRI on April 20^th (no Boston of coarse!) showed “the worst case of PF I’ve ever seen” said the Dr.  “Probable medial tear”  So continue to immobilize the foot treating it like a severe sprain but can still cross train (without the boot). More elliptical until April 24^th when I switched to deep water running at the pool.  (Still wearing the boot night and day)

(water running: http://pfitzinger.com/labreports/water.shtml )

 

 

May 21^st started a slow transition from pool to land using Pfitzinger’s plan (http://pfitzinger.com/labreports/stressfracture.shtml )

 

 

June 9^th ran a slow 5K Race for the Cure but foot felt fine

 

 

July 4^th up to 30 MPW and July 15^th up to 40 MPW

 

August 28^th 1^st Intervals post PF

 

 

November 10^th BQ at Richmond

 

No PF issues since 2007.

 

Key is:

Immobilize for 6 weeks then only at night if there is any soreness on first steps in the morning.

 

PF tries to heal itself at night and if the foot hangs down, it heals un-tensed. In the morning the fascia is stretched and the night time repairs are re-torn (ouch).  If the foot is in a boot or night splint then it heals flexed so it is less likely to tear during those first steps.

 

What I wore to immobilize foot:

 

Daytime: Air Cast: http://www.aircast.com/index.asp/fuseaction/products.detail/cat/2/id/14

Night: Night Splint: http://www.footsmart.com/P-Night-Splint-Passive-FootSmart-10097.aspx

 

 

 

Bottom Line:

The timing could have been shorted by putting the foot in a night splint when the first symptoms occurred (foot pain on first steps in the morning) and do that every night until first steps are normal. No running but do pool running.

PF can be beat.  Also, I had/have a heel spur and they do not cause pain. (I'm sure it's still there)

Also: maintain flexibility in hamstrings, calf and soleus.

During the PF PT, I started wearing Blue Super Feet insoles in my Asics 21X0's.  They now have over 6000 miles on them buit I still wear them just in case.

 

I researched Cortisone shots and was scared away for PF.  Just too risky to make it worse and unresolvable. 

 

I hope this helps

 

Steve

 

 

Key is:

Immobilize for 6 weeks then only at night if there is any soreness on first steps in the morning.

 

There is no soreness in the morning - that's why I didn't even consider PF. The doc said that it can present itself in different ways, though. The pain is more in the arch of my foot. Monday when I ran, the first mile and a half were pretty painful, then it's like whatever is causing the pain gets stretched out or relaxes, and I finished the run without any discomfort. But it sure hurt when I was done running, and by the end of the day - well - ouch.

 

It's been over 24 hours and I still can't feel the relief from the cortisone shot - hopefully tomorrow. Decided to skip the steroids and try to get by with ice and Aleve. Instructions were no flip-flops, sandals or shoes without good arch support. Guess that means I don't have to worry about pedicures and the hot summer colors for nail polish

 

Thank you everyone for your feedback.  It sounds like a lot of you have had good luck with orthodics. I think my first step is to go back to my stability shoes and go from there.