I’ve been struggling with Plantar Fasciitis for about 6 months now. Although the pain has eased a bit I can’t walk more than a mile without it coming back.

I’m doing calf stretches more frequently as well as various foot wiggling things as advised by physio. It the longer this goes on the more I’m threatened with a cortisone injection which is guaranteed to make everyone except Chuck Norris cry.

I see the Internet offers plenty of advice on taping, night splits ibuprofen etc so just wondering if anyone has any experience or other suggestions?

I’m keen to avoid the needle as I don’t want to cry like a little girl and also it appears to ease the pain rather than actually fix the problem.

Any advice/experince greatly appreciated!

Roll a golf ball under your foot when sat at the computer. Gradually increase the pressure.

Have you got simple gel insoles for your shoes? I got this in 2009 not really sure why or how I got it (probably lots of time on feet from job and running). I had to completely give up running and circuit training but with stretchign and the golf ball exercise it got better and mid 2010 it went and had no problems… until about 3 weeks ago.
Did a half marathon had been training, did an off road half …. it has seriously cripped me and my heel back to square one. Wearing my gel insoles in my shoes seems to really help, some of these:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Scholl-Orthaheel-Heel-Reliever-Medium/dp/B0038KN7KY/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1344974533&sr=8-2

otherwise it’s just do NOT do lots of walking, let alone running or circuit training and stretch the foot every day.

Good luck I know how hideous, painful and frustrating it can be. I have a silly triathlon to do in 3 weeks which finishes with a 10k run and at this rate I won’t have run in 6 weeks….. I’ll do it but then give it up for the winter if heel still bad.

Just got mine sorted out, went to a physio who made me squeak by massaging the sole of my foot. My exercises include a golf practice ball under your foot as often as you can, easy while sat at desk in work. Roll it around under your foot pressing down hard. Put a block of wood on the floor, 2 inches high. Toes on that with heel on floor and raise your self up to tip toes. Do that as many times as possible. Belt around foot just below the toes, straight leg and pull back stretching Achilles.

Hope this helps.

Oh and do the golf ball thing having put the golf ball in the fridge so it’s cold helps supposedly.

Oh and do the golf ball thing having put the golf ball in the fridge so it’s cold helps supposedly.

Well the mrs had this and was causing problems with her running got it sorted with a good sports physio and accupuntcher. Not a NHS job 3 sessions (physio and accupuntcher) close to £200.

Just found these too:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ORTHAHEEL-SHOCK-ABSORBER-ORTHOTICS-INSOLES-SIZE-5-6-5-FASCIITIS-/150806002907?pt=UK_Health_Beauty_Mobility_Disability_Medical_ET&hash=item231cbcfcdb

My physio said that inserts weren’t needed. So far he seems to be right.

Everyone is different though.

Thanks guys and girls, seems like there are a number of other things I can try as well then.

The golf ball and wood block seem much like torture so I reckon thats got to be worth a go. I had acupuncture for a bad back some time ago so I might look into that as well.

It’s just so frustrating and stops you doing so much I can’t believe it! Perhaps a healthy new dose of patience is needed too

Wear proper shoes, mine came on after wearing summer sandal flip flop things. Once I replaced these with real shoes all was ok, also less walking round in bare feet

Lots of stretching worked for me.

PF is a bit like IBS. It doesn’t really mean anything as it covers a multitude of sins. Keep pressing until someone can actually tell you what it really is.

Took me two and a half podiatrists and a biomechanist before I got there. For example, my calves have never been tight so stretches would have been a waste of time. I found two frozen 500ml bottles of water were good to roll my feet on to ease the pain though.

Where abouts in the country are you? I can suggest a top bloke if you’re near the east midlands.

Hard to believe but I got shot of it in my right foot by running.
I had it for around a year, getting more managable as the time passed, but it was always there. I moved abroad and ended up running into work for 5 weeks as I had no access to other transport until then. Three miles there and back, after four or so weeks I realised that it had gone, not sure why.
Got it in my left foot in 2011 and took around six months to get rid off. Used the golf/tennis ball massage, rolled a bottle of vodka that had been in the freezer with my foot and used a splint sock at night that stretched your foot, all of these seemed to work and it disappeared.

