Plantar fasciitis

Flat shoes are the main causde of this condition. Slippers are often the real problem.

I purchased some expensive slippers which claimed to have good support but also put into them inserts = purchased over the counter. Although my PF mainly was in my rght foot, I wear the inserts in both slippers, all the time.

Has made an amazing difference - although can still feel it very mildly at times, largely I am fine. Do need to purchase repalcement isnerts every few months.

Mine has completely gone now. I had an episode where I moved quicker than I should have done and something in my foot 'cracked'. I was expecting to be in agony for days afterwards, but weirdly, instead it rapidly improved and was gone within a week. And I'd had it for months at that point.

I have had it for well over two years trying all of the above and more (except injections). I've always looked after my feet worn sensible shoes, rarely high heels and usually barefoot indoors all my life. I tried insoles and supports in shoes and slippers which I wore indoors and ended up with fungal nail infections. Special socks made my ankles swell. I could hardly walk in the mornings or after sitting for a while and was in constant pain. Anyway it finally now seems to have sorted itself after all this time but as a result of lack of walking I now need to build up the strength in my legs and ankles which constantly ache through lack of use. I also need to work on the weight gain through lack of exercise so am now up to two mile walks. Good luck to all of you who are suffering. It does seem to go eventually.

I had PF for a year and was in so much pain. Tried insoles and exercises, which didn't really help. Eventually I had the injection in my foot at my GPs and within an hour the pain had totally gone.
It really was like a miracle !
I've been pain free for about one and a half years now.
Would definitely recommend it.

I had it in both feet for years, I feel your pain 😣. Mornings were the worse. Tried everything but really the only thing that worked for me was steroid injections. Over time it resolved itself.

I have it too. I really do sympathise because the pain is agonising. I have had it for 3/4 months now and think it came on around the time we were moving house, thus putting a lot of weight through the soles of my feet by carrying washing machines/wardrobes/books etc. I have bought new shoes (Gabor - with a rollerboard inside which offered a little relief), various gel pads for heels/ foam pads, using them all at the same time - my fit flops when I come home are only a slight relief to put on - plus am on 6-8 ibuprofen and paracetamol per day just to keep on working and walking. I am fed up of limping around like an old woman. Occasionally I leave off the pills, but not for long because the pain is so unbearable and it stops me from living life. However, a physiotherapist recommended I buy some heel cups. They arrived two days ago. I've put a photograph on for you to see them. SHEER RELIEF! I can't believe it. They were 9.99 and have been the best relief yet. I am hoping that this will continue and I can perhaps start doing more walking and exercise, because it puts you in a Catch 22.......your feet hurt, you can't exercise, put more weight on........and it seems to go on forever. I suggest you try a pair of these immediately. I bought them on the web. Just search for heel cups. Sincerely hope this helps you like it did me.

I also had plantar fasciitis and suffered for many months. To say I was in agony is an understatement. Volteral full strength helped but what eventually got rid of it totally was Fit-flop
shoes. I now wear nothing else but fitflops. They have hidden support and are incredibly comfortable. I no longer wear slippers around the house but instead wear fitflop soft knit slip on shoes. I now possess 5 pairs. They are very expensive but worth every penny and I always buy them when their sale is on. Don’t ever be tempted to wear totally flat shoes or go around the house barefoot as that is the worst thing you can do. Fit flops are very generous sizing.
Good luck in your recovery I honestly thought it would never go away but now I walk for miles.

Thankfully I don’t suffer from it any more but I remember that, in the run up to getting it I’d been getting awful cramp in my calf. Wondered if anyone else had suffered from that?

. It’s a misery, that’s for sure.

Are you doing foot stretches before you even get out of bed in the morning? Though when my feet were very bad they ached all night long as well.

I thought I was on the mend yesterday. Food was so much better. I'd tried exercises and massaging the night before and assumed it'd helped, so did the same last night. Nope. Back with a vengence this morning.

I suddenly had a flare up of PF about two months ago. Mainly on my right foot where it was really bad.
At home I wear slippers a lot. The ones I use are supposed to have arch support, but the first thing I did was to purchase some of these as insoles which I keep in those slippers.

Each day I exercises to stretch the back of my legs and when sitting down keep stretching my feet upwards towards me. At first doing these hurt dreadfully, gradually got easier and easier. Also ensured that the soles of my feet were treated with a good cream morning and evening.
#
Obviously have been doing something right as it is virtually better now. Just the very occasional twinge, but largely, this condition has now healed. I will be continuing with the exercise and creaming routing for some time and also keep those insoles. Will buy more insoles later in the year to keep inside my winter shoes.

