Plantar Fasciitis

[Slick]

I've had this for years now, but its got to the stage where I can hardly stick the pain anymore.

I rarely go near doctors much preferring private treatment but after years of orthotics, stretching and exercising, I'm no further forward. I finally booked an appointment with the physio nurse but all she really said i would still need to go down the same stretching, icing and painkillers before they would even consider anything like cortisone injections.

I suppose my question is, I can't get any painkiller to work for me. Voltarol gel on my feet seems to help slightly, ice and raising my leg doesn't seem to do much either, so has anyone got any tips on managing pain for this?

 

[Big John]

I had it for years too. Eventually I had to pack in anyway due to arthritis just before I hit 50 and that's when the plantar started to disappear. The physios had always told me to lay off but I never did, like a lot of runners do - I just kept doing it. Some treatments were successful but only proved to be temporary. I had a couple of steroid injections which lasted a month or two of pain free runs. Sorry, you have to rest it. I'm not aware of anything other than rest for a long term solution. We're talking months, not weeks. Swim/cycle to maintain the fitness.

 

[Sterlo]

Afraid not, I'm looking for the same he'll myself. I'll keep looking at this with interest.

 

[Slick]

I had it for years too. Eventually I had to pack in anyway due to arthritis just before I hit 50 and that's when the plantar started to disappear. The physios had always told me to lay off but I never did, like a lot of runners do - I just kept doing it. Some treatments were successful but only proved to be temporary. I had a couple of steroid injections which lasted a month or two of pain free runs. Sorry, you have to rest it. I'm not aware of anything other than rest for a long term solution. We're talking months, not weeks. Swim/cycle to maintain the fitness.

Pretty much what I was afraid off.

 

[Jameshow]

I've had this for years now, but its got to the stage where I can hardly stick the pain anymore.

I rarely go near doctors much preferring private treatment but after years of orthotics, stretching and exercising, I'm no further forward. I finally booked an appointment with the physio nurse but all she really said i would still need to go down the same stretching, icing and painkillers before they would even consider anything like cortisone injections.

I suppose my question is, I can't get any painkiller to work for me. Voltarol gel on my feet seems to help slightly, ice and raising my leg doesn't seem to do much either, so has anyone got any tips on managing pain for this?

Do you use the robotics all the time rather than in running shoes?

Might be worth a try? Also a good warm soak to loosen the muscle and then put the shoes with orthotics on.

 

[Slick]

Do you use the robotics all the time rather than in running shoes?

Might be worth a try? Also a good warm soak to loosen the muscle and then put the shoes with orthotics on.

Most of the time.

Its getting painful now so when I need a break I wear the much maligned Sketchers, but its gotten so I really can't wear much else anymore. Even my house slippers are Sketchers.

 

[FrankCrank]

Been suffering this past year, mostly first thing in the morning, and if sat for a while. Been trying out some shoe inserts, they really do help for me. Recent twelve hour flight using trainers and inserts, and no pain. Also wearing flip-flops round the house here, rather than bare feet - heard hard (tiled) surfaces don't help.

A school friend back there has the same thing, and we both have flat feet - not sure if there's a connection?

 

[Slick]

Been suffering this past year, mostly first thing in the morning, and if sat for a while. Been trying out some shoe inserts, they really do help for me. Recent twelve hour flight using trainers and inserts, and no pain. Also wearing flip-flops round the house here, rather than bare feet - heard hard (tiled) surfaces don't help.

A school friend back there has the same thing, and we both have flat feet - not sure if there's a connection?

Apparently there most definitely is a connection between flat feet and plantar faciitis, but that's the thing for me, I haven't got flat feet and it isn't particularly painful for me in the morning, my pain is mostly at the end of the day.

Like you, I not only use the orthotics (one set cost me hundreds of pounds) but I now have these compression socks with a padded heel to try and reduce the pain.

 

[vickster]

Shockwave therapy cleared it up for me, best speak to a physio who offers it. If I recall, I had 5 sessions which I had to have on consecutive weeks. Was recommended fitflop shoes/sandals, avoid walking barefoot and definitely nothing hard like Birkenstocks.
I have very high arches, stiff ankles and tight calves so no flat feet here (actually something called cavovarus).
I used icing with a small frozen water bottle, rolling on small spiky ball and golf ball.
I also had cortisone injection

 

[Slick]

Shockwave therapy cleared it up for me, best speak to a physio who offers it. If I recall, I had 5 sessions which I had to have on consecutive weeks

Ah, I did see something you could buy to do this yourself at home, but I wasn't convinced and the reviews were mixed.

