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Plantar Fasciitis

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4K views 50 replies 32 participants last post by  Wormonhook 
#1 ·
Actually SFR as I have it in my left heel and it has flared up recently. It eases up after the start of the day and thus far does not impact fishing. I started wearing some OTC orthotic in my work shoes and that seemed to help a bit. Now retired, I've been wearing other casual shoes more often. Any others on the forum deal with this and what has worked best for you? Anyone use them in wading boots? Trying to decide whether to see a Podiatrist... wife thinks I should, I'm not so sure.
 
#3 ·
What you need is the big strap-on boot to wear when you are home and asleep. This will prevent you from re-injuring your plantar facia every morning. To get one you need to see a podiatrist or a savvy medical doctor. Standing in cold water will be an awesome form of therapy for it.
 
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#4 ·
I have had it off and on for several years. It started probably spending many days, weeks and months wading rivers. Also, when I ran I didn't have newer, more supportive shoes. Now I wear better everyday shoes, almost no dress shoes, and good wading boots (Simms) with Superfeet in the them. When I run, it's often, I wear newer shoes and all is well. When I vary from this, it kind of comes back...
All that said, I've spent a lot of money buying and trying different shoes. My closet if filled with Ecco's brand shoes. They work for me. I went and saw a foot doc. He didn't tell me anything I didn't know or found on Google.
Good luck sir.



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#6 ·
This stuff is painful, I also never invested in quality footwear and now I've paid the price. Doc says I also have achilles tendonitis and bone spurs in that area. The superfeet have helped a bit. Physical therapy next... the excercises you read about online do help. Good luck and don't let it get worse! I also agree with Blood Knot, the boot helps.
 
#8 ·
I have had it so bad, I could barely walk. It took months of PT to fix.

Here were my instructions from PT:
1. Ice (like Ed said)
2. Stretches every day, and especially before getting out of bed or getting up after and extended time sitting. This really helps. Look up stretches for it, which are mostly for the Achilles
3. Until it is healed, NEVER EVER put any weight on it without being supported by your orthotic. I was told that if I got up in the night to pee, I needed my shoe on. In the shower, I had to stand on my good foot. Always wear the shoe/orthotic! I used green SuperFeet as many of the other OTC are crap.
4. Get the right shoes. If you grab the toe and heel and try to twist, they shouldn't. They also shouldn't bend in half.
5. Get another pair of SuperFeet for wading and other wet activities.
6. For some reason, many people can get by with Crocs. They violate all the known rules but they can help. I wish they existed when mine was really bad as I might have been able to wear them in the shower. I still have to wear SuperFeet in everything except Crocs and Keen sandals, which for some reason also work well for me. A friend swears by Biremstocks for her's (and she's not the least bit granola).

And last and MOST IMPORTANLY, wear a NIGHT BOOT!!!! As you sleep, your foot relaxs and all the micro-tears start to heal, but in the relaxed position. When you put weight on it in the morning, you re-tear everything that healed. The night boot keeps the foot/ankle bent at 90 degrees so the tears heal in the correct position. When you take it off every morning, be sure to do the stretches before putting weight on it (with your shoe on).

The night boot was the only thing that worked for me and helped me avoid surgery. When mine flares up, I wear one again and it is quickly healed. However, now I can get by with a light low profile OTC one. If you were to do nothing else but get the night boot, I think you will see some relief. You can get one from the Dr or order one online. I see them a lot at Goodwill too but obviously, you'd want to wash it well.

Good Luck!

(Here's what I wore but they have other types now:)

Shoe Human body Gesture Synthetic rubber Personal protective equipment
 
#10 ·
Thank you all for the input and suggestions. Plan to see a Podiatrist about it; mostly to appease my wife... she says I self diagnose and on-line repair too much.

Dang, those boots look really clunky to sleep with. I think (hope) my case is on the mild side as it hasn't been that much of an issue until recently when I started wearing tennis shoes around. Also home a bit more and running around in socks; sounds like that is a no-no. Maybe a pair of Crocs as house shoes would help? For some reason, I hardly notice any discomfort while fishing... this may end up being a major upside for attaining the excursion pass :).
 
#15 ·
Crocs may help but a more rigid option would be my suggestion. Nubbed massage sandals for slipper kicking around the house. Consider some chacos for solid sandal option, great comfort, sole strength and arch support. Solid option.
 
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#16 ·
If you have healthy feet, go barefoot as much as possible.
Allowing your entire foot to support your body is better than the few points of support in a shoe or boot.
One of the reasons people have foot and spine issues is from constant use of shoes and boots, never allowing the entire foot to do its job.
YMMV.
 
#18 ·
If you have healthy feet, go barefoot as much as possible.
Allowing your entire foot to support your body is better than the few points of support in a shoe or boot.
One of the reasons people have foot and spine issues is from constant use of shoes and boots, never allowing the entire foot to do its job.
YMMV.
Interesting perspective. I wonder were a survey done in those parts of the world where people walk barefoot or mostly so, they would have a lower incidence of this ailment.
 