I had PF a decade ago… the physio gave me exercises to do ( Look on YouTube) and suggested Fitflops. Game changer. Only wear Fitflops now. No pain.

Fitflops have also worked for me, and I now don’t wear any other shoes. I also have Fitflop boots for winter, and even Fitflop slippers.

It took me a while to find out that Fitflops were the answer after I first developed plantar fasciitis 6 years ago. The pain had been so bad that I couldn’t walk from one side of my smallish kitchen to the other. Rest is also recommended when it first starts to help the inflammation settle.

I agree with you SueDonim everybody’s different but saying what worked for you does help others.

I read that Birkenstocks were great for Plantar fasciitis. I put a pair on and it was so painful I cried, I tried Fitflops and I have been wearing them ever since.

I don’t think it’s possible to really recommend shoes, because very one is different. I’ve worn Hotter shoes for years but suddenly, they’ve caused my feet to become agonising and I can’t wear them any more.

Calliestemon - The podiatrist told me that if a trainer can be bent toe to heel it is too soft and flexible to be of any support. Some Skechers trainers are firmer than others.

I was also told the same about the knitted upper trainers that seem fashionable. There is not enough support for your foot.

I would recommend Hotter shoes. Sometimes a low heel is better than a flat heel. An arch support in the shoe (either built in or added as an insole) really helped me.

ps just as bad for me, I meant!

nandad

Callistemon21

nandad

I wear high heels in the house as it takes the pressure off my heel and stretches the ligament.

I thought that wearing high heels too often could cause problems with the Achilles tendon?

I don’t wear them all day, mainly first thing in the morning then for a couple of hours in the evening.

I used to wear high heels but can't any more.

However, shoes that are too flat are just as bad, those ballet pumps are not good for the feet.

A simple exercise helped me a lot when I had this a few years ago - I had to use a stick as putting my foot down was so painful. The podiatrist suggested arch supports in my shoe, and also to stand on the bottom step of the stairs, barefoot, and allow my heels to drop back over the edge. This stretches the backs of the legs and the sole of the foot. May not work for everyone, but I did this a few times each day and the discomfort went rapidly.

Callistemon21

nandad

I wear high heels in the house as it takes the pressure off my heel and stretches the ligament.

I thought that wearing high heels too often could cause problems with the Achilles tendon?

I don’t wear them all day, mainly first thing in the morning then for a couple of hours in the evening.

My gp said it would last about at least 9 months.And it did.?

One session with my acupuncturist cured mine.
Best £40 I ever spent.

My daughter has a terrible time with plantar fasciitis and the podiatrist said with her hypermobility disorder,she needs to wear trainers with special arch supports...Now at 29,she visited a specialist who made her customised insoles for her new trainers and, she ran her first half marathon few months ago.. no sore feet or injury!

I have had it twice. The first time I thought it would never go. I tried everything mentioned here and more. Eventually one steroid injection got rid of it within a few days.
About 5 years later I felt it coming on again and used the methods which had worked best at relieving the pain and it disappeared within a few months without ever getting to the not wanting to stand up stage.

From my experiences I suggest, first of all, in the morning before getting out of bed lie on your back and stretch your legs making yourself as tall as possible. Point your toes then flex your foot downwards, hold, then upwards as far as you can and hold.
Never go barefoot, find shoes which work for you. I found FitFlop shoes, trainers and sandals worked for me.
I tried special insoles, including Scholl and found all helped including the ones from Lidl and Aldi which were brilliant at a fraction of the price.
My daughter in law sent me silicone heel things, like toeless socks which had helped her and they did provide relief at a very low cost.
Good luck. The pain can be excruciating.

Witzend

I found that arch supports (Scholl, about £25 from Boots) helped enormously. I wore them in both shoes (only my R foot was affected) for at least 6 weeks, which sorted it.
Without them I could walk only very painfully.

A BiL paid ££££ for specially made arch supports with no better results. Maybe I was just lucky though.

Same here. Years ago I hobbled into a Scholl shop with plantar fasciitis ( I’d had it for months: doctors advice was ‘wear trainers’) and walked out of the shop a new person. It had been brought on by wearing totally flat shoes for a long time.