RunningAHEAD - Topic: Plantar Fasciitis Thread

bap

posted: 12/27/2007 at 8:41 PM

Quote from bap on 12/27/2007 at 12:45 PM:

I got that suggestion from Nobby Hashizume on coolrunning.com

It doesn't work.

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charleygross

Manchild

posted: 12/27/2007 at 9:12 PM

I had PF for 18 months. I tried taking time of from running but couldn't handle it. I started back into running with alot of pain, varying as my distances run did. I tried the soles that SR mentioned, went to a doctor and he gave me a loop and hook, semi hard "cast" to sleep with which I tried as well. In the end and the "end" is a relative term, I found that by stretching my toes towards my knee whenever I was sitting with my leg up, reading the paper, a book, or watching TV, really made the difference. I also would not allow this pisser of an injury to derail my passion. I've had alot of injuries but this was one that I had to fight continuously and with great intensity to rid myself of. I still have some slight reoccurences from time to time but not nearly as consistently as before. Good luck to all! In my humble opinion, PF requires stretching alot!!!! Chris

johnmaas

posted: 12/27/2007 at 9:56 PM

Good thread boomers! I suffered through 11 months of PF, and I wouldn't wish it on the worst of my enemies... I'm not sure if recovering in 11 months qualifies me to give advice on how to recover from PF, but I can share with you what worked and did not work for me. What works: Icing the affected area. You cannot do this often enough. Gently stretch and massage the fascia. I did this by sitting on the couch, placing my affected foot up on top of my thigh. Then, gently pull back on the toes, and with your other hand use your thumb to massage the area just in front of the heel(usually the most tender area). Sometimes it would even sound and feel "crunchy" in there. I did this just about as often as icing the foot. I went to the podiatrist and spent a lot of money for orthotics. Sure, they will help by keeping you from over-pronating and aggravating the PF. But I'm not sold on whether they helped me much. After 2 months of using the orthotics and attempting to do some running in them, I got some Sole footbeds and had just as good (or better) results with them! http://www2.yoursole.com/ I've been using the Sole footbeds ever since. After a few months, I was able to increase mileage, but I kept all of it quite slow (usually 2:30/mi. slower than marathon race pace). After it starts getting better, you can ease into the harder training, but do it ever so slowly...I had quite a few setback because I wanted to get back into "racing" too soon. What does not work: Run in racing flats Speed work, hill work For those of you suffering from PF right now - Ice, massage, good foot support, and run verrrry slowly. Now, I'm attempting to recover from another common ailment - a SF(stress fracture) of my 2nd metatarsal. I am 8 weeks post diagnosis and trying to recover completely. Healing vibes to {{{{{{<all>>>>>>}}}}}} John </all>

Mariposai

posted: 12/28/2007 at 1:06 AM
modified: 12/28/2007 at 1:06 AM

This may be a very naive, post from a newbie who has not knowledge whatsoever about running, except the love of running Blush

...what does one do to prevent this monster called PF?

"Champions are everywhere; all you need is to train them properly..." ~Arthur Lydiard

perchcreek

i'm lovin' it... MM#1949

posted: 12/28/2007 at 7:14 AM

Quote from charleygross on 12/27/2007 at 9:12 PM:

......, I found that by stretching my toes towards my knee whenever I was sitting with my leg up, reading the paper, a book, or watching TV, really made the difference. Chris

Chris.. RIGHT ON!! That sounds like what I mean by a "leg up" hamstring stretch while pulling back on the toes. That stretch made a huge difference for me. Were you pulling your toes back as in stretch or flexing your toes back without touching?

Perch's Profile "I don't know if running adds years to your life, but it definitely adds life to your years." - Jim Fixx "The secret is to make in your mind possible what was not possible before. The secret is to make easy what was difficult, instead to make difficult what really is easy." - Coach Renato Canova

rgreen45

posted: 12/28/2007 at 7:46 AM

Quote from spacityrunner on 12/27/2007 at 5:55 PM:

Ray, thanks for the info on the orthotics...something to consider for sure. I used to wear superfeet (the green ones) but once I got the PF they made my foot feel worse, not better.

I can promise you that initially, the Walk-Fits will feel miserable. It's because your plantar fascia is so tight and these stretch it back out. An hour a day to start is good and build up from there. I had previously used a full insole called Powerstep which had me partially stretched back out. I could wear the Walk-Fits for about 5 hours when I first got them. Use them and be patient. They work, but it isn't pleasant at first.

At the end of the day, be happy with where you are and what you've accomplished.

bap

posted: 12/28/2007 at 8:15 AM

Quote from Mariposai on 12/28/2007 at 1:06 AM:

This may be a very naive, post from a newbie who has not knowledge whatsoever about running, except the love of running ...what does one do to prevent this monster called PF?

I'm not sure it can be prevented. Good shoes, even the ones that you don't wear for running would help. However, if you look at spareribs who seems to do everything right, its still impacted him. I guess regular stretching and icing of the foot may help as may arch supports.

