Foot pain when walking, Plantar Fasciitis

I am having extreme heel/foot pain. Dr says I have Plantar Fasciitis, here is what I found out about it:

When your first few steps out of bed in the morning cause severe pain in the heel of your foot, you may have plantar fasciitis (fashee-EYE-tiss). It's an overuse injury affecting the sole or flexor surface (plantar) of the foot. A diagnosis of plantar fasciitis means you have inflamed the tough, fibrous band of tissue (fascia) connecting your heel bone to the base of your toes.

I have been doing the stretching exercises as dr suggested and bought orthodics for my shoes. Now I know that the 39 lbs that I need to loose is part of the problem and I want to start walking. I also had Arthoscopy on my knee in December, so it would be great to strenghten my knee also. I took a 10 minute walk this afternoon and by dinnertime the pain was overwhelming.

Does anyone else have this and what do you to relieve the pain.

Thanks in advance for any help, I just signed up on Calorie Counter tonight. 

I have friends with plantar fasciitis.   Look at this webpage by Coach RJ for the best recommendation I have seen by someone who suffered from it.

http://www.ronjones.org/Coach&Train/BodyX erciseLibrary/SpecialConditions/PlantarFascii tis.html

Coach RJ is local to me (Bakersfield) and I have heard nothing but good things about him.

I'm surprised your doctor did not prescribe physical therapy after your knee surgery.  See if you can still get some.  The therapist will give you some great exercises to strengthen your knees, and you may be able to talk him into giving you some other exercises as well!  Good luck.

I have had PF for about ten years, on and off. This past fall, it flaired up big time. I am 53 and a runner. I had to stop running because of the PF and by the time the Christmas shopping season was over, I could barely walk. Miserable.

Several things I have found to be helpful.

1. Before I get out of bed in the morning, I pretend there is a pencil held between my big toe and the next toe. I then "write " my ABC's, using big letters. This seems to stretch everything in all directions.

2. I got a small gladware container and filled it with about 2 dozen marbles. I empty that container onto the floor every night and then use my toes to fill the container back up. Do this by putting the container both on the big toe side of your foot and then on the baby toe side of your foot, so you are filling it two times.

3. I bought new shoes and some insets. Both of these seemed to help.

I am now back to trying to build my running up slowly. I can now walk for 30 minutes and can run for 10 minutes without significant heel pain in the evenings.

Thanks for the info moonduster and m4l.

I did have PT for my knee and she did give me exercises for the foot pain. I was just trying to see what others have done to get them on the road to recovery. My dogs and I really miss our walks. I know I need new walking shoes, I hate to spend a lot of $$ on shoes and then not have them right, so I will go to the New Balance store and get measured and see how those feel.

Hi cindy613,

I also have pf and yes...it can be very painful.  I first noticed it about 2 years ago.  I had quit smoking, my husband had just passed away, and I had shattered my ankle....all within a 6 month period.  I think all of the weight I put on had a lot to do with it.  I finally went to a doctor and had some inserts made specifically for my feet.  I wore those in my shoes for about a year and the pain has completely gone away.  I just started on my diet about 3 months ago, which I'm sure will also help.  I actually don't even usually wear my inserts anymore and still don't have any pain.  I'm not sure if pf comes and goes & occasionally flares up or not, but I haven't had any problems since I had my inserts made.  Maybe that would help you too!  Good luck!

Ann

I have had luck relieving it if I remember to stretch out calves, foot frequently during the day, and ice it a few times everyday with a frozen water bottle, rolling my foot on it on the floor.  This does the dual duty of stretching and icing it.  Aleve or another anitinflammatory.  I also have less trouble when I weigh less!  The biggest thing I did was get rid of all my shoes ( an expensive fix) and get ones that really support-I found the best luck with a brand called Finn Comfort- the clogs that are slightly elevated.  They are expensive, but I have found a few great deals on ebay.  Since switching shoes, I have rarely had trouble.  Orthotics didn't work for me.