Try the advice here…

http://www.runnersworld.co.uk/beating-injury/beat-plantar-pain/7554.html#historysub

The first time I used a hilarious elasticated foot sock with velcro strap to stretch the calf during sleep- this time, having lost that contraption moving house, I just did a lot of stretching and icing which helped the same. Rolling a frozen water bottle under the foot can kill two birds with one stone

This is thread of the week for me, just been getting into running longer distances and my right heel is ruined. So, time for some rest from circuits and stretches then I guess.

I stopped running in bare feet (used to do it during warm ups for martial arts) which cleared it up quite a bit, then swapped shoes (I have to wear steel toe caps for work). Cleared it up nicely for me.

I’m curious what symptoms people have and how you were diagnosed. I was told that my midfoot pain problem was probably PF, but it wasn’t certain. Anyway having a label doesn’t really help much – what seems to have finally cured mine is sorting out my foot flexibility (which was also contributing to my very long standing achilles problems). All I’ve been doing different/extra is exercises to flex my foot by getting it to flatten correctly as I rotate my shin – something which wasn’t working properly before.

Hi
For me it all started with plantar fasciitis. The best cardio exercise for someone with plantar fasciitis is swimming and riding a bicycle. I used to smoke a lot and decided to quit – gained weight… Then I started to run and I got plantar fasciitis so I started to swim and cycle. Today I’m better with my PF so I ended up as a triathlete. I have finished my first olympic triathlon race a year ago. It didn’t all happen at once you know (few years), and today I am already 45 years old, lost weight and in great shape… I say never give up.
There are many things you can do to treat your PF although I understood that treatment efficiency is very individual. If something works for one it will not necessarily work for the other.
I have found taping very useful. Taping will keep your foot from getting injured again and will help you get through your daily routine and exercises.
I found a very informative website in:
http://www.plantar-fasciitis-elrofeet.com
Take care & Good luck

aracer – I have to admit to this being self-diagnosed/internet diagnosed.

Ran a 10k, then kept up regular runs for the next couple of weeks despite the discomfort, then recently walked up Snowdon again – and on the descent it got very painful, next day was not able to walk on it at the start of the day, but it eased over the day.

Worse first thing in the morning, worsens after runs. Right foot only not left foot and feels like a very bruised heel although the heel is not tender to the touch.

Really hoping avoiding running for a few weeks and following some calf stretching exercises will help ease it. Tempted to go see the local sports physio if it doesn’t get any better though.

+1 for the golf ball excersize.
Plastic drinks bottle fill with water and freeze, roll foot over that and increase pressure gradually.
Wear supportive shoes.
Towel stretch your feet BEFORE you get out of bed.
Calf stretches, both gastroc and soleus (google stretches) as often as you can throughout the day, at least 3-5 times per day, sets of 3 per muscle group.
Intense deep self massage of the medial fascial band as often as you can (it hurts like hell) i have found to have good results.
7-10mm heel raise shoe inserts will take the strain off the achillies and the fascia.

Can take months to clear… 😕

Best of luck with sorting this out. I suffered for three months last year and ruined a whole tri race season due to lack of training.

Wholehearthedly support the importance of deep and (almost painful) golf-ball or coke can massage. The more intense the better IMO. That plus stretching. I used a coke can constantly for about 2 months at work.

Plus, check your shoes. I got PF from ultras and found that Innov8 shoes (great in their own right) didn’t suit my feet at all for runs over an hour or so.

Don’t know where abouts in the country you are but this guy sorted me out:

http://www.reboundclinic.co.uk/news04.htm

IIRC cost about £250 for the implants but he gives you some temp ones first and only if they relieve the symptoms does he charge you the full amount.

I went from being just about unable to walk to a complete cure in 6 weeks and have had no recurrence in the last 5 years. No connection with him just a very satisfied customer.

