Plantar Fascitis--what has helped you?

[Carol in Cal.]

Warning:  After wearing fit flops and other shoes with arch support for a couple of years, I started to develop bunions--something I have never had before.  I have concluded that the arch support is a contributor to this, so I'm trying to dial it back somewhat while still not developing PF.  Just something to keep an eye on.

[Katy]

The most helpful thing has been going barefoot at all times when I'm at home.  It made my feet stronger and more flexible and I don't have as many problems.

 

I don't like "barefoot" type shoes when I go out however.  Instead I wear things with amazing arch support:

 

Okabashi "Classic" flip flops have the best arch support I've ever tried. They cost $20, but they're on sale for half off at Walgreens right now if you can find them. Only the "Classic" flip flops are so good though.  Other styles are too flexible. They are a little strange- the toe straps are somewhat low and my high-arched feet barely fit into them.  It's nice because they are more secure than most flip flops and won't just come off and don't put pressure between my toes like most flip flops do. The only problem with them is the tough, rubbery plastic they are made out of makes a perfect dog chew toy and I've had three pairs ruined, even from dogs who haven't chewed anything other than dog toys in several years.  When I take them off I put them up high on a shelf or a stool so they're not chewed up.

 

Otherwise I do tennis shoes or boots with Superfeet insoles, usually the green ones with the highest arch support.  They're pricey but totally worth it.

[Jackie]

I have never had plantar, so big grain of salt. I was taught ways of relieving plantar fasciitis in massage school. I was also taught how to use kinesio tape for people to self treat at home. K Tape is inexpensive and there are lots of sources online showing common ways of taping. I've had many runners swear by K taping.

[Carol in Cal.]

I'm bumping this for new patients with this problem.  Lots of varied and good advice in this thread.

[Ellie]

My doc says motrin as a regimen plus ice scrubs twice daily are the cure. My experience has been that that is not a cure, just a mitigation. I want to get BETTER!

 

What I have found is that stretching my toes back considerably before standing, and wearing shoes with a slight heel rather than flats, and walking more on the balls of my feet than heel to toe are really helping me.

 

What else has helped you?

 

Not just a shoe with heels, but a shoe with excellent arch supports. I paid a small fortune for some shoes I wore for several months that looked like Frankenstein boots. o_0 I also bought a pair of Keens, and a pair of FitFlops. I did not go barefooted for many months, not ever (which can be tricky if you are a hula dancer!).

[mom31257]

I used to have it but no longer. I spent a lot of time stretching my feet upward (toes coming toward shins), especially in the mornings upon waking, and I became more conscience of the position I had my feet in while sleeping. I would try to pull the sheets up kind of tight with my toes up. 

 

 

[Cindyz]

Mine was cured by wearing Okabashi at all times in the house, and out of the house (luckily it was spring/summer when I got them).  I bought 2 pair so one pair stayed clean for house only.   I suffered for about 8 months trying all sorts of different things before I discovered them .   I was cured within a month or two of wearing them exclusively.  If I'm not careful and wear other shoes for long walks, I can feel that dull ache again.  If I do, the Okabashis go back on immediately.

 

These are the ones I bought because I don't like a strap between my toes.  They are mens, but they look just fine for women too I think.

 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004NWM6VW/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B004NWM6VW&linkCode=as2&tag=whispesprin0e-20&linkId=3IGQNYLLT27BUE5R

[Raining Pineapples]

Wrapping it consistently at night finally helped me. I tried the brace, but could not sleep with that thing on. So, I learned to tape my foot at night and eventually switched to a flex wrap bandage to keep my foot in place. For icing/massage, I'd use a frozen water bottle and roll it under my foot for 10 min, 3 times a day.  I also started wearing shoes in the house.

Such a painful experience.

[Ellie]

The most helpful thing has been going barefoot at all times when I'm at home.  It made my feet stronger and more flexible and I don't have as many problems.

 

I don't like "barefoot" type shoes when I go out however.  Instead I wear things with amazing arch support:

 

Okabashi "Classic" flip flops have the best arch support I've ever tried. They cost $20, but they're on sale for half off at Walgreens right now if you can find them. Only the "Classic" flip flops are so good though.  Other styles are too flexible. They are a little strange- the toe straps are somewhat low and my high-arched feet barely fit into them.  It's nice because they are more secure than most flip flops and won't just come off and don't put pressure between my toes like most flip flops do. The only problem with them is the tough, rubbery plastic they are made out of makes a perfect dog chew toy and I've had three pairs ruined, even from dogs who haven't chewed anything other than dog toys in several years.  When I take them off I put them up high on a shelf or a stool so they're not chewed up.

