Fitbit & Plantar Fascitis

[ladyofthewoods]

Hi All,

After a non active coupl of months & me getting Plantar Fascitis in one foot, I bought a Charge HR, with the thought that my elliptical might be a better option with the pain in my heel.  Does anyone else have any other suggestions?  I need to get back in shape and was an avid walker before this.  I would like to be again.

Thanks!

[WendyB]

The elliptical is a good option. The Charge HR doesn't count steps when you are holding on.

Plantar Fascitis takes a while to go a way but it will. Are you doing some exercises for it? Help mine go away faster.

Google if you are not. There are some good ones

[ladyofthewoods]

That's why I got the HR.  And with the gazelle my arms are pumping, so it does count my steps.  I am stretching, but not as much as I should I guess.  I'll have to do more.  I have a trip to DC planned for late June, and not walking is not an option!

Thanks for the help!

[TandemWalker · Accepted solution]

@ladyofthewoods - A rowing machine workout and swimming would be better I think. Although elliptical workouts do not entail any knocks of the heel to the floor/pavement, you are still putting constant pressure to that area which can only prolong healing, I would think. It will eventually go away, especially if you have the proper footwear, not only during workouts but all day long. If you're susceptible to this ailment, it may be worth your while to pay a visit to your neighbourhood specialized foot clinic.

Best of luck!

    TW     

[LindaT68]

I was diagnosed with plantar fascitis at the ER when I thought i broke my feet. Both hurt so bad. Ive had my flex since Christmas and with all the walking to get my steps in my feet kill me by the end of the day. My heels especially. But I want to get in shape and lose weight so I am pushing thru it. On the really bad days i just dont do as many steps. I too would like some suggestions for relief.

[TandemWalker]

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@LindaT68 wrote:

I was diagnosed with plantar fascitis at the ER when I thought i broke my feet. Both hurt so bad. Ive had my flex since Christmas and with all the walking to get my steps in my feet kill me by the end of the day. My heels especially. But I want to get in shape and lose weight so I am pushing thru it. On the really bad days i just dont do as many steps. I too would like some suggestions for relief.

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Please Linda, listen to your body. You should try to minimize your steps as much as possible. The more step-based workouts you do, the longer the healing and the longer the agony. What you have to do is give your feet a rest, as much as you POSSIBLY can, and I mean this literally; and find other activities that will give you the same burn benefit without further damaging your condition and prolonging healing. Swimming, rowing, weights, just to name a few, are all exercises that will can feed both your cardio and strengthening needs ... My take. And you know, the most common cause of plantar fascitis is faulty footwear. I went to a specialized foot clinic, one that does not sell shoes, and I have been a happy camper ever since. They explained the condition and what to look for in a show; and gave me brand names and model numbers that would be the most appropriate for me. Because once this ailment, once solved, can show its ugly head again - in most cases, it develops into a chronic condition. So unless you wear proper footwear, the condition will keep on recurring. Believe me, the cost of a visit at a foot clinic, a good one that is, is well worth the investment. My take. Hope this helps. Have a great day and wish you a speedy plantar fascitis recovery.

    TW                                                                                             

If this tip solved the problem for you, please mark this post solved, as this will be helpful to other users experiencing similar issues.

[LindaT68]

 Thank you for the info. I will look into seeing a foot doctor and trying some other exercises but most of all resting my feet.

[bdesplaines]

I also have plantar fascitis and use the ellipitical along with the bike to give my heel a rest from the treadmill.   Today I did a 30 minute ellipitical and my Charge HR registered 1,833 steps out of my daily total of 8,287 and I held on with both hands most of time.

[Heybales]

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@LindaT68 wrote:

I was diagnosed with plantar fascitis at the ER when I thought i broke my feet. Both hurt so bad. Ive had my flex since Christmas and with all the walking to get my steps in my feet kill me by the end of the day. My heels especially. But I want to get in shape and lose weight so I am pushing thru it. On the really bad days i just dont do as many steps. I too would like some suggestions for relief.

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Ditto's to NOT pushing through it.

Your body will find a way to rest eventually if you don't do it purposely.

Either you have tears in the tendon currently, and they will get worse, and then you'll do no walking at all for perhaps up to a year, especially if it ripped.

Or you currently have a strain but then can easily get a sprain, then you will be knocked out for 6 weeks minimum with no walking, and slow recovery after that, or force relapse.

Your tendon needs total rest, so orthotic insoles, or a pair you put, in every shoe you wear.

This relieves the pressure body weight puts on it.

Then the strength exercises to help it repair. Sadly most have poor ciculation in their feet, and it's not good in that tendon anyway, so repair is slower compared to other parts. Besides the fact even orthotics don't totally remove the stress, just lessen it.

Once healed, then barefoot to keep strengthening them.

[BB195]

I've been dealing with this for close to a year myself.  Thinking I could do my own diagnosis from the internet and try all the things that I could.  Wound up giving in to the pain and getting a referral to the podiatrist in December.  After 2 rounds of cortisone and orthotics I'm now in a walking boot until at least early April.  Take it from me if you don't have to be up and on your feet then you should be resting them.  My doc says I should be better by not but I work in healthcare and I'm on my feet for 90% of my 12 hour shift which equates into 15-19K steps.  Makes it even less fun in a walking boot believe me throws your whole body off.

[ladyofthewoods]

Just an update.  I went to the podiatrist & he put foam inserts in my shoe, and shot me in the heel with an anti-inflamatory.  He also told me to place my foot on a frozen water bottle 2x a day for 30 minutes.  I am 95% better, and back to walking again.  Sooooo relieved that I can move again! 🙂

[WendyB]

Thanks great news!