#21 ·
After using most of the advice points mentioned above by so many folks, including Superfeet in every pair of regular shoes, work boots and wading shoes. I wear Birkenstock sandals as slippers in the house, and do not walk around barefoot. Also, I do calf/foot stretches on the stairs every night.

Hang in there....

Jim B.
 
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#22 ·
I got rid of a nasty case if planter faciitis several years back by doing many of the things listed above. Along with never going barefoot I did what my podiatrist told me and bought a pair of crocks.

I ware them all the time. Only problem for my better half is I leave them on when we go out in public like movies, dinner...

Denisr
 
#23 ·
My wife had PF something awful. No help from the HMO. They had a wrap method that only they could do, although it did help some--while it stayed up.

She bought Birkenstocks with immediate relief. It was those exclusively for a few years, until the PF healed. She just complains about wedgy heels, now; but I don't think that should matter to you.

I just wish I could find a shoe that fit me.
 
#24 ·
I had this a few years ago after spending a week running around on the beach barefoot. It lasted for about two years and was so bad I couldn't go grocery shopping without taking a break. I tried the cortisone shot which provided only temporary relief, and custom orthotics, which cost me $500 and didn't help at all (in fact it made it worse). As a last resort, my podiatrist recommended I buy a good pair of hiking boots at REI (he actually gave me a list of ones to pick from). I bought a pair of Zamberlan hiking boots and replaced the stock insoles with green superfeet. Per doctors instructions, I was not to let my feet hit the floor without these boots on for two weeks minimum. It worked. Since then I have also been selective about which shoes I wear. I have a pair of Columbia trail shoes I wear most of the time and I am on my third pair of Zamberlans for tromping through the woods. I have not had a problem since.
 
#26 ·
Any foot pain is debilitating. I have gone through wart issues--think pebbles in the shoe--horrible shoes designed only for manikins, rocks left in deep cuts, along with other stuff. I have a high arch and wide feet. Over the years, manufacture has moved from fit to a Chinese made generic jumble of plastic. So, I wear the cheapest thong (flip flop for youngsters) in summer, and a variety of cheap tennies, and costly leather in winter.[/QUOTE]
 
#28 ·
I'll chime in with a somewhat different perspective. I started dealing with PF and other foot and lower leg problems in late 2010. I was running quite a bit at the time. Had always run with Superfeet in my shoes. Started feeling symptoms first in the plantar fasciitis (though frankly had no idea what it was), which then moved into the arches of my feet and eventually into my posterior tibialis tendons. I tore one of my posterior tibialis tendons in early 2011 on a long run. I ended up in a boot for a few months and then started a long cycle of PT and orthotics. This lasted for probably 3 years or so. Saw a sports medicine doc. Saw a podiatrist. Saw a PT. Went through literally 4 different types of orthotics. Tried to wear "comfort shoes" as much as possible. Tried shoes with little flex, which is what everyone says you need to wear when you have PF. I stopped running for a while. I found every orthotic I ever tried uncomfortable. I always felt that orthotics put pressure in the wrong places. There were a couple that actually made the pain in my feet much worse. The last pair of orthotics I had (made by a PT who my sports doc said was the local orthotics guru) was probably the most tolerable, but still were not very comfortable. All the so-called "comfort shoes" and inflexible-soled shoes drove me nuts. Eventually I went in the opposite direction. I finally ditched the last pair of orthotics a couple years ago and started to wear footwear with minimal support. Basically, I found that what I responded to most was a somewhat soft-cushioned insole but without all sorts of arch support. I started walking around in bare feet and flip flops as much as possible around the house. Once I ditched the orthotics and supportive shoes, things finally started to turn for me. I will not claim to be symptom-free, but I am loads better off now than when I was trying all the conventional solutions, like inflexible soles, orthotics, etc. I wish I had jettisoned all that crap a year or two earlier, because I'm now convinced it just prolonged the problem for me. Not suggesting you should not try the conventional approaches to dealing with PF, but do be open to the possibility that they won't work and you may need to try something that may seem counterintuitive.
 
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#29 ·
Jeeber's, that is quite contrary to most of what is published. I have an appointment Monday with a Podiatrist. I've been using some OTC 3/4 length orthotics by Dr. Scholl's in my house shoes and that seems to help a little. I tried them in my tennis shoes the other day and they just felt too tight. Also been doing the ice thing and hamstring stretches in the morning. I tried on some Keen Tracker hiking shoes, but they felt a bit wide for me.

Using Freestone's advice on checking resistance to fore and aft, and twist flex, they definitely stood out from some of the lower cost shoes. They certainly felt stiff wearing them and did have better arch support. I agree with you that a good arch support seems to feel best to me. Most of the shoes I've looked at, particularly tennis shoes, simply don't seem to offer much arch support... maybe I need to start looking at the real high end stuff.
 
#31 ·
Those dang things stay really cold for quite awhile. My wife asked what the hell the golf balls were doing in the freezer and I told her it was a therapy recommended on WFF. Then she asked me what WFF is :).
 
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