 

Otherwise I do tennis shoes or boots with Superfeet insoles, usually the green ones with the highest arch support.  They're pricey but totally worth it.

 

And see, going barefooted was like knives in my feet. I have always been a barefooted kind of gal--it's one of the reasons I love doing hula, lol--but I had to start wearing shoes, really good shoes, with good arch supports, at all times, from the moment I got out of bed until the moment I stepped into the shower at night before going to bed. Now, I can go barefooted again, but when I wear casual shoes, they are expensive, with good arch supports.

[mom31257]

BTW, I don't wear shoes in the house, but we do have mostly carpet. 

 

[Sahamamama]

OLD THREAD:

 

But still, these have helped me.

 

http://www.heel-that-pain.com/

[Wheres Toto]

I read through this thread about a month ago. :001_smile:

 

I've had plantar fasciitis in the past, it got MUCH better over the summer but then came back with the cold weather.  I couldn't figure out why.  I never where shoes at home, but it turns out the slides I live in during the summer are Keens and have good arch support.  Then with the cold weather I switch to boots - Uggs especially which are AWFUL for PF.

 

What I'm doing -

I bought some way to $$$ sneakers that were listed on sites as some of the best for arch support and helping PF.  

I bought one of those boot things that keep the foot at a 90 degree angle and wear it in bed and when I'm spending the entire evening sitting in my recliner with my feet up.

Before I bought the sneakers, I had bought some arch supports that I was taping to my foot so they would stay in place while I wore my regular shoes.  I'll still use those if I need to wear something besides my sneakers.

Stretching and light exercise - we joined the Y and I've been using the bikes, treadmill, taking Tai Chi and belly dancing. :p

 

It's helping.  Not quickly but it is getting better.

[kbutton]

This book has lots of good PF advice if I remember correctly...http://www.amazon.com/Fixing-Your-Feet-Prevention-Treatments/dp/0899976387

 

I was told to put out a towel on the floor, place my foot on it, and use my toes to bunch it up. Repeat until it hurts or fatigue sets in. Then put your feet in water as cold as you can stand it (and that won't cause damage) for about 20 minutes. That, in addition to AM stretches and calf strengthening, helped quite a lot. 

 

[Carol in Cal.]

Last September I did a face plant while hiking at dusk, banged myself up really bad.  About two weeks later I went shopping for hours wearing my comfy old Teva water sandals, and when I got home I had a hard, painful, thumb sized bump in my right arch.  This was awful as I only have shoes with arch support.  I had to go buy cheap, non-supportive shoes just to get through the day--Converse, of all things, for sneakers.  This lasted for about a month, getting worse not better.  Then I visited a directional nonforce chiropractor, and she fixed it in less than 5 minutes.  It was remarkable.

 

I still am leery of arch support, and I am worried that if I ever get PF again I won't be able to use my supportive shoes, so I am working on barefoot running type techniques (not running though) to strengthen my feet and ankles, and on simple balance and stretching exercises for the same reason.  

[TranquilMind]

My doc says motrin as a regimen plus ice scrubs twice daily are the cure. My experience has been that that is not a cure, just a mitigation. I want to get BETTER!

 

What I have found is that stretching my toes back considerably before standing, and wearing shoes with a slight heel rather than flats, and walking more on the balls of my feet than heel to toe are really helping me.

 

What else has helped you?

 

I had that once for a year.  I finally went to a good shoe store and bought expensive inserts for my shoes.  That helped a lot, and it eventually went away. 

 

[Mbelle]

Stretching by flexing my foot.  Even sleeping with my foot flexed by scooting the bed close to the wall.

No flip flops or other totally flat shoes.

The real cure was a sports oriented chiropractor.  I had seen him on and off for years and just mention in a casual conversation about my feet.  He said he could fix it. When he said that I thought silently to myself he was full of ....!  But, I figured I was paying the same no matter what.  I needed on follow up adjustment to my foot and have not had a problem since that time.  

[Carol in Cal.]

Bumping this for new sufferers...:(

[Carol in Cal.]

I got it back in one foot, and have discovered a fantastic new to me shoe brand--Abeo--available at The Walking Company.  Best arch support EVER, even better than Dansko.  I have to buy them a half size smaller than normal for the arches to hit right, but wow.  

[Bluegoat]

What helped me mainly is new shoes.  That I paid more money for, and avoiding cheap shoes. I mostly wear blunt stones now when the weather isn't hot.

I haven't tried it, but my friend who suffers found massage, as in a professional - helped.

[Daria]

My plantar fasciitis is gone.  Here are somethings that helped:

1) Really good shoes with good (for me) arch support every moment I was awake.  I went to one of those fancy shoe store places for comfortable shoes and tried on like 30 pairs.  The right one were obvious.  

