Walking and plantar fasciitis

[buffalowinters]

I have had amazing success with my FitBit but I have also been walking though a heel spur and plantar fasciitis. It isn't fun but I feel so amazing health wise that I take the good with the bad. I am having custom orthopedics made and I also see a massage therapist 2x a week (which I recommended if you are dealing with this).  My podiatrist recommended me to stop walking for exercise due to how bad it is and take up bike riding. I don't want to do that. I can't do that. I get so depressed without my steps and bike riding just isn't my cup of tea. I am hoping to find others who have been there and get some real advice from real people.

I haven't walked in 2 days and I am going crazy. I literally feel gross. I wish I would have found how amazing walking (and can't lie, Pokemon Go hehe) can make you feel so happy. The weight is falling off and I'm feeling alive. I don't want to give this up.

Thanks for reading!

[LindaT68]

I understand your pain with plantar fasciitis as I also have it and when it flares up it is very painful but the best advice I can give is to rest your feet when they hurt real bad. I know not walking at all is nearly impossible but you do need to rest the feet. I learned the hard way. Hope you get to feeling better soon 🙂

[Carrie_happy]

Hi there, I found fitflop shoes ease the pain of walking with plantar fasciitis. It doesn't go completely, but it's more bearable with them.

[marymello]

Get a ball from the "dog toys" section at any store.. make sure that the ball has raised bumps on it. You will roll it around under your foot and it will be gone in no time. Sorry to say, that it is something that you will need to do when your feet act up. I had it last year and still use the ball and jog a little. It also is good to get a massage stick and do the same thing to your body as this hydrates the fascia. Also ALWAYS stretch before doing any exercise or the connective tissues will kink.

[buffalowinters]

Thank You all for the replies. I had a hard time finding my original post so sorry it took a day to get back. I did end up resting the foot for two days but I couldn't do it today. I'll know tomorrow if I'll be sorry but I felt so crappy NOT walking the 10k. It has become a addiction to walk. I do realize I have to take it easy when it hurts bad or I'll probably do more damage as some of you have said. 

I will definitely use the advice given to me and thank you all.

Happy Walking!

[Bobbinyc]

@buffalowinters  I was out of commission for a year with torn plantar fascia and achilles tendonitis.  It took me 3 podiatrists to find one who really knew about it.  And I also went to physical therapy.  It matters if the tendon is injured or torn.  A torn one can be repaired with surgery or sometimes with rest.  If it is not torn (probably not since you can use it though it could have a small tear) then  you need to make sure not to tear it or further injure it.

I strongly recommend a physical therapist.  They can teach you the right way to do exercises that stretch and strengthen not just the tendons but the ankle and whole leg so it is less likely to happen again.

Play around with special inserts until you find one that works.  If you don't have proper arch support, and stabilization, you will not be able to heal.  The orthotics you are getting should help with that.  If they don't (and it is hard to tell if you are inflammed), have them re-done.  They do not always come out right the first time.  Only wear new sneakers, less than a year old, and only wear shoes with good support.

The exercises you learn to do should be for life.  There is very little blood in those tendons so they don't heal quickly.  Football players who are young athletes get sidelined for over a year.  You need to protect this part of you.

After walking, if you must walk, ice it to lower the inflamation.  Warm it before a walk.  This isn't highly effective because of the lack of blood there, but it helps a bit.

You can get special soft boots to wear at night to keep your foot in the right position so the tendon is lightly stretched.  Does your foot hurt when you get out of bed?  Warm the tendon by doing some of the foot exercise first before putting weight on it.

I have heel spurs too, most people do, but I only felt them when I had the tendonitis.  Doing the exercises will help a  lot as does rest and ice.  And eating well and drinking a lot.  A nourished hydrated body will heal faster.

Respect the pain.  I means something is wrong and you don't want this to get worse.

Hope this helps.

[JerriAnn]

I have the same condition as you. I still walk too. I have been in theapy and even had to take steriods which neither helped. Dr. said maybe an operation might be in the future.

I did lose 45 pds. and it wasn't so much the walking but what I ate. I need to lose another 30 and I will be happy. It is not coming off as fast any more. I am 66 so that doesn't help either. But I refuse to be in a wheel chair or have others help me when I get older. Wish senior citizens would feel the same as me.

