Plantar Faciitis

[Henryford]

I am 65 and have never had any problems with my feet but suddenly seem to have developed PF with pain in my heels and soles of both feet. I can't think what might have caused it as i have always been a keen walker and never experienced any foot pain. I have tried cold massages to the feet and streaching the feet but nothing seems to work. Any ideas of a cure from others who might have had the same problem.

[wgdanson]

Give up the walking.    lol

[Sheryl]

1. Arch supports - very helpful. Can be inserts into your shoes, or you can buy or make simple elastic bandage type thing that encircles the foot. Of all the various types, these are the sort  worked best for me

 

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/arch-flat-foot-correction-i267879926-s419045656.html?spm=a2o4m.searchlist.list.2.68f92f70WF1KH1&search=1

 

https://www.amazon.com/SB-SOX-Compression-Sleeves-Women/dp/B078SH611L/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1543376226&sr=8-5&keywords=plantar+fasciitis+sleeves

 

I did not find the ones with gel pads as easy to use or helpful, but YMMV

 

I also switched over to shoes that have built in arch support and this has helped avoid recurrences. Vionic and Dr Scholls make some flip flop type versions.

 

2. Stretching exercises - you will find plenty on you tube. Thes eare veru helpful.

 

3. NSAIDs (ibuprofen and the like) are helpful if you have no contraindication. Take only with food and do not take if you are on any type of anticoagulant or have a history of gastric ulcer disease or gastritis.

 

You'll need to be patient, once PF sets in it takes many months to resolve. Once it is resolved, regular stretches and arch support can prevent it recurring.

 

[dddave]

There was a recent in depth article in the Boston Globe

https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2018/10/19/welcome-plantar-fasciitis-nation/cSeEupijM5jvhfnugysRiP/story.html&sa=U&ved=0ahUKEwjht5GQ-PbeAhVFwI8KHbaYA3YQFggIMAE&client=internal-uds-cse&cx=006376928391721581342:dttdzxtrxse&usg=AOvVaw2lmjf99SyH1jDT16THZ6AW

It seems the trend of soft soled tennis and walking shoes may be contributing to the upsurge.

I got PF when I was playing a lot of golf.  I always walked, carrying my bag and wore soft soled golf shoes.  I took a break from golf and got a pair of hard soled golf shoes with good arch supports and the condition went away and has never returned.

[Lumbini]

Let us know what works

[mek]

German Birkenstock sandals. A bit pricey here in Thailand but really really comfortable. Healthy for your feet and once you get used to them you don't wanna wear anything else.

[PAWNEESE]

My Plantar Faciitis came on literally overnight .. coincidently on holiday in Thailand about 10/12 years ago, I bought a pair of flat soled sandals after deciding the climate was too hot to keep wearing trainers during the day. A few days later .. on waking up it felt like I had been hit very very hard, many times with an iron bar on the soles of both my feet. I struggled to walk. Evening before no problem .. next morning agony. I struggled to walk because of the pain for weeks. It was agony when I placed my feet down as I walked.

 

My doctor in England diagnosed PF in milli seconds after me describing the pain. He said its very very common. He sees it very very often. He told me there is no cure .. but insoles in shoes might help. I was told I just had to live with it.

 

Sadly he was right .. it has never gone away. I tried insoles that support the arch of feet and pain lessened over the months and years. But it has never gone away.  Insoles no effect now so dont bother.  

 

My research on medical internet sites mostly confirmed its permanent .. in my case its now just a tolerable mild pain I can live with mostly  .. with very occasional bad days.

 

There is a PF speciality clinic in London advertising in UK papers .. I think you go there to the clinic and get made to measure shoes that I assume support feet arches  .. I was unsure if it a con or not as it was very expensive. But they claimed much success. 

 

A few people have over the years told me they have Planta Faciitis and been surprised I knew what it was.  ... I certainly do !!!!!!

 

I am guessing .. but I think it is the medical condition that decades ago in my teens was called fallen arches. I could never imagine what that could be but heard the expression. Thats what it feels like .... the muscle on arch painful.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited November 30, 2018 by PAWNEESE

[janclaes47]

This topic has been discussed many times. this how I solved mine

 

 

[Henryford]

Thanks for the comments. Yes Pawneese my pain came on almost overnight. Hard to understand when i have been walking around Pattaya for 10 years then suddenly wham.

[Sheryl]

On 11/30/2018 at 8:23 PM, PAWNEESE said:

My Plantar Faciitis came on literally overnight .. coincidently on holiday in Thailand about 10/12 years ago, I bought a pair of flat soled sandals after deciding the climate was too hot to keep wearing trainers during the day. A few days later .. on waking up it felt like I had been hit very very hard, many times with an iron bar on the soles of both my feet. I struggled to walk. Evening before no problem .. next morning agony. I struggled to walk because of the pain for weeks. It was agony when I placed my feet down as I walked.

 

My doctor in England diagnosed PF in milli seconds after me describing the pain. He said its very very common. He sees it very very often. He told me there is no cure .. but insoles in shoes might help. I was told I just had to live with it.

 

Sadly he was right .. it has never gone away. I tried insoles that support the arch of feet and pain lessened over the months and years. But it has never gone away.  Insoles no effect now so dont bother.  

 

My research on medical internet sites mostly confirmed its permanent .. in my case its now just a tolerable mild pain I can live with mostly  .. with very occasional bad days.

 

There is a PF speciality clinic in London advertising in UK papers .. I think you go there to the clinic and get made to measure shoes that I assume support feet arches  .. I was unsure if it a con or not as it was very expensive. But they claimed much success. 

 

A few people have over the years told me they have Planta Faciitis and been surprised I knew what it was.  ... I certainly do !!!!!!

 

I am guessing .. but I think it is the medical condition that decades ago in my teens was called fallen arches. I could never imagine what that could be but heard the expression. Thats what it feels like .... the muscle on arch painful.

 

 

 

 

 

I can't imagine why you were told there is no cure. There certainly is and you do NOT just have to live with it forever. But it does take a long time to cure (a year or more in many cases) and to prevent its recurrence you need to make permanent changes to footwear (arch support) and may have to do regular stretches of the achilles tendon. If you do those things, you'll be fine.

 

Mine resolves about 4-5 years ago. Took a solid year to do so, has not returned but I now always wear shoes with good arch support except for rare dressy occasions (I've yet to find a dressy women's shoe with arch support and open toe/heel!).

[PAWNEESE]

Thank you Sheryl for taking the trouble to share your knowledge.  That there doctor was adamant there is no cure but its good to hear of your experience. In case my (now) mild discomfort flares up again I will take your advice and take the steps you describe. Thanks again.

[vogie]

 

I can't imagine why you were told there is no cure. There certainly is and you do NOT just have to live with it forever. But it does take a long time to cure (a year or more in many cases) and to prevent its recurrence you need to make permanent changes to footwear (arch support) and may have to do regular stretches of the achilles tendon. If you do those things, you'll be fine.

 

Mine resolves about 4-5 years ago. Took a solid year to do so, has not returned but I now always wear shoes with good arch support except for rare dressy occasions (I've yet to find a dressy women's shoe with arch support and open toe/heel!).

Not too sure about that Sheryl, I was a member of the Long Distance Walking Association and would do walks from 25 to 50 miles in one go. On one walk I developed plantar facilitis, the doctor called it policemans heel. I went to the doctors and he injected my heel with cortisone and from almost immediately the pain went, within a couple days it had gone completely. This was about 30 years ago, I carried on with the LDWA and the pain has never returned.