CAMom Posted June 18, 2015 Share Posted June 18, 2015 And it hurts! :tongue_smilie: I have pain in my right foot that runs along the inside of my arch to my heel with it being worst at the heel. I've been trying to read up on exercises, etc. Can anyone with experience with this recommend some shoes? My problem is that I have enormous feet so it's really hard to find shoes. Any advice is appreciated! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suzanne in ABQ Posted June 18, 2015 Share Posted June 18, 2015 Superfeet inserts. When I had plantar faciiitis, my physical therapist recommended these to me. They aren't squishy, but they provide excellent support for your heal and arch, keeping your arch from falling. You can put them in any shoes. Since you have wide feet, you may need to get a mens size. You buy the size that fits your heel, not allowing the heel to spill over the sides or float around inside the cup of the insole. Then, you use scissors to cut the front foam part to fit your shoes. They're excellent. You can buy them at many shoe stores, REI, sporting goods stores. They come in various thicknesses for different types of shoes. Check them out here: www.superfeet.com The PT also showed me how to stretch the arch by placing my toes on a slightly raised surface, and standing straight on it for 60 seconds at a time. Don't wear flip-flops or other shoes that require you to curl your toes to keep them on. Don't stomp your feet (karate, etc). 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ottakee Posted June 18, 2015 Share Posted June 18, 2015 Go to a good running store and get fitted for good shoes. They might have bigger women's sizes (ours does up to size 12) or you can go to a men's shoe. Lots of calf stretching exercises. I have a boot I wear at night (sometimes) that helps. It is a pain to sleep with but does help. NO barefoot. I find crocs in the house helpful but better yet is your good supportive tennis shoes almost full time. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KatieJ Posted June 18, 2015 Share Posted June 18, 2015 Shoes with a decent arch. I wear Birkenstocks and Vionics. Check shoebuy.com, zappos.com and orthoticshop.com, and lastly happy feet.com The first three have free shipping and free returns. Happy feet will ship free but you pay to return. Hint: buy several styles and several sizes and return what doesn't work for you. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aiden Posted June 18, 2015 Share Posted June 18, 2015 Birkenstocks help me, but if you buy a new pair, get the soft soled ones. I once broke in a pair of the hard soled ones during a flare up of plantar fasciitis, and it was much more painful than it needed to be. The soft soled ones are much more comfortable, especially during the break in phase. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
East Coast Sue Posted June 18, 2015 Share Posted June 18, 2015 Fit Flops are awesome and they tend to run big. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted June 18, 2015 Share Posted June 18, 2015 And it hurts! :tongue_smilie: I have pain in my right foot that runs along the inside of my arch to my heel with it being worst at the heel. I've been trying to read up on exercises, etc. Can anyone with experience with this recommend some shoes? My problem is that I have enormous feet so it's really hard to find shoes. Any advice is appreciated! :grouphug: Only one foot? Lucky! :-) You need shoes with really good arches, and you must wear them all.the.time--no more barefootin' it for you. Ice your foot every time you sit down (you may take off your shoes when you're sitting down, lol). Keens and Merrells were good for me. Also, for shoes that are as close to flip-flops as possible, I love my FitFlops. I had PF in both feet, which is really tragic for someone who does hula. :ohmy: I spent a fortune for special shoes, plus the Keens and the FitFlops. Happily, I rarely have problems now. I guess it was money well spent. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandragood1 Posted June 18, 2015 Share Posted June 18, 2015 If you don't want to be doomed to wearing shoes all the time Google foot exercises to strengthen the arches. You may need to treat the current flare up before you try developing strength. Ice and ibuprofen will help. As will gentle stretching of your calves and hamstrings. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cammie Posted June 18, 2015 Share Posted June 18, 2015 I had it very bad for a while. I had to get rid of all my super flat shoes. My outside shoes all now have arches in them. The pain is gone and I can go barefoot at home again. There are some really good stretches - check out online. Most important for me was stretching before I got out of bed. If I didn't I could barely walk! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted June 18, 2015 Share Posted June 18, 2015 And it hurts! :tongue_smilie: I have pain in my right foot that runs along the inside of my arch to my heel with it being worst at the heel. I've been trying to read up on exercises, etc. Can anyone with experience with this recommend some shoes? My problem is that I have enormous feet so it's really hard to find shoes. Any advice is appreciated! I am the EXPERT on this condition. It is AWFUL! But, yes, there is help. I did all the exercises, stretches, ice, meds, etc, but the thing that helped more than ANYTHINg, and fastest, was a pair of orthoheel flip flops. Get them tomorrow. Seriously. Lots of running stores carry them, and they are amazing. They will feel weird at first, but they will fix it. An orthopedist told me to get them, and they work better than the fancy expensive