My husband thinks I sound like an ex smoker . LOL

Let me know if you have any improvement to your foot and just what works.

[CecileArifovic]

Hi Everyone,

I am so angry and sad with myself...poor choice of shoes when starting my nursing career in operating theatre for 2 years has been so bad on my feet. I spent countless amount of money on spendless shoes store cheap shoes to try about all cheap professional shoes I could find to try and resolve my pain...

I had pain and had seen a relative who is a GP to see what is wrong with my feet. Only to be shamed and shuned as hypochondriac as they could not explain or identify anything wrong with my feet...that was 2 years ago when the pain started...ever since I thought to myself you are new you need to grow thick skin and you are a wuss, drink a cup of concrete and it should be alright.

2 year onwards the pain is still unbearable and even had to fake sickies to get my feet to recover for a day...I have had enough and this week I saw a podiatrist for an hour assessment consultation...it was all worth it...I happened to have had plantar fascitis all the way along. She strapped my feet, got me some recommendations for appropriate shoes at athletes footwear stores (I ended up buying the saucony ISO model...

My feet are turning inwards and so are my knees and hips,  and I have a high arch on my feet...only wearing fleet shoes for the past 2 years. So on top of wearing orthotics and expensive shoes, I have been advised to build my core and glutes as a mean to help with my walking correction...no more running, walking is compulsory in my work stream we almost never sit down.

I am shocked to hear I have something like that and so angry with myself for not doubting this relative and their biases opinion, and not looking sooner for another more professional opinion. 

I am scared this will never go away, the podiatrist told me that wearing orthotics for me will be like wearing glasses, I will have to wear them all the time...does that mean it is over, I screwed up my feet and I have to resign myself to be stuck with that for the rest of my life? The pain is unbearable sometimes and I can not take it anymore and I do not want to be told I will have to live with that forever, any help anyone?

Cheers 

Cecile

[Ilaida]

Hi Cecile,
I am sorry to read about your plantar fascitis but I know that seeking professional help is brave of you and is the first step to finding a solution. I can relate to your problem as I also had plantar fascitis a few years ago and the pain is really unbearable. I was standing at work for about 12hrs a day and our foot wear was almost non existent I was working in a cleanroom environment and our shoes is just a thin piece of fabric. I was also in the heavy side so that contributed. I ended up leaving that kind of work. I tried different type of shoes and sandals. But what helped me was Birkenstock shoes & sandals. You might want to explore this. At first it was really uncomfortable but when the cork adaptes to the form of my feet, it got better. I also recommended this to a friend with the same complaint and it helped her. I also took some good quality nutritionals that helped with my condition.
I hope this helps you.

[tamado]

I have so been there.  I was to the point of walking with a cane around the house.  I own a bakery and my work is extremely active and I could barely do my job and then just crashed when I got home.  I got orthodics and they changed my life.  I was able to walk well with them on after a bit of training my feet, so you have that to look forward to.  Also, make sure to focus your weight loss in the kitcehn too.  The saying that you loose more weight in the kitchen than you do in the gym is very true.  
I am happy to report that after 100 lbs lost I am relying less on my orthodics.  I just spent a week at the lake wearing crocs and never wore my orthodics once.  A year ago, that would have crippled me.  

So, the orthodics will allow you to exercise again, weight loss can give you longer term relief from symptoms (the condition is still there, but excessive weight makes it SO much worse).

[Miltrygrl]

A little late responding but I wanted to chime in that I also have planters fascitits in my left foot and I am recovering from a slight tear in my right Achilles so I can relate. Have you tried KT Tape? It has worked wonders for me. My foot would get so bad I couldn't walk barefoot esp at night or first thing in the am. Man did it hurt. I also bought shoes designed for supination which I suffer from (whether related or not) and this has also made a tremendous difference. The only trouble is they have only lasted 253 miles in 5 weeks before I needed to replace them because my foot was hurting again. Bought a new pair last Thursday and I'm relatively pain free. Yes, extra weight makes it so much harder because you need your feet to exercise but if you are in pain and can't you can risk being discouraged. You have gotten great ideas (I'm going to get the ball with the bumps too) and I hope you have found some relief.

