[Misc] Plantar Fasciitis...

[LamieRobertson]

Visit to a physio will be much more worthwhile than a GP although you will have to pay around £50-£60 for the privilege.
Spiky foot rollers and calf stretches helped me initially however a physio visit uncovered a lack of ankle flexibility due to a previous fracture playing 5-a-side which was the likely cause of the problem. They managed to sort it out in a couple of sessions and running is whole lot easier now apart from the sciatic nerve now playing up.

I had the issue last year (maybe one b4) and went to a physio who I’ve found a big help over the last decade or so with various ailments…but they directed me to a podiatrist…they shaped a pair of insoles to fit my feet/arches ….problem sorted within a few weeks to much relief and only a couple of visits

 

[Ⓩ-Ⓐ-Ⓜ-Ⓞ-Ⓡ-Ⓐ]

I’ve found stretching my calf twice a day with this has really helped

Amazon product ASIN B09F19GDWN

 

[A mex eyecan]

I’m virtually living in Sketchers Arch fit trainers now and have to say they have been brilliant.
Also took up yoga once a week for about a year now and that has also helped considerably. It’s also helped loads with chronic shin splints.

 

[MTSeagulls]

What are you using your feet for in bed?

No, actually this is very true. Wearing a plantar fasciitis boot in bed at night can keep your foot from bending forward and causing more pain in that muscle.

I could tell you but only El Presidente would understand (and probably has a video)

 

[GJN1]

I had this off and on for YEARS what solved it was two things: a plantar fasciitis boot (you can find them on Amazon) worn at night.

Gives a whole new meaning to "I'm just going to slip into something more comfortable darling..."

 

[Jam The Man]

Firstly total sympathy because I know how painful it is.

I got diagnosed in October 2020 and for the best part of 3 years was in considerable pain. I tried various insoles, various shoes, various socks, spiky balls etc that any doctor or other apparent expert would suggest. Tried all the exercises too. No joy.

Eventually because I was bracing my plantar issue so much, it caused tendinitis on the top of the foot too and this made it all incredibly unbearable and I ended up in hospital two or three times because of the pain.

I finally got referred back end of last year and the link below has been an absolute saviour.

https://amzn.eu/d/4CAQkjD

…it’s shorter and firmer then the other insoles I’ve tried, and I’ve not had a single ounce of plantar pain since I started using those in all my footwear since.
To solve the tendinitis, I went privately and paid £150 for an injection into the top part of my foot and a second one into my heel six months later - it’s an absolute joy to walk around without pain, so hopefully between all these posts you’ll find something which gives you relief!

 

[wehatepalace]

I suffered with this for about 2 years, I was in agony, GP and physio appointments made no difference, eventually I saw a really good podiatrist who recommended these…….they look really uncomfortable but I promise you it made so much difference, within a week the pain and virtually gone.
I still have them in my shoes and my feet are the best they’ve ever been !

Insoles

Also get a pair of these to wear when you can, really comfy and really help with the pain too

Oofos

 

[thedonkeycentrehalf]

Windballs are the softer Kwik-Cricket rubber balls - ideal for younger soft-ball play
Incredi-balls are the hard plastic training balls complete with seam stitching

Which do you mean?

Sorry for the confusion, it is the windball I have used. When working from home, I have it under my desk and roll it around as a force of habit when I feel my foot getting tight again. Got my neighbour one as well as she was suffering and she finds it has helped her

 

[Hampster Gull]

Had it for a couple of years, did much of what's been said. The one thing that sorted it, and immediately, was one corticosteroid injection. A doctor can do it.

 

[Birdie Boy]

Had issues for years, after loads of tests they said it is not fascilitis nor arthritis. Eventually got arch support and then short length ones to have more room in the toes and that worked too a certain extent. I also have arch fit skechers.
I'm now living abroad in year round sun and in flip flops all day and evening. I can stand for hours now and walk absolutely fine. Its funny how you can feel no pain and it feels like bliss. Ican even walk around bare foot on toes floors. Until I went back to the UK again last week, put shoes on and it was raining...

