Plantar Fasciitis?

Question

I think I have Plantar Fasciitis, do you have any ideas on what I could do to help it. Aagh it burns!

Answer 1

How bad is it? I had PF from running -- I went to see an athletic podiatrist who gave me great advice and it is completely gone now! He recommended orthodics, taping your arches and stretching. I taped my arches up for several months before I ran. This was the most effective but, really difficult for me to explain here. With 2" athletic tape, I essentially created a support for my arches by taping to hold the arch up. (See the PDF below, look on page 12 for something similar to the taping method I used).

Honestly, I tired of the taping business. I was running a lot of sand -- sand + tape = blisters! So, I transitioned to using elastic bands that I purchased from footsmart (link below).

And, my Achilles tendons are rather short or tight (so the podiatrist said), so I stretched them and I've continued to stretch them as part of my normal exercise routine. An example of this stretch is: using stairs or a curb and place your toes on the step and lower your heel to below the step-level. Hold your foot in that position for a bit and try not to bounce it.

The custom orthodics were my last resort because they were expensive ($450/pair) -- and I never had to have them made.

For the pain, I recommend ibuprofen, ice and tennis balls. Use the soft ice packs that you can freeze and re-freeze and put your feet on those. And, it helps to roll tennis balls around on the floor with the bottoms of your feet to massage the soles. Good luck - I know how much of a pain PF can be!

Answer 2

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Answer 3

Rest is the first treatment for plantar fasciitis. Try to keep weight off your foot until the inflammation goes away. You can also apply ice to the sore area for 20 minutes three or four times a day to relieve your symptoms. Often a doctor will prescribe nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication such as ibuprofen. A program of home exercises to stretch your Achilles tendon and plantar fascia are the mainstay of treating the condition and lessening the chance of recurrence.

Answer 4

Rehabilitation Program:

* Physical Therapy: The mainstay treatment of physical therapy for plantar fasciitis is stretching. There are a number of ways to stretch the plantar fascia and the Achilles tendon.

o For patients who report that the most severe symptoms occur with the first steps after awakening, stretches should be performed before the patient even gets out of bed. This can be accomplished by keeping a long towel at the bedside. When the patient wakes up, he/she can stretch the plantar fascia by using the towel to cause passive dorsiflexion of the ankle, with each hand pulling one end of the towel, using the mid portion of the towel to pull on the plantar aspect of the forefoot region.

o Other techniques of stretching the Achilles tendon include passive stretch while standing or nighttime ankle foot orthoses to keep the feet in neutral at night (thus stretching the Achilles tendon).

o The plantar fascia also can be stretched by having the patient, while seated, roll a soda can between the sole and the floor. Using a cold can of soda may give further symptomatic relief by local cooling.

o Passive stretching of the plantar fascia also can be achieved by using one hand at the plantar aspect of the forefoot region, then dorsiflexing the foot.

Massage of the plantar fascia, accomplished by running the thumb or fingers lengthwise along the fascia, can be beneficial for patients with plantar fasciitis. The physical therapist may complete this technique within therapy sessions and may instruct the patient or family members how to continue the massage independently at home.

Application of ice is an important part of the treatment process to reduce pain and inflammation. Ice should be applied after exercise and may be performed either as an ice massage for 5 minutes or by applying an ice pack for 15-20 minutes. The physical therapist also may recommend other modalities, such as ultrasound, phonophoresis, or iontophoresis, to assist further with pain relief and reduction of inflammation.

Sometimes, taping of the plantar fascia by the athletic trainer or physical therapist can help to decrease stress on the fascia and enable the patient to tolerate activity better. Taping techniques are used to distribute force away from the stressed and irritated fascia and provide some relief of discomfort with weight-bearing activities.

If the patient needs to decrease his/her activity level due to this condition, remember to suggest alternative means of maintaining strength and cardiovascular fitness (eg, swimming, water aerobics, other aquatic exercises). Generally, in patients with plantar fasciitis due to work-related causes, the physical therapist can perform work-hardening activities with physician supervision.

Answer 5

Falling arches are very painful.
I had this happen to me a few years back, and I'm a food server, so all of the hours on my feet daily was horrible !!
I tried different shoes and inserts all the time, took advil for a little relief, but really got none until the "falling " process was over.
I'm not so sure how long it lasted, I think it was several months.
All I can say is, tough it out knowing that it will eventually be over.
Good Luck.

Answer 6

hmm burning? interesting because usually a pain like someone sticking you with a knife is more common for plantar fasciitis.

Plantar fasciitis is caused by a band of tissue, feels like a tendon, that runs from your heel all the way down your foot to the ball of your foot. I have had this many a times being an avid runner and having high arches. I usually put some orthodics in my shoes to help balance my high arches or some stretching and if the pain is really bad I usually put a heating pad on my foot and take some ibprofen. below is a little more about plantar fasciitis and how it is caused and things to help alleviate your pain.