Most frustrating thing I’ve had, took a month of no running or riding and only short walks in proper shoes and it’s not come back yet. Guessing I had a mild case. It was brought on by overdoing it on a run, bike rides seemed to alleviate things once the searing pain had eased, started running (nervously!) again about 8 weeks after.

I’ve had PF twice in the past. First time was from walking to work in crap unsupportive shoes. I got stuck into all the things recommended above – splints, Ibuprofen, massaging, taping etc etc. Took me ages to get rid of it but in the end I found ice and a bit of taping worked best for me.

I found that with the calf stretch splint things I would just wake up in the middle of the night with an intensely aching foot/ankle and take it off.

Second time I got rid of it in a couple of weeks with just ice.

Ice in the morning, ice in the evening, ice whenever you get half a chance! Kill that inflammation!

I had this for 6 months, and it still rears its ugly head now and again. I swear by using silicone heel insoles when it does, as well as using supportive orthotics all the time, in every pair of shoes.

i got it when i started wearing running trainers instead of flat skate type shoes, changed back and made all the difference. think the raised heel in the runners screws thigns a bit…

orthotics sorted me out

so it}s not the latin name for going over the handlebars?

I have it and was sent to see a consultant at Rheumatology who examined my feet and then made me some inserts for my shoes which have helped me no end.The inserts were temporary so I then purchased some inserts from boots and after a couple of months I have had a vast improvement. Try a cold can of coke from the fridge and roll your foot it helped me but remember flat feet dont just go it is a long term problem so good inserts that support the arches are forever really.

I have a silly triathlon to do in 3 weeks which finishes with a 10k run and at this rate I won’t have run in 6 weeks

Not much to add, but it could be worse – I have a triathlon (with an off road 10k) next weekend, and did my first run in 2 years last week. My heel still hurts now, so I suspect I’m not cut out to be a runner (hence not having run for 2 years).

I have had PF in both feet in the past, as above golf ball (it will hurt),frozen bottle/can that fits insole and roll it, good trainers,walking shoes that are not to hard (gel heel things help) Ibuprofen, pain killers may help, massaging (again it will hurt).
The best thing for night was a piece of wood approx 30mm x 10mm x 200mm bandaged to the bottom of my foot not dead tight but tight enough that it kept it flatish then in the morning remove wood stretch the foot ( this stops the instep muscle from tearing each morning which damages it further ) this realy helped me and I found it alot more effective than the booty splinty thing.
Standing for a long time can affect it ie job, sport etc
Have you ruled out heal spur (x-ray) which also affects some PF sufferers, My doc said ‘cortisone injections’ just mask the pain and dont work very well (and yes they will make you cry like a girl)
I hope it gets better soon

Used to get PF, but resolved itself by a change in the type of running I did. Used to do a lot of slower, longer distance running (as well as cycling) and was getting PF pains. Spent ages trying to get it resolved with podiatrist inserts (waste of money) and rolling the golf ball (but that only treats the symptoms, not the cause).

Eventually, and completely unrelatedly, started doing some sprint work up hills. That seemed to cure it almost overnight. I’m sure someone can explain the physiological process I went through (stretching of the plantar band?) but have not had any issues since.

Thanks for all the advice – it seems that there are as many possible cures as there are causes.

This a number of things here that I’ve not yet tried so I’ll give them a go and I think I need to be a bit better at helping myself. I’ve never been very flexible so I think that tight calves are definitely not helping. So I reckon stretching, ice/ball and inserts will be the first changes.

It seems more common than I ever realised and hopefully some of the other sufferers have got some use from this thread! If/when I find a solution I’ll let you know!

If you’re near Milton Keynes, go and see Paul Joyce. He fixed me with one session of acupuncture. I went from crutches on the way in to skipping with disbelief on the way out.

Best thing I’ve had was a chiropractor who dis-impacted my heel bone by giving it a really hefty yank, nearly pulling me off the table! This, as well as lots of massaging of he sole of my feet.

It started for me after a fast run down Cat Bells which could well have impacted my heel bone in the first place.