Plantar Fasciitis

My DH, DS and myself have all had it over the past 10 years. My DH suffered for 18 months and tried lots of things you can buy off the internet plus physio from the GP all to no avail. I went to a foot health clinic in West Sussex and had an ultrasound scan and steroid injections done privately (£150 approx) well worth every penny, it was gone in a week. I recommended this way to DS who had already bought certain shoes, insoles etc which didn’t really help so he too went to the same foot clinic I recommended and had same injections but unfortunately he didn’t take enough time off work to rest his foot. It needs resting for a week in my opinion after the injection plus ice packs on it. DS got a lot of relief but drives heavy lorries and went back to work 3 days later, so consequently still suffering and could probably do with injection again and a week with his foot up to clear it up completely which I doubt he’d do!

Extremely painful condition and I could not find any medication that worked. Doctor threatened me with an operation taking tending from other foot. Went to a physio who cured me in six weeks.

I wore these night and day. They are brilliant, especially for that first moment when you get out of bed and put your foot down. Not sure they'd be good if you have water retention in your lower legs though. Might be best to take advice from your GP (you'll be lucky 🤔) if that's the case. I agree with the cold can rolling too. Look on YouTube and search for plantar fasciitis. There are many therapy videos on there.

Google physio exercises for it, buy special insols, trainers with arch support.
If it doesn’t get better you can have steroid injections.
Mine got better just from the gel insols!

I began suffering with PF in January this year.
I bought arch support from Amazon which gave almost instant relief but realised that I needed a solution.
Visited a foot care clinic locally and had four sessions of shock wave treatment. Last one two weeks ago. I am virtually pain free, the relief is amazing. This along with stretching exercises, supportive trainers ( no backless shoes, eg slippers etc) and I’m on top of it at last. 😊

As it’s an inflammation I guessed that anti-inflammatories might work and found a layer of Voltarol gel under each heel before putting my socks on made a difference.

Same here…Insoles in everything works and slipping my thick soled Skechers on before I walk anywhere in the morning.. My physiotherapist told me to do some foot stretching exercises before I get out of bed but I’m afraid the loo takes priority these days. Another piece of advice was to elevate my legs on to the coffee table, when watching tv…very easily done👍..and then just do some stretches by keeping your leg straight and
flexing your foot back at the ankle towards you and then relaxing it. Do this a few times and then shift to the other foot. I still get the odd pain after I’ve worn the wrong shoe’s…but generally all is much better…Alas…I feel the days of wearing six inch high heeled winkle pickers are over👠 Good luck Foxygloves..

Hello Foxygloves. I have had plantar faciitus and could just about limp home from work! Pain in heels, and in the morning I had to stretch my foot before I got up. I went to g.p. who referred me to podiatrist. She gave me insoles which she added a piece to the bottom of them . After 3 months the problem is cured. I still wear insoles all the time as I am on my feet a lot at work. You can buy the insoles from amazon , but you may need a podiatrist to see you. Good luck.

I asked my Sports Massage Therapist who was treating me for another issue if she could help; didn't take her long to find the problem and a couple of seasons later it had gone.

Foxy Re anti inflammatories, yes, Naproxen (prescribed for osteoarthritis) gives me some relief

Roll a laundry or tumble dryer ball under the foot. On the medical side my father used to have cortisone injections in his heel

I've had this and had several steroid injections. I was advised to wear trainers in the daytime, airwave arch support. Available on Amazon. Not cheap but they do work. Shoes only for going out somewhere special.
Also ditch the slippers!

I had this in lockdown and surgery was suggested but , as I’ve had a lot of surgery to my foot , I swerved it. Special shoes were suggested but they were HORRIBLE! I gave my childhood to special shoes and leg braces - they’re not having my senior years . Anyway, I bought some Sketchers and the pain faded and has now gone. Not overly expensive and quite smart.

Arch supports, rest, exercises and wearing high heels in the house for short periods. It takes the pressure off the heel and stretches the calf muscles.

My husband has this condition and got a referral to the NHS podiatrist by asking his GP to refer him. The podiatrist showed him how to strap his foot with a bandage to support the arch to relieve the pain and supplied an insole to wear in his shoe. The pain subsided really quickly . My husband continues to wear the insole and if the condition flares up again he uses ice and then straps his foot.

I've had it for years but don't find any relief with any topical pain killers, and I think I've tried the lot!
I have infinitely less pain when I wear arch support footwear or insoles in and out of the house, especially the really strong, hard ones (that was a surprise to me). On the advice of the orthopaedist and also the podiatrist, I make sure the heels of my footwear are firm, to keep my ankle in correct alignment. That helps almost as much as the arch support.
Without the foot supports I can guarantee I will have a lot of pain the next day (and often night).And, depending on how long I have been without the inserts, I can get associated knee, hip and lower back pain. Sometimes making it unbearable to walk.

FannyCornforth

Foxy Re anti inflammatories, yes, Naproxen (prescribed for osteoarthritis) gives me some relief

Sadly can't take that any more as it has caused nasty gastric episodes in the past, but yes, it would have been useful. I think topical anti-inflammatories are safer for me.

Orthotics in all my shoes, always. And I still do even though I’ve been clear for a few years.
I found a foot brace that kept my foot flexed at night helped.
Never walk with bare feet, and eventually it will go. It did take me 10 months.
Now I’m a big fan of memory foam footbeds and of course the Birkenstock.

Along with physio I wore a night splint. It took a bit of getting used to but certainly helped immensely . I’m glad I kept it as I then went on to have Achilles tendonitis, so the night splint came in handy again.
I totally agree about good slippers in the house, I bought a pair from Hotter, they cost a fortune but five years later they are going strong and still very supportive.

Same as Witzend, bought insoles and eventually it went away. I also used a tennis ball. Put it under my foot and ran my foot over it back to front and back again.

I suffer badly with this. My GP suggested that I roll either a cold drinks can (or a tennis ball that had been put in the fridge) under my foot every so often during the day. He also suggested that standing with just the ball of your foot on a bottom step facing up the stairs and raising up on tip toes can help. I just used the cold can and it helped me quite a bit. I also bought a pair of Skechers trainers with the memory foam footbed. I still have the PF but am able to tolerate it more.

Hi
I had very bad PF for years on and off, really got me down, couldn’t walk sometimes as so painful, feels like stepping on a peice of Lego
Tried exercises, support socks, ice, painkillers, nothing made much difference
Saw a private chiropractor and had a course of shock wave therapy ( pulsed sound waves via an ultrasound type device, feels prickly but not painful) this cured me, I am so relieved, and would recommend it

Fitflops - these shoes boots trainers and Flipflops solved my PF pain !

want to cut your feet off when its at its worse, buy good support shoes by fitflop etc, get insoles that support feet, i bought a special tens machine just for feet on line,it really helped,roll foot over a tennis ball

I had it a few years ago, as I was nursing at the time, so on my feet all day. I was lucky that I was able to fast track to physio, they told me to freeze some oranges and use them several times a day rolling my feet over on the floor. I managed to buy Fitflops, which were in he only foot wear I could use. Incredibly painful and took about 2years to go!