 

[vickster]

Ah, I did see something you could buy to do this yourself at home, but I wasn't convinced and the reviews were mixed.

I had it done at a hospital by a physio, lying on front. No idea now you’d do it yourself
I had a bit of a battle to get Bupa to pay as it was quite a few years ago and quite new, not many places offered.
I got some gel shoe inserts at the time, not great, so now I have custom orthotics from a podiatrist, about £300 last a few years (if you want to wait a year you might be able to get from the NHS!)

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

I had it many many years ago
My Dad was a retired Chiropodist so it wasn;t his speciality but close to it
His opinion was that it was important to avoid anything that causes the pain for as long as it takes

I was failry lucky and found that wearing expensive shoes rather than the cheap trainers and black shoes for work meant that they had better shaped inners (like inserts) which reduced the problem
I gave up pretty much all types of exercise for a few months except dog walks on softish ground
I found my main problem was bumpy ground - rocks and stuff like that - so I avoided all that

even several decades later I still cannot wear any shoes that are tight in the middle bit - so no proper cycling shoes and the ones I do use are almost 2 sizes too big to make them looser around the middle
Also had to give up Badminton - which was my main sport for many years - you need tight fitting shoes to play it and on hard indoor surfaces it was a big no-no for me

I think the cure - or relief - differs from one person to the next so it is just a case of finding what works for you - but taking the pain as a signal that you need to stop doing whatever is causing it
Which may be a problem if that is pretty much everything


anyway - sympathy to those with it - hope you find a way to improve it

 

[Slick]

I had it done at a hospital by a physio, lying on front. No idea now you’d do it yourself
I had a bit of a battle to get Bupa to pay as it was quite a few years ago and quite new, not many places offered.
I got some gel shoe inserts at the time, not great, so now I have custom orthotics from a podiatrist, about £300 last a few years (if you want to wait a year you might be able to get from the NHS!)

https://plantarcure.com/?gad_source...hl5ptJLBi8GM4z1g8usDOa8Bqu-0urphoCdK4QAvD_BwE

Probably worse than useless at that price, but when your desperate, you will try anything.

I'm already doing everything you suggest but getting nowhere, although after your comment regarding shockwave therapy I have found the below.

https://www.glasgowosteopaths.info/shockwave-therapy-treatment

 

[Slick]

I had it many many years ago
My Dad was a retired Chiropodist so it wasn;t his speciality but close to it
His opinion was that it was important to avoid anything that causes the pain for as long as it takes

I was failry lucky and found that wearing expensive shoes rather than the cheap trainers and black shoes for work meant that they had better shaped inners (like inserts) which reduced the problem
I gave up pretty much all types of exercise for a few months except dog walks on softish ground
I found my main problem was bumpy ground - rocks and stuff like that - so I avoided all that

even several decades later I still cannot wear any shoes that are tight in the middle bit - so no proper cycling shoes and the ones I do use are almost 2 sizes too big to make them looser around the middle
Also had to give up Badminton - which was my main sport for many years - you need tight fitting shoes to play it and on hard indoor surfaces it was a big no-no for me

I think the cure - or relief - differs from one person to the next so it is just a case of finding what works for you - but taking the pain as a signal that you need to stop doing whatever is causing it
Which may be a problem if that is pretty much everything


anyway - sympathy to those with it - hope you find a way to improve it

I have expensive carbon fibre insoles that are OK, but can be quite painful in themselves as the arch support is so pronounced it rolls my feet over so I'm walking on the outside edge, or at least feeling like they do.

The only shoe I can wear now is Shechers, which I'm told are totally useless but its the only thing that keeps me going at the moment.

 

[vickster]

I have expensive carbon fibre insoles that are OK, but can be quite painful in themselves as the arch support is so pronounced it rolls my feet over so I'm walking on the outside edge, or at least feeling like they do.

The only shoe I can wear now is Shechers, which I'm told are totally useless but its the only thing that keeps me going at the moment.

Sounds like you need to get these orthotics reviewed, even remoulds made? Mine aren't carbon, they're fairly comfortable