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spacityrunner

posted: 12/28/2007 at 8:46 AM

Thanks Ray. I don't know what any one can do to prevent PF Confused

My sports doc asked me if I had increased my mileage or changed my shoes recently. I had changed my sneakers from Brooks to Asics. He claims that may of been the culprit. Also wanted to know what kind of shoes I wear (heels, flats, etc) and what kind of mileage I was doing. But, I think (and this is just my opinion) that the shape of my foot has changed recently and my arches have fallen. That is what caused it. You'all can dogpile on me if you want and tell me how crazy this thinking is. I am not able to support it with knowledge or research, just my gut feeling. I found this link in the CR med tent and found this to be very helpful http://www.urmc.rochester.edu/pr/news/story.cfm?id=1275 I think this is the same stretch everyone is chatting about...once I started doing this, I felt some relief. I don't know how folks ran with this. My hat is off to you. I tried, but it brought me to my knees. The pain was just too great for me to withstand. So, I jumped in the pool Cool

Now, I am a swimmer and a runner (I had to learn how to swim at my age...what was I thinking). Not bad for someone that did not participate in any kind of sport until just a short time ago.

Trails Rock!

perchcreek

i'm lovin' it... MM#1949

posted: 12/28/2007 at 10:04 AM

Liz.. I know that stretch and it helps. What I was talking about is pulling your foot (toes) back like that while having your leg straight and propped up on a counter like a classic hamstring stretch. The combination makes me feel a good stretch all along the back side of the leg. After doing this I would feel immediate pain relief in the PF area. As an alternative, just bending over and touching your toes to feel the stretch behind the legs works well. I think tight hamstrings somehow affect the PF. Sleeping in my air cast really helped too. Now I have a light weight night splint boot that I will wear if I feel ANY signs of soreness in the PF area. A couple nights will make the initial signs go away.

Perch's Profile "I don't know if running adds years to your life, but it definitely adds life to your years." - Jim Fixx "The secret is to make in your mind possible what was not possible before. The secret is to make easy what was difficult, instead to make difficult what really is easy." - Coach Renato Canova

Spareribs

King of PhotoShop

posted: 12/28/2007 at 10:22 AM

Quote from bap on 12/28/2007 at 8:15 AM:

I'm not sure it can be prevented. Good shoes, even the ones that you don't wear for running would help. However, if you look at spareribs who seems to do everything right, its still impacted him. I guess regular stretching and icing of the foot may help as may arch supports.

I can tell you exactly what brought it on for me. (And thank you bap). I was having some pain in the left hip, a strain of some sort. Been out with it since July. Last year it was piriformis on right side, year before it was piriformis on left side, and earlier this year it was sciatica. The PT had me do some exercises to demonstrate that I was both a pronator and that my knees were collapsing to the inside in my gait. You can look at this yourself, and you should. Stand on the bottom stair and then step down ten times with your right foot, and back up again. As you step up and down look at your knee and see if it rotates straight up and down. Mine went to the inside. Do this with both legs, ten on the other side. I now do 30 or more stepdowns each leg and the knee is perfectly straight but that is another story. I have more exercises for this. She also pointed out that with all this aberrant torque, it is no wonder I get injuries around the hip and butt as we are all one long piece; it's a system. So she recommended I use "Super Feet" inserts, the orange ones. Well, I went out to San Francisco on business and there was no place to run but on concrete and I ran onlhy 4 miles a day on concrete in those inserts, and I got PF from it. So that's it. Spareribs

charleygross

Manchild

posted: 12/28/2007 at 4:33 PM

Perch, I was pulling my toes back, as in stretch. Not with my hands, mind you, my toes independently, although I'm sure one could gently pull the toes with hand(s). Knee slightly bent helps while performing this stretch. Chris

rbbmoose

posted: 12/28/2007 at 6:26 PM

I had helacious PF for a while a few years back - icing after running and Ultra Sole shoe inserts (the ones with the graphite arch thingy) worked for me. - Good news is that this (at least for me) can be conquered and not chronic. Ray

Econo

posted: 12/28/2007 at 9:49 PM

mariposai, I got it from tearing up hills on my toes. Normally I do not run on my toes. The stress on my arch was too much and it tore quite suddenly...

rgreen45

posted: 12/29/2007 at 7:04 AM

Quote from spacityrunner on 12/28/2007 at 8:46 AM:

Thanks Ray. I don't know what any one can do to prevent PF

IMHO, the stretching exercises that are indicated as healing measures would be the best preventive medicine. Lots of runners stretch leg muscles, etc. and a few probably effect the plantar fascia. Those folks probably never get PF.

At the end of the day, be happy with where you are and what you've accomplished.

JJJessee

GreenMan

posted: 12/29/2007 at 8:36 PM

Okay Ray After some deliberation. and a snork at the Fast Twitch Witch, I'm on board. I think you may have something there with Walk-Fits. And if doesn't work we can always blame Millbot, jjj

Iron Mt. Trail Runners blogsite .... JJJessee blogsite ....Spring is here. Go outside and play.

Masters Running

Plantar Fasciitis Thread (Read 1019 times)