2) Stretching my foot by "writing the alphabet with my toes" every night, and before I got out of bed in the morning, and every time I got off the couch if I'd been sitting a long time.

3) Taking a few seconds to "hang" off the bottom step, or the curb and stretch out my plantar fascia almost every time I went up or down stairs or crossed a street.

4) Rolling the arch of my foot on a frozen water bottle.

I initially did these things because they made my foot feel better, but I assume they're what worked.

 

[Mrs. A]

So while I have not actually suffered from PF myself I have a friend for whom this book has been really helpful:

Every Woman's Guide to Foot Pain Relief

I've read some of her other books for issues of my own and am totally impressed. Hope that's helpful! 

[HS Mom in NC]

Wearing inserts for it (Dr. Scholl's works) or  Vionic shoes with orthoheel tech for people with it.https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_c_1_11?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=vionic+womens+shoes&sprefix=vionic+wome%2Caps%2C703&crid=39JJNN53AAAY4

No way will ice and pain meds fix the problem. Did you see a specialist or is your GP dabbling? 

I can't do ice or the splint due to Raynaud's Syndrome.

[Carol in Cal.]

Update:  Med Massager knocked out my injury-induced relapse into PF (thankfully just one foot, but really, really bad for 15 months) completely.  I think it improves circulation quickly to your feet so that they heal themselves or something.  I tried it one night at Costco, and it made my foot almost numb.  I walked around and felt better but I thought it was just the numbness, but when I felt noticeably improved the next day I went back and bought one.  I used it every morning and most evenings for a couple of weeks and was cured completely.  It was remarkable.  

I am still using what I learned during the 15 month ordeal and previously-- not doing hard heel strikes and taking shorter strides has shifted my entire physiology but it is well worth it to prevent this from coming back.  Cushy shoes with room for my toes.  Arch support when needed.  Trail runners with a bit more of an arch for hiking.

[MerryAtHope]

16 hours ago, Carol in Cal. said:

Update:  Med Massager knocked out my injury-induced relapse into PF

 

That's pretty amazing--do you have a link to the one you got (I did a quick google but the one I saw was $200+--is that it?)

[Carol in Cal.]

57 minutes ago, MerryAtHope said:

 

That's pretty amazing--do you have a link to the one you got (I did a quick google but the one I saw was $200+--is that it?)

It's this one--I am not sure whether Costco still sells it or not.  I couldn't find it on their website:  https://www.amazon.com/MedMassager-MMF06-Speed-Foot-Massager/dp/B004IF89MY/ref=asc_df_B004IF89MY/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=198081378429&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=10616931287950854665&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9032264&hvtargid=pla-380935933588&psc=1

[Carol in Cal.]

I have changed my body mechanics now to the point where not only has the PF not come back, but I have better balance and proprioception than ever before in my life.  The keys have been--switching almost completely away from heel striking even when walking, wearing zero drop shoes with wide toe boxes (Altras) most of the time, and tightening my butt and stomach a little bit (about 25% of the force of a clench) to run or walk, which gives me that good core to prevent imbalance or lower back pain.  

 

Ladies, I never thought I could imagine being able to say this again, but I can go barefoot now.  It's remarkable.

[alisoncooks]

@Carol in Cal. - Now I'll be walking around, partly clenched, hoping for relief!  LOL, I'll try anything at this point!

Also, I've now been researching massagers. Do you still think that was helpful for your recovery? I do a lot of yoga massage for my feet but that requires my actual attention (where a massager might be mindless...)

- Alison (who's currently not enjoying her hiking vacation because her PF flare is killing her)

[Carol in Cal.]

4 minutes ago, alisoncooks said:

@Carol in Cal. - Now I'll be walking around, partly clenched, hoping for relief!  LOL, I'll try anything at this point!

Also, I've now been researching massagers. Do you still think that was helpful for your recovery? I do a lot of yoga massage for my feet but that requires my actual attention (where a massager might be mindless...)

- Alison (who's currently not enjoying her hiking vacation because her PF flare is killing her)

Absolutely.

I have had lots of thing that helped some, but the two times I have been completely freed from it have been that time when I went to the ER for breathing treatments and got heavy duty steroids to take for two weeks afterwards, and the time I used that MedMassager in the link once or twice a day for two weeks.  That was a year and a half ago, and by continuing to avoid heel striking religiously and wearing shoes that let my toes spread out most of the time, it has not come back.  Color me amazed.

The clenching did not help with the PF but it was helpful with balance and proprioception overall, as was switching gaits.  Amazed by that, too, because I am the fallingest adult I know.  Well, not any more!

 

Edited October 21, 2020 by Carol in Cal.