insoles, etc that he also had me get. I now live in them. The other thing that helped was chiropractic care...he did something to me knee that loosened up my calf, that took the pressure off my achilles, that took the pressure off my foot. But I only did that once, I cant' afford the time/money for a chiro, so this most recent time that it flared up I just bought another pair of the orthoheel sandals and in days the pain was gone. (the old ones were two years old and worn out, hence the flare up) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmrich Posted June 18, 2015 Share Posted June 18, 2015 ice it. ice it. ice it. I wear a night brace when it is extra bad. But it is hard to sleep in it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CAMom Posted June 18, 2015 Author Share Posted June 18, 2015 Thanks for the great info! I'll start researching the shoe types, ice, advil, etc. I wear a size 13 shoe. Unfortunately, they are very few and far between. I really don't want to wear ugly men's shoes. :lol: At least I know what I'm looking for now. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laundrycrisis Posted June 18, 2015 Share Posted June 18, 2015 I had orthotics made from a mold, through my podiatrist. I have a small section of pvc pipe I use as a foot roller - it works better than a tennis ball. I never ever walk barefoot. I wear athletic shoes with the orthotics 99% of the time. When those aren't on, I wear a pair of slides. I wear athletic socks with some compression built in. And I make it a point to get off my feet when I need to. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ali in OR Posted June 18, 2015 Share Posted June 18, 2015 I wore my running shoes all winter and then my birkenstocks all summer (mine lasted almost exactly one calendar year--2012). Does it hurt most when you first get out of bed in the morning or after you've been sitting awhile and then get up and take a step? That's classic plantar fasciitis. Birkenstocks may not be the cutest shoes ever, but it's pretty easy to get addicted to how they make your feet feel. I wear them in the house almost all the time now--feels better than barefoot. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happi duck Posted June 18, 2015 Share Posted June 18, 2015 I found relief by dealing with muscle knots in my calves and shins. I found information on sockdoc.com (I think it was a video about pf) 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retiredHSmom Posted June 18, 2015 Share Posted June 18, 2015 Something else to think about is if you have any new shoes that might be causing it. A few summers ago I developed plantar fasciitis. At the time I had no clue what it was but it hurt! All summer long. Fall rolled around and the pain went away. I had no pain all winter long. Around June the weather warmed up and I got out summer clothes and shoes and the pain came back within days. A cold spell hit and the pain was gone. I finally discovered that the Bass Sunjun sandals that my mom had given me the spring before were the culprit. They were very comfortable to wear but I paid for the comfort. I donated the shoes and have not had any PF pain since. I wear ballet flats, flat sandals and go barefoot all the time. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnnE-girl Posted June 18, 2015 Share Posted June 18, 2015 I can't get the link in here now, but Runner's World just posted an article about exercises for PF on their facebook page. I haven't dealt with it personally, but I thought of this thread when I saw it. I hope you get some relief! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CAMom Posted June 18, 2015 Author Share Posted June 18, 2015 I wore my running shoes all winter and then my birkenstocks all summer (mine lasted almost exactly one calendar year--2012). Does it hurt most when you first get out of bed in the morning or after you've been sitting awhile and then get up and take a step? That's classic plantar fasciitis. Birkenstocks may not be the cutest shoes ever, but it's pretty easy to get addicted to how they make your feet feel. I wear them in the house almost all the time now--feels better than barefoot. It hurts mostly after I've been sitting a while and then get up. Some Birks are cute. Unfortunately, I would have to get a unisex one since I can't find any cute ones in my size. :glare: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Posted June 18, 2015 Share Posted June 18, 2015 I am the EXPERT on this condition. It is AWFUL! But, yes, there is help. I did all the exercises, stretches, ice, meds, etc, but the thing that helped more than ANYTHINg, and fastest, was a pair of orthoheel flip flops. Get them tomorrow. Seriously. Lots of running stores carry them, and they are amazing. They will feel weird at first, but they will fix it. An orthopedist told me to get them, and they work better than the fancy expensive insoles, etc that he also had me get. I now live in them. The other thing that helped was chiropractic care...he did something to me knee that loosened up my calf, that took the pressure off my achilles, that took the pressure off my foot. But I only did that once, I cant' afford the time/money for a chiro, so this most recent time that it flared up I just bought another pair of the orthoheel sandals and in days the pain was gone. (the old ones were two years old and worn out, hence the flare up) Agree! I recently had a PF flare up that was so bad I couldn't walk first thing in the morning. Specifically my right foot. My chiro adjusted my hips and neck...and lots of the pain went away. I also have a frozen bottle of water that I wrap in a thin towel to put my feet on whenever they hurt. 15 minutes with ice and gently rubbing on the bottle make my feet feel so much better. Losing 5lbs (so far) has also been a benefit, I think. Completely agreeing with wear good shoes. I live in Clarks, Asics, some Crocs, and other good arch support shoes. The only time I go barefoot is on the grass out back for a limited time. