Plantar Fasciitis

I suffered from plantar for months. I notice others share my previous symptoms, pain in the foot when lying down and tenderness on first walking, in the morning.

I fitted Dr Scholl insoles, with raised arch (metal covered with leather). In a few weeks the symptoms disappeared. I slipped a pair of these into all my shoes and that seems to have solved the problem. I don't do sport, but walk three miles to work each morning and often, back in the evening. I wear out my soles, but no longer my instep.

 

Excellent, but if you broke your leg, would you leave the cast on for the rest of your life? I know several people who've changed their life by reading "Born to Run"

Follow up with Dr Sarno's"the Divided Mind" if you want to be completely pain free.

Dave

 

Dave, yours and other posts have made me wonder about insteps. Maybe I could do without them and not fear the return of plantar, but I think there is another consideration.

I find that insteps make my shoes more comfortable. I don't think of them as a crutch, more of a means to make my shoes 'beslpoke', moulded to fit my foot as it were. Given that I take a brisk walk of at least three miles a day, comfortable shoes are a must.

I used to sufer from back pain and this has disappeared. I've no idea why.

 

Read born to run. Your shoes are part of the problem. Shoe technology has changed the way we walk and run. As a result we are changing our gait and putting stress on the wrong parts of our bodies. Moreover, we are "turning off" muscles so other muscles have to pick up the slack. I don't completely believe in MAT, but there is enough evidence to support the theory that many of our joint and muscle ailments are caused by our shoes and how we use our muscles. FWIW, many of the principles of aikido rely on turning muscles off.

 

me too... stress fractures, torn calves...

Born to run was very compelling and I wanted to buy into it... until I knew more healthy people who injured themselves than not.

Tread carefully with any big change.

I'm going to get "Divided Mind" on my nook and give it a read.

 

Carefully, and gradually is the key - too many people read Born to Run, go out and buy Vibram Five Fingers or other minimalist shoes, then try to run 5 km in them the next day. They're the ones who injure themselves, and it's to be expected.

It takes a planned, gradual program to build up the strength and endurance in your feet, ankles, calves, to be able to do "barefoot" running for any significant distance. I took a few months to build up to a 10K distance, but 6 months later I ran a marathon in minimalist shoes. That was 4 years ago, I've run 6 marathons and a dozen half marathons since, and I've had no relapse of the PF, and no new injuries either. The low impact, minimalist running style, once my feet and legs were stronger, has avoided the typical running injuries entirely.

 

As you know, the real point of BTR is to avoid the heel strike. I would suggest running very short distances bare foot and pay attention to how you run (you can only do it right because any other way will hurt immediately.) Then run the Same way in standard running shoes but without extra high heels. If you are running correctly, a padded arch under your foot won't make any difference because you won't be using it. The minimalist shoes are sort of a gimmick. I think the threat of stepping on a nail in a minimalist shoe carries a higher risk than the arch in a running shoe.

Dave

Edit, Keep in mind that although the human foot was designed to work naked, it wasn't designed to run on concrete.

Second Edit, I don't mean to put down minimalist shoes. I have owned several without any trouble, however they are expensive and due to their lightweight construction, don't last very long.

Third edit, BTR makes a case for minimalist shoes, but in no way says they are necessary. In fact the point is made that old worn out running shoes are as good as any.

 

I have had chronic foot/heel/gait problems due to dysplasia in both hips. In the past five years, I've had both hips resurfaced, which also straightened out my splay-footed walk. The hip issues created chronic pain in my foot & heel, and I went through orthotics, insoles, etc. time and time again. When I was finally diagnosed with the dysplasia, my ortho guy recommended I try Superfeet insoles (Superfeet | Premium Insoles & Shoe Inserts). I got one pair and put them in my cross-trainers. They created almost immediate relief (there was some pain as my arch was lifted to where it should have been, but that dissipated quickly), and I put them in my gym workout shows, too. Of course, many of the therapies noted on this thread are helpful (stretching, NSAID's, etc.) but if you are considering sole inserts or similar, these things are way better than those you'll find at the drug store.

I've been using them for three years, and they work great. My wife, who walks 4-5 miles 3x weekly, recently started complaining about heel pain. We went to REI & fitted her with a pair of Superfeet & her pain also almost immediately disappeared.

I wouldn't post this if they didn't work so well, and if folks knew about them more widely. I'm not certain how available they are nationally, but they are worth checking out if you can find a retailer. I own no stock, etc., so this perspective is just from another person who has suffered for years, and who found relief.

Bob H

 

it hurts. ...it is an inflammation of the nerve running down at the bottom of your heel
doc says just need to stretch it often...not working...2 weeks later still hurts...doc said it is very very common. Dou you agree?? thanks.

 

Claudio,

Find a massage therapist trained in "Myofascial Release". I'm sure that'll get a joke or two here, but it will get you relief.

Call around until you find someone who simply knows the word "Myofascial".

Matt

 

I had the same thing, could hardly walk in the morning. I went to a shop that sold only plastic inserts. They measured everything. The set cost me 200.00, now these are'nt those crappy Dr Scholls at wal mart. When I first started wearing them it felt like I had a coke bottle under my foot. After a while it felt good. Ive been pain free for 3 years and even though I should still wear them, I dont. I did not think they would help at all, but my wife did, she was the one who got me into the store. Good luck.

 

As for very very common, unsure. But yes, it is common. Gf has it. It will flare up from time to time, but she goes into the podiatrist every few years and gets new inserts which set her feet straight. She's quite athletic, and runs quite a bit. She pushes on, but some days it's too painful.

Some people have tried the bare foot / minimal shoe route with success, but unsure if they are for you or will work for you.

 

I got it too and yes it does hurt. Been wearing a boot at night that keeps my foot streched a bit with an angled pad so my toes are closer to my shins. Had been working moderately well, however today my foot hurts as much as it ever has.

Will look into orthodics or possibly a cortizone shot.

 

It's not a nerve but rather the plantar fascia. This connective tissue layer is over stretched. When it tries to heal it contracts (at night when there's no weight bearing). The best way to expedite healing is a special boot, which maintains the foot in hyperextension so that the contracture doesn't occur and mitigates the pain in the morning and exacerbation during the course of the day. This along with regular stretching, good shoes, and pain mess (NSAIDS) ought to help resolution.

 

It helps to spell it correctly when you search , that way you can find the long previous thread here discussing this condition!

http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/health-fitness/410643-plantar-fasciitis.html

 

Thanks, Gordon.

Threads merged.

Mike

 

Lacrosse ball and while you are sitting on the couch, work it lengthwise and then back and forth. As you get better you can do it while standing. Ease into it.

Follow the above Dr rules as well, but a $2 ball works miracles...