Plantar Fasciitis: A Common Cause of Heel Pain

What is the plantar fascia?
The plantar fascia is a band of tissue, much like a tendon, on the bottom of your foot. It starts at your heel and goes along the bottom of your foot. It attaches to each one of the bones that form the ball of your foot. The plantar fascia works like a rubber band between the heel and the ball of your foot to form the arch of your foot. If the band is short, you'll have a high arch, and if it's long, you'll have a low arch, what some people call flatfeet. A pad of fat in your heel covers the plantar fascia to help absorb the shock of walking. Damage to the plantar fascia can be a cause of heel pain.



What causes the heel pain?
As a person gets older, the plantar fascia becomes less like a rubber band and more like a rope that doesn't stretch very well. The fat pad on the heel becomes thinner and can't absorb as much of the shock caused by walking. The extra shock damages the plantar fascia. Damage to the plantar fascia may cause it to swell, tear or bruise. You may notice a bruise on your heel or swelling in your heel.

Other risk factor for plantar fasciitis include:

overweight and obesity
diabetes
spending most of the day on your feet
becoming very active in a short period of time
being flat-footed or having a high arch
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How will my doctor know if the pain I have is caused by plantar fasciitis?
Your doctor will ask you about the kind of pain you're having, when it occurs and how long you've had it. If you have pain in your heel when you stand up for the first time in the morning, you may have plantar fasciitis. Most people with plantar fasciitis say the pain is like a knife or a pin sticking into the bottom of the foot. After you've been standing for a while, the pain becomes more like a dull ache. If you sit down for any length of time, the sharp pain will come back when you stand up again.



What can I do about the heel pain?
If you walk or run a lot, cut back a little. You probably won't need to stop walking or running altogether.

If you have either flatfeet or a high arch, ask your doctor about using orthotics, inserts for your shoes. Orthotics are arch supports. You will need to be fitted for them.

If you are overweight, losing weight can help lessen your heel pain. If your job involves standing on a hard floor or standing in one spot for long periods, place some type of padding on the floor where you stand.



Are there any exercises that will help?



Stretching exercises for your foot are important. Do the stretches shown here at least twice a day. Don't bounce when you stretch.

The top picture shows the plantar fascia stretch. To do this stretch, stand straight with your hands against a wall and your injured leg slightly behind your other leg. Keeping your heels flat on the floor, slowly bend both knees. You should feel the stretch in the lower part of your leg. Hold the stretch for 10 to 15 seconds. Repeat the stretch 6 to 8 times.

The middle picture shows the calf stretch. Stand with your hands against a wall and your injured leg behind your other leg. With your injured leg straight, your heel flat on the floor and your foot pointed straight ahead, lean slowly forward, bending the other leg. You should feel the stretch in the middle of your calf. Hold the stretch for 10 to 15 seconds. Repeat the stretch 6 to 8 times.

You can also strengthen your leg muscles by standing on the ball of your foot at the edge of a step and raising up as high as possible on your toes. Relax between toe raises and let your heel fall a little lower than the edge of the step.

It's also helpful to strengthen the foot by grabbing a towel with your toes as if you are going to pick up the towel with your foot. Repeat this exercise several times a day.





Will any medicine help?
Aspirin, acetaminophen (one brand name: Tylenol), naproxen (brand name: Aleve), ketoprofen (brand names: Orudis, Actron), or ibuprofen (some brand names: Advil, Motrin, Nuprin) can ease the heel pain, but talk to your doctor before you take any medicine.


What if my foot still hurts after doing the exercises, using the arch supports and taking other measures?
If stretching, arch supports, medicine and exercises don't help, your doctor can suggest other treatments. You may need to wear splints on your foot at night, tape your foot or have injections of corticosteroids (anti-inflammatory medicines) into the plantar fascia. In a few cases, surgery is needed. You and your doctor can decide which treatment is best for you.

Answer 7

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Answer 8

I had Plantar Fascitis and it is very painful, I found the advice on the below website very useful.

Hope it helps and makes you feel better soon!

Answer 9

Yes. I have ideas and some questions. First off, how long have you had it? If it is less than one month, physiotherapy and exercises is usually the best first line treatment. After 1 month, the condition is now "chronic" and it is not going to respond as well to any treatment. The treatment then is with shoes and orthotics. After that, it is night splints.
Best wishes on getting this sorted out soon!

Answer 10

I had this several years ago. I had 2 injections into the foot from my gp but they didn't help' I was sent to hospital outpatients where I was given another injection which cured it. I have had no trouble since "touch wood ". I remember the pain well, it's awful, you have my sympathy, hope you get cured soon.