Anyone suffer from plantar fasciitis?

I haven't been able to walk for 5 weeks now.  I bought birkenstock shoes and have arch supports, but I just can't walk or I truly pay for it the next day.  I have been trying to use my elliptical, but a bad knee keeps me from doing too much.  I also have a pilates rebounder, but I can't get my heart rate up.  Anyone else suffer from plantar fasciitis?  Any suggestions on exercise during the healing period?
-Sandi

Go see a podiatrist.  THey can give you a steroid shot where it hurts the most.  Might help for months.

susan

I feel your pain!! I was suffering for about 6 months with plantar and I finally went to the foot dr. he did give me cortizone shots in both of my heels but he told my it has to do with my calves (they are tight I do a lot of Step aerobics). Before I get out of bed in the morning I wrap a towel around the top of my foot and gently stretch it for 20 seconds on each side 3x's. then you stretch your calves like a runner would standing against a wall one foot in front of the other and stretch 20 sec. each 3x's. Let me tell you I didn't stretch this past week (I have no idea why) and I started having pain again I started doing before getting out of bed again and before and after I exercise MUCH BETTER!  You should go to the foot Dr. but in the mean time maybe you could try this.

Kim

I had it when I weighed 350. I was super lucky and a round of NSAIDS knocked it out before bypass.

With that said, I don't recomment a podiatrist and cortizone. That masks it.

Sports chiropractors deal with this all the time. They do Active Release Therapy (ART) and Graston to help the muscles relax and heal. I would try that first before you take the shot route. My chiro has people up and RUNNING within a few weeks!

Sandi,

I found stretching to be extremely helpful with my plantar fascitis. Also, I went to a podiatrist and got custom orthodics. I only wear the orthodics in my sneakers and I've found them to be extremely helpful. The combination of stretching, orthodics and losing weight have kept me pain free

Thank you all for your advice.  The leg tightness does make sense.  This started to flare up when I began to run with my treadmill on incline.  I've been stretching just like you all say.  It does help at the moment.  I'm just getting impatient.  I think I'll see both a Chiropractor and foot doc.  -Sandi

You need to have your arch support in tennis shoes evaled.  The Hibbet man suggested shoes called Brooks addiction for me due to arch/heel spurs. Birkenstocks are good for everyday, but are not "soft" enough, but online I have seen birks with a softer layer on top of the cork.

Also, you can "run" in the water at the community pool.  I do it all the time.  No stress on foot and very little on knees.  A water weight belt is good to use if you are a "sinker".

After you exercise stretch your calf of the foot that hurts--and the other one too.  You can get a band or just a kitchen towel or bath towel, stick leg and foot in front of you and then wrap towel around foot.  Pull gently on both sides of the towel toward your chest until you feel a pull, but not a pain in calf.  Hold it for 30 sec.  give it a 10 sec rest and do it again.  I would do about 4-5 minutes of this every time after you exercise and once before you go to bed at night.

You can also get a tennis ball and roll your socked foot arch area back and forth over and over while watching tv, etc.  It will help with arch itself.

Another thing--go heelthepain.com (I think that is the site). The heel supports are decent there--better than anything I have found at walmart, walgreens,etc.

I have had this problem for 16 or so years of my 31 years of life.  After much trial and error and having a good friend that is a physical therapist (she has developed PF too..and uses those heel cups mentioned above) I have learned how to live with it w/o the shots.  Using the shots (over and over) is not a good plan AND they hurt like crazy.

Hope that helps.

I had severe PF years ago. I ended up having surgery for it. I used to hot to cold soaks where I put my foot into a bucket full of ice  for 10 mins and then plunge it into HO****er for 10 mins three times a day. I also did the stretches before getting out of bed. I also got a lot of temp relief by rolling a rod under my foot.I used and old vacuum cleaner tube. There are alot of excersizes to try. they do give some help but I am glad I had the surgery. I admit it took about 2 years to get 100% relief (My doc told me to expect 80% at the most) but it was WELL worth the wait.

My podiatrist hates Birkenstocks. He says we need a shoe with lots of support. I started following his recommendations on shoes and wearing a SuperFeet insert he recommends and my plantar fasciitis is in remission now.