[GershonSurge]

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@buffalowinters wrote:

I have had amazing success with my FitBit but I have also been walking though a heel spur and plantar fasciitis. It isn't fun but I feel so amazing health wise that I take the good with the bad. I am having custom orthopedics made and I also see a massage therapist 2x a week (which I recommended if you are dealing with this).  My podiatrist recommended me to stop walking for exercise due to how bad it is and take up bike riding. I don't want to do that. I can't do that. I get so depressed without my steps and bike riding just isn't my cup of tea. I am hoping to find others who have been there and get some real advice from real people.

I haven't walked in 2 days and I am going crazy. I literally feel gross. I wish I would have found how amazing walking (and can't lie, Pokemon Go hehe) can make you feel so happy. The weight is falling off and I'm feeling alive. I don't want to give this up.

Thanks for reading!

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One thing I've learned is when something first starts to hurt, stop exercising for a couple days. If it starts to hurt again, take more time off. I am just coming off two months of being sidelined from running, which turned out to be a good thing as I found weightlifting to be fun. Now I have two addictions. 🙂 

Your plantar fascia hurts because it's trying to tell you to stop walking. Any medication, massage therapy, or orthopedics that allow you to walk will enable you to damage it more. Based on my recent experience with minor damage to my Achilles tendon, I'd give up walking for at least a couple months. 

There may be a middle ground where you can safely walk VERY slowly while using a cane. I'm talking about a mile per hour or so while being careful not to do anything that causes the plantar fascia to hurt more. This should be enough for Pokemon Go! if you live near an area where Pokemon stops are close together.  Check with your Podiatrist.

[JerriAnn]

I have the same problem.done and went through all you have gone through.even had to take steriods.they didn't help.just made my sugar count go to 350 day and night.so I  probably will end up having it operated on.
Good luck.


Sent from my Verizon Wireless 4G LTE smartphone

[caspery]

I switched to Altra zero drop shoes and they have decreased my plantar fasciitis significantly.

[caspery]

https://www.altrarunning.com/

[Fantine]

I've had PF and heel spurs in my left foot for two decades now.  No podiatrist ever told me to stop walking, only to wear the right shoes and to do strength and stretching exercises (plus short-term NSAIDs).  I also wear shoes all the time except for showering and sleeping.  The best everyday shoes I found to wear were New Balance cross-trainers with New Balance arch supports.  At work, I wear Spenco 3/4 arch support inserts in my dress shoes (no heels).  For "slippers," I wear Easy Spirit Traveltime shoes with arch supports and I only wear those until I'm showered and dressed.  I can honestly stay that I've been pain-free since spending the money on good shoes and inserts.  Good luck.

[akshayv]

I've ordered before and I'm sure I'll order again. I've always been happy doing business with Orthofeet and I have recommended this site many friends. I always love my purchases from orthofeet. It's great to have a place to find shoes that I can wear without pain.  Excellent customer service! Also, appreciate free shipping and free returns.(and the coupon that pops up:-) Thank you.

[akshayv]

My girl has been having problems with her feet for years, going to foot doctors has been rather unhelpful and always comes to the conclusion that surgery is her only help for relief. However I bought her a pair for work and the flip flops for everyday wear and the amount that it has helped has been phenomenal. I asked her to describe how they feel, she said not like walking on clouds, more like walking on sand because of how well they mold to her feet. She can be on her feet for the whole day with little to no heel/arch pain at all. Best investment I've made in long time. Thanks to orthofeet.

[Nora58]

I had to take a year off for that very thing and you have to take it seriously. I ended up in therapy for six months and then still had to have live stem cells injected to regrow the facia in my foot. Stretch before and after every walk, ice and heat daily sleep with the boot on if it hurts to get up . No easy way out, just have to do the work or suffer more pain and damage. Good luck.

[lennythek]

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@GershonSurge wrote:

 thing I've learned is when something first starts to hurt, stop exercising for a couple days. If it starts to hurt again, take more time off.  
Excellent advice!   


which turned out to be a good thing as I found weightlifting to be fun. Now I have two addictions. 🙂 

 

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