Also, never walk barefoot, even short distances.  The shoe store guy that originally got me to get a pair of Finns to try recommended Haflinger Grizzly clogs for house shoes- wonderful!  I've gotten my husband and daughter pairs for gifts and they love them, too.

Good luck.  This is a really painful condition and really common, I'm finding out!

boy do i ever empathize with you...ouch! plantar fasciatis is painful......i suffered with it for months before going to the doctor.....  was given an elastic strap that went under the arch of my foot and around my ankle and had relief within hours!!!!!! ....i wore it for a few painless weeks(might add it is not attractive ) and have have not suffered since......sorry i don't know what it was called but it sure resolved my problem immediately...perhaps you can check with your orthopaedist.....i still wear normal shoes including stilletos on most days.....good luck

I went to Foot Comfort shoe store, they specialize in shoes for problem feet. I stood on the comptuer foot pad, got measured and bought Chung Shi walking shoes last Thursday. My foot pain is gone, an expensive fix also, the shoes were $245, but worth every penny to be able to walk pain free. This store also has a computer that fits you for orthodics, I can remove the inserts from most of my current shoes and put these in so I can wear them. That will be the next thing I do, have to save $250 for those. I continue to do my exercises and I think I can get another pair fo walking shoes through Zappos now that I know what size I wear. It is such a pleasure to walk pain free!

I occasionally have PF flare ups.  I've found that "yoga toes" help stretch the bottom of my feet and relieve the pain.  Just google "yoga toes".  They are expensive on-line ($49) but I saw them in a drug store recently for around $15.  I also found out that I'd been wearing the wrong width of shoe.  By going to a wider width, I cut way down on my foot pain.  I know PF can be extremely painful and definitely make you more sendentary.  Good luck on reducing your pain and being able to enjoy doing physical activity!

I have had PF for several years.  Being a nurse, I am on my feet a lot.  Being overweight makes things worse.  What makes walking bearable?

1.  Podiatrist made custom orthotics for my shoes.  Not paid for by insurance, but very well worth it.  The store kind were useless.

2.  Good supportive shoes.  I wear New Balance.  My podiatrist recommended them as a less expensive alternative to custom made supportive shoes.  I wear them to church and everywear.

3.  Never go on tiptoe.

4.  Never go barefoot (a hard one for me)

5.  Try not to walk uphill. 

I have the same problem.  A friend of mine told me about a brand of shoes called Kloggs.  I have found them at stores that cater to nurses.  Since I have started wearing them I found I have been able to walk really well, and fast, too!  I still have the pain when I wake up and sometimes feel the pain when I walk, but for some reason I don't limp anymore.  I have been able to go back to the mall!!!!

I used to have this and don't anymore. The best way to relieve foot paint is in the evenings when you are watching tv, roll your feet over cold cans of soft drinks, etc.  I tell you, it sounds simple, but it works.

Hi Cindy,

I've had it for about three or more years. I went to one foot doctor and he was a quack. He taped my feet up with gauze like burrito's and told me to where them like that for 2 weeks. After 3 days the gauze was all dirty and falling off. lol I tried the inserts but it didn't help much.

My regular doctor told me that I had it. She had it too. She said to do the frozen coke bottle thing and she went to a foot doctor that told her to do excercise. I changed doctors about 5 months ago. My new Dr. told me I had rheumatoid arthitis and told me to start taking Glucosamine. I bought the pills and started taking them. Then I found the drink at Costco. I started drinking a can a day. I'm thinking this helped me because I haven't had a problem since. Yes my feet hurt when I walk a lot but that I think is because of my weight. I do stretch my foot and toes in bed at night too. You might try it before you go into the expense of shoes.