[TexasSun]

That is awesome!  I was going to reply to your original post, but it looks like you're doing well.  I was going to just say that having good inserts is the way to go.  I had plantar fasciitis that actually became a bone spur, which is NOT fun, and doesn't go away, unfortunately. Anyway, my podiatrist gave me exercises, then told me where to get some really good arch supports.  Well, I went to goodfeet.com.  I haven't had any pain in about a year and a half!  Anyway, it's pricey, but totally worth it.  Just thought I'd throw that out there.  🙂  

[Henrietta]

I suffer from it too. I use a recumbent exercise bike when it's bad. I've seen a podiatrist, an orthopedist and a physical therapist. I try to do the exercises they recommend and that really does help. I do wear orthotics that I got from a pedorthist. That and wearing "approved shoes" helps more than anything. My ankles turn in. I just can't afford to not wear good shoes anymore. 

When I have a flare up, rolling a frozen water bottle under my foot is the best thing I've found!

[lorraineya]

The 2 things that I attribute my healing to are custom orthotics and wearing a night splint. It took a full year to heal. I've had flare-ups now and then but none in the last 2 years. I still wear my orthotics and I'm careful about wearing good, supportive shoes. 

[jocoyn]

I recently went through a few months of plantar fasciitis which is bad but not as severe as the peroneal tendonitis that plagues me. 

I easily got rid of the fasciitis (and greatly improved the tendonitis)  with some different approaches.

(1) I did stretches by putting the ball of my foot on the edge of the stairs (walking up not down) and letting my heals drop...Did frequently during the day, even put my arch on the edge sometimes and did it.
(2) Icing the feet

(2) Went back to Birkenstock sandals.  I have a high arch and a foot that tends to roll out and I probably got the problem (cavovarus foot) by using a wedge insert and no arch after my orthotics wore out. NEVER GO WITHOUT ARCH SUPPORT!  so I learned. The birks have been a godsend and they even make a high arch support model..the problem with high arch supports is they do tend to promote the foot rolling out and outward foot roll exacerbates the peroneal tendonitis, but that is what whipped out the fasciitis in record time. The inserts made by the pedorthist worked but made of a softer material, wore out in 6 months and at $600 a pop and only good for one shoe......well.........

Custom orthotics- I am not sold on. A podiatrist made me a rigid orthotic that made my problems much much worse and I can document studies that say the one a pedorthist made for me was the appropriate design but that is for my structural foot issue, so I won't digress.  The birks were a suggestion by a friend and I remember how great they were many years ago.  I put 5-6 miles a day on them.  For me they work so well I bought the birk insoles for my hiking boots and tennis shoes. 

FWIW, my walking is slow and deliberate - for the aerobic part I use the exercise bike and spin. What I like about that is I can monitor heart rate in real time and constantly adjust tension on the fly to keep it in the zone.

[GoldenEmily]

Plantar Faciitus - a horrible condition. Had it for years after overuse. The only thing that even improved it was rest, strength training, and stretching. How to rest one's feet?   Very difficult.  I reduced my steps to just what is needed to do my day - about 5-7000. Took more than a year but saw gradual improvement. Resting   feet by getting fitness from stationary cycle and swimming pool worked better than anything else. Orthodics helped. Wivv custom quarter insoles and Kuru sandals (special heel cup reduces stress on heel as foot strikes ground). Gave up my heels AND my beloved floppy cutesy flip flops we live in all year in south Texas. Only wear Kuru sandals now. Also, the plantar is attached to all the muscles in the feet/ankle/leg/hip system so keeping in shape (think stretch AND strength training machines) help align it allI learned, yes tight misaligned  hips, can affect the feet too! . Trying to treat the feet as if it was the only problem is futile. I miss my hiking, but I am hoping one more year of strength training, stretching, water exercise will heal it enough to enjoy my winter hikes in Texas National Parks maybe this next season. You cant push through this. You have to let it heal or you keep tearing it. Best wishes to all with the problem. After a decade of pain, I think I understand now. Its not just the feet and you CANT ignore it. 

[GoldenEmily]

Also, dont pay attention to all the bull on the internet that stretching does not help, than orthotics are bad, and you should walk barefoot. Yeah,.... if we still lived on the savanna instead of on concrete and steel home and building foundations.  I get the concept of over dependence on a supportive insole, but you have to get it to heal first. It will never heal if overpronation and excessive hard surface walking with no support continues. It all works together: fitness hips to toe: reduce dependence on heel striking fitness options:  wear good shoes that absorb shock;  get rid of the heels; stretch head to toe. It all works together.

The foot is not a "part" like in a car. It is related to all the other muscles and only a comprehensive approach worked for me. I will be careful to avoid re-injury, now that I understand how important it is to take care of my whole body AND my feet. I really appreciate my feet now! Enough to skip the heels. 

[Corney]

ladyofthewoods:  Plantar fasciitis is normally caused by one of three problems.  1. One leg is functionally longer than the other leg, this causes the foot of the longer leg to hyper-pronate in an effort to equal the leg length. 2. Tight heel cord which also causes the foot to hyper-pronate.  3. decreased big toe flexion on the affected foot puts added stress on the plantar fascia.  Standing in bare feet have someone place their hands on the illiac crests to see if they are level, if they aren't one leg is longer.  Stretch your heel cords.  Mobilize big toe flexors.  If all else fails look into buying over the counter orthotics to support the arches.  I agree the elliptical would be better than walking.  Also never go bare foot.