 

[herecomesaregular]

Second thing is zero drop / no heel trainers with a wide toe box and shoes with as minimal heel and little support as possible. Our feet are designed to flex and adjust to terrain far more than most shoes and trainers allow. A physio who was militant about how cushioning caused more joint issues than it solved got me onto this type of footwear and it solved many years of knee problems, associated hip problems, as well as plantar fasciitis never having returned. It takes a couple of weeks for ankle and achilles to get used to the lack of support but I'd never go back now.

Interesting - what brand footwear?

 

[um bongo molongo]

Had issues for years, after loads of tests they said it is not fascilitis nor arthritis. Eventually got arch support and then short length ones to have more room in the toes and that worked too a certain extent. I also have arch fit skechers.
I'm now living abroad in year round sun and in flip flops all day and evening. I can stand for hours now and walk absolutely fine. Its funny how you can feel no pain and it feels like bliss. Ican even walk around bare foot on toes floors. Until I went back to the UK again last week, put shoes on and it was raining...

Never mind the feet issues, where do you live for all round sun?!

 

[um bongo molongo]

Interesting - what brand footwear?

I’m interested in the answer to this too. My issue came about after I went for a long walk in Air Max’s and I think that may have been a contributing factor.

 

[MTSeagulls]

Had issues for years, after loads of tests they said it is not fascilitis nor arthritis. Eventually got arch support and then short length ones to have more room in the toes and that worked too a certain extent. I also have arch fit skechers.
I'm now living abroad in year round sun and in flip flops all day and evening. I can stand for hours now and walk absolutely fine. Its funny how you can feel no pain and it feels like bliss. Ican even walk around bare foot on toes floors. Until I went back to the UK again last week, put shoes on and it was raining...

Same here, except within 6 months I developed tailor's bunions in both feet

 

[Happy Exile]

Interesting - what brand footwear?

I’ve worn Altra Lone Peak for a while now - they’re too cushioned to be truly barefoot but are zero drop and wide toe box which alone makes the a big difference https://ultralightoutdoorgear.co.uk/lone-peak-8/

The reason zero drop takes getting used to is your ankle and joints have to adjust to the bumps and changes in the ground in the way they were designed to do. We’ve often “trained” that out of ourselves with heels and thick cushions absorbing those changes while we barely notice.

 

[Algernon]

Had it for a while then realised that it was a new pair of trainers that sparked it off. As soon as I ditched them and went back to my older trainers it started getting better until it went away.
It's bloomin painful so I hope you get it resolved quickly however you can.

 

[Birdie Boy]

Never mind the feet issues, where do you live for all round sun?!

Saudi

 

[Bozza]

Interesting - what brand footwear?

I’m interested in the answer to this too. My issue came about after I went for a long walk in Air Max’s and I think that may have been a contributing factor.

Altra are the running shoes that are renowned for being zero drop, ie there's no tapering down from the heel to the toe. They're still pretty cushioned though - https://www.altrarunning.eu/uk/

Vivo Barefoot are far thinner and minamlist - https://www.vivobarefoot.com/uk/mens

 

[ChickenBaltiPie]

ITS NASTY!! I had to give up running for a couple of years!

May not be of any help to anyone, sounds like there are plenty of other suggestions I didn’t even realise existed but I found, if out walking, all I had to do (REPEATEDLY) was place my toes on a curb and stretch it out and if at home I do it on the stairs but anything will do the same job. It did wonders! Almost like flicking a switch at times!

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

I had this about a decade ago in both feet brought on by stupidly running long distances before I was properly ready. GP was rubbish, offered injections which I was advised against and also said he’d get me walking again but the NHS isn’t there to get me up to marathon standard. Charming.

I went private and ended up seeing a lady who looked after some of the Sussex cricketers. She assessed me and ended up giving me 3 exercises for each foot which I did morning and lunch time and after a few months I was running again. She was excellent and worth every penny. I really cannot express how helpful she was.