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-rap Posted June 18, 2015 Share Posted June 18, 2015 My daughter recently got orthotics -- especially made for her feet. She can hardly believe the difference they've made! There are also shoe brands that make shoes specifically for different feet problems. They have a built-in footbed depending on your problems. The Walking Company and Schuler Shoes carry shoes like these. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itsheresomewhere Posted June 18, 2015 Share Posted June 18, 2015 As a fellow member of the large foot club, I understand. Zappos and Amazon are the best places for me to shop. Fit Flops saved me when my PF was so bad. Fit Flops do tend to run big. Keens has a place on their site where you can build your own colors for shoes. I found tennis balls from the freezer worked better for me than a water bottle. Another place to try is Road Runner Sports. Sometimes they have a nice selection of shoes for us online but hardly in the store. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted June 18, 2015 Share Posted June 18, 2015 I developed it when I was pregnant w/ my dd & was carrying a lot of extra weight. After I had her & I dropped some weight, the pain went away. Over the years, I've had flare-ups once in awhile, always when I'm at the upper limit of my general weight range. For me, dropping a few pounds makes it go away. I guess I see it as my body's way of telling me 'enough!' & that my feet (or one foot) are (is) not going to carry all my (extra) weight around. :blushing: I know this may not be the cause or case for many, but it is what works for me. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tammyla Posted June 18, 2015 Share Posted June 18, 2015 I wore Ecco sandals and shoes. The styles looked European to me, and were recommended by a shoe sales woman who worked on her feet all day. My experience was a good outcome, I wore them every day all day for a year. After wearing them and getting used to wearing shoes all.the.time, I can now wear a number of different shoes. My new favorites are Skeechers Gowalks. Hope you find the shoes that work for you; painful feet are awful. (Btw wearing shoes all day was very important. I also used a frozen water bottle to roll, but not often.) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PamJBA Posted June 18, 2015 Share Posted June 18, 2015 I developed it during my librarian days. I promptly switched to some decent shoes instead of my usual ballet flats. Keeping my foot flexed more often helped more than anything else. After about 6 months it went away. I can now go barefoot or wear crappy shoes again. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CAMom Posted June 18, 2015 Author Share Posted June 18, 2015 As a fellow member of the large foot club, I understand. Zappos and Amazon are the best places for me to shop. Fit Flops saved me when my PF was so bad. Fit Flops do tend to run big. Keens has a place on their site where you can build your own colors for shoes. I found tennis balls from the freezer worked better for me than a water bottle. Another place to try is Road Runner Sports. Sometimes they have a nice selection of shoes for us online but hardly in the store. Looks like Fit Flops only go up to women's size 11. :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forget-Me-Not Posted June 18, 2015 Share Posted June 18, 2015 I don't know if weight is an issue for you, but losing almost 20 lbs has done more for my PF than anything else. In the meantime, good supportive shoes all the time, the minute you get up in the a.m. Stretch your calves, stretch your calves, stretch your calves. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itsheresomewhere Posted June 18, 2015 Share Posted June 18, 2015 Looks like Fit Flops only go up to women's size 11. :( Look on ebay for some from England. I am a 12 so I fit comfortably in a 11. Fit Flops also has some not bad mens shoes. That is how I got started in the brand. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forget-Me-Not Posted June 18, 2015 Share Posted June 18, 2015 Look at Orthaheel shoes too. The Tide flip flops were a lifesaver for me.. They only go up to women's size 12, but they have a near identical style in men's sizes: http://www.amazon.com/Vionic-Orthaheel-Technology-Sandal-Black/dp/B00T3IXJHQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1434658746&sr=8-1&keywords=orthaheel+tide+sandals+men They are pricey, but my previous pair lasted 3 years before I needed to replace :) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PamJBA Posted June 18, 2015 Share Posted June 18, 2015 I've wore Clarks, Born, Ecco, and Keens, but I'm not sure any of them go up to 13 in women's. I'm an 11 N, and I usually top out the sizes and require a strap to make up for the width. Honestly, the Keens are just as ugly in womens as mens. The mens width may or may not be an issue for you. I love my Keens, but I use them for situations like Disney. For dress shoes you might be able to just use an insert or orthodic with your current shoes to get you through this. I know some people have ongoing issues, but you may recover quickly and fully. If your shoes need to be replaced anyway, though, now is the time to do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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