Hi Cindy,

All of the advice so far in this blog is what the medical community recommends.  I have had pf for about 8 months and do all of these treatments with a little success.  I have finally purchased yet MORE inserts.  These are called "Powerstep Pinnacle" and cost $35 at a runners store.  They are much more comfortable than the custome $300 ones I got from the doctor.  I bought a pair of Sketcher tennis shoes, the kind the the heel out because I can't stand to wear shoes every minute and need to slip them off when I am sitting.  I removed the footbed that came in the shoes and replaced them with the Powerstep inserts.  I got religious about wearing my foot brace at night that prevents my foot from hyperextending and puts a gentle stretch on the foot tendon all night.  I ice my feet anytime I can to bring down the inflammation.  At last, I am getting some positive results!

One caution:  beware doctors wanting to give multiple steroid shots (I have had 4 and am now convinced they have made things worse) because they can weaken the tendon and potentially cause tendon rupture.  I wish I'd known that earlier in the course of this problem.

Good Luck! 

I have experienced this several times. It is very uncomfortable, especially getting up in the morning. Simple stretching exercise is what worked for me. No inserts, special shoes, etc. Just grab one foot with your hand while standing on the other foot and pull it back behind you. Slowly stretch one side then the other. Second exercise: stand on a stair with your heels off the edge and stretch them down (making your toes go up).

The other thing is weight loss. I'm 5'1" with lots to lose but just 10 pounds really helps.

Hi Cindy,

I had PF about 2 years ago. It would flare up every time I would increase my miles to about 8 miles. I then decided to see a sports medicine doctor and he really helped me. First of all he told me that PF would not cause any permanent damage which really put me a ease. Treatment included ice and trying to pick up a ball or a towel by curling my toes down. The idea is that you are exercising and strengthennning the under part of your foot. I was to do this about 4-5 time as per day for 20-30 minutes. This completely got rid of my PF.

How nice to  meet you all.   Another exercise is putting a dish towel down under your feet and using  your toes, bunch it up under your foot.  Like picking it up, but don't pick it up, just continue bunching it up.  If the pile gets too big, just move the towel back behind your foot.

There is hope.  I first was diagnosed with PF when recalled to active duty for Desert Storm I, REALLY a pain with all the extra PT.

The Dr.  Gave me some HORRIFIC shots, but I walked out of the office in no pain, and wore the perscribed shoe inserts religiously.  Slowly the pain subsided.  Ibuprophen helps with the residual pain, but don't over do that.  Do the inserts, excersizes and warm-ups.

I still wear the same inserts, today.  If I forget a few days, wearing a different pair of shoes, I begin to "feel" it returning.  Good running shoes help also.  After about 200 miles of running, retire the running shoes to daily walkers, and get new shoes.  They may still look new, but they begin to break down inside.

I did a Half Marathon recently, and just now spent 100 minutes on the treadmill walking/jogging at 4.5% incline and between 3.5 and 5 mph...with NO foot pain. 

Just go easy, and slow down a bit.  If you go too fast you burn glycogen anyway, not burn fat.  Slower aerobic burns more fat than faster anerobic does anyway.  -Roy

Original Post by cindy613:

I am having extreme heel/foot pain. Dr says I have Plantar Fasciitis, here is what I found out about it:

When your first few steps out of bed in the morning cause severe pain in the heel of your foot, you may have plantar fasciitis (fashee-EYE-tiss). It's an overuse injury affecting the sole or flexor surface (plantar) of the foot. A diagnosis of plantar fasciitis means you have inflamed the tough, fibrous band of tissue (fascia) connecting your heel bone to the base of your toes.

I have been doing the stretching exercises as dr suggested and bought orthodics for my shoes. Now I know that the 39 lbs that I need to loose is part of the problem and I want to start walking. I also had Arthoscopy on my knee in December, so it would be great to strenghten my knee also. I took a 10 minute walk this afternoon and by dinnertime the pain was overwhelming.

Does anyone else have this and what do you to relieve the pain.

Thanks in advance for any help, I just signed up on Calorie Counter tonight.