# Plantar Fascitis...HELP!!!!!!



## marlyclay (27 October 2011)

I have excruciating pain in my right heel area.....it is so bad i am hobbling around like an old nag ready for the knackers!I believe it to be Plantar Fascitis,as all the symptoms are looking that way.Old age and years of being on my feet in poor footwear and cheap wellies have finally taken there toll and boy am i suffering for it now!!!!
Can anyone on here point me in the direction of the best possible wellies for heel arch support and any other advice welcomed.I am off to the doctors monday, i couldn't get a sooner appointment but feel it won't be alot of help anyway ,as will  probably be told to stay off my feet and with a family and five horses to care for that isn't gonna happen.


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## Trinity Fox (27 October 2011)

My son was suffering from this last year he was so bad could barely walk, he was given gel heel lifts that you fit in to your shoes.

When I first saw them I didnt think they would have the effect they did there was an instant improvement, he has recently stopped wearing them on the advice of the doctor, If you have to wait a while for a consultants appointment you can buy the gel heel lifts at bigger boots.


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## Nickijem (27 October 2011)

You have my sympathy!  I have had it in my left heel for nearly a year now - it comes and goes a bit so I haven't yet been to the doctor's with it.  It is worse in the morning and when I have sat down for a while so I always try to do some stretches (pulling my toes towards my knee if you see what I mean, and holding the strecth for 10-15 seconds), and some massage.  I have a little wooden massage ball which I roll around with my foot which seems to help a bit.
I also have some self-moulding insoles from Troo-step in my wellies.  They do seem to make walking a bit more bearable.
Otherwise, its ibuprofen on a particularly bad day!


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## Oberon (27 October 2011)

Please, please try a pair of Crocs. I've been laughed at and pooh-poohed by sufferers until they actually tried them.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/31/AR2006073100890.html

I've been wearing various winter boots to the yard for a few years now.
http://www.jellyegg.com/Crocs/Crocs-Shoes/sc1275_pg0.aspx
http://www.crocs.co.uk/crocs-kosmoboot-womens/11730,en_GB,pd.html?cid=070&cgid=women-footwear


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## Honey08 (27 October 2011)

I thought that I had this two years ago, as I had similar symptoms. I was like an old lady - fine in heals at work, but dead lame in flats or wellies! My doctor sent me for x rays, and it turned out that I had a heal spur due to arthritus.  I have to have a insole thing just for my heals, and it had practically sorted itself.  It occurs much more if I wear wellies etc.  I now wear walking boots on the yard etc, which is much more supportive.  Just these simple changes have made a world of a difference and I feel like I've got my life back again, so fingers crossed it sorts simply for you too..


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## Mynstrel (27 October 2011)

Get some orthotics - Orthaheel are probably the easiest to get hold of quickly, most Boots shops sell them.  Gel pads don't help, it's support you need if you've go that, not padding.

Freeze a bottle of water & roll it like a rolling pin using your bad foot, either with a bare foot or just a thin sock so you don't get ice burns. Make sure the roll goes as far back on your heel as possible, the cold helps reduce the inflammation & the movement stretches your foot as well.

Stretch your feet (bring your toes up towards your shins) before you get out of bed or stand up if you've been sat for a while, it gets that first stretch over with without any weight on your heel & can help to reduce that OW moment when you try to put your heel on the floor.

Use ibuprofen gel instead of painkillers if you need to take anything, it works better & the action of rubbing it in your heel will help too.

Hope that helps til you can get it looked at, it's one of the most painful things I've ever had (both feet at different times)

Lastly, find a good physio, most doctors will just give you painkillers for it & not actually try to fix it.


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## MrsHutt (27 October 2011)

This sounds horrendous!  I hope you get some relief soon.

I'm sorry, I have no helpful advice and sorry also to be flippant, but I read this title as 'Planter Fascists' !!   I thought someone had been dictating what flower pots you were allowed!


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## Natch (27 October 2011)

Another vote for Crocs, also for MBTs BUT and its a massive BUT don't wear them if its wet or icy - that's how I broke my leg.

I hate to say it but the only thing which cured my PF was 6 weeks off my feet with a leg in a cast (broken leg) and a total of 6 months off work and generally not walking very much.  I didn't think I had the time to stop either - so fate saw to it that I did!

I had custom made orthotics before my broken leg, which helped, but ultimately, a bit like horse shoes, I believe they weaken your feet rather than help then get stronger to recover. Post-broken leg I bought a pair of £15 memory foam insoles, and they have been an absolute life saver. Ditched the orthotics, and I use these in my work shoes, and the only other shoes I wear regularly are horsey boots (with thick rubber soles) and trainers. Oh, and I also spent the summer in flip flops, which showed how good my feet had got, because when i was fitted with orthotics I was told flip flops were a complete no-no for life now. 

I hve lost my crocs which is pretty annoying as they are bliss 

I pad around the house barefoot, because its generally the most comfortable thing and always has been. If my feet are aching I love to go outside barefoot, especially now its cold - its the equivalent of the ice packs that are recommended for PF, but that I never got to grips with!

My insoles were from: Inner Soles 4 U
077313 853
85 www.innersoles4u.moonfruit.com

And I would most highly recommend ringing them - they are so helpful - and spending £15 on a pair of those, rather than £65 on a pair of orthotics. They last - I bought one pair last June, and they have been in daily use since, and they are not showing any signs of wear. I'm glad you posted, because I've been meaning to look up their details to get around to buying another pair for any other shoes I can find. Oh, and they don't half prevent your shoes from getting whiffy too!


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## Goldenstar (27 October 2011)

An other vote here for orthoheels ( get in boots the chemist) really take the pain away It is awful so so painful I still use the orthoheels on a regular basis I also had some made by the local podiaist ( dont think that's how you spell it) the bad news is I cannot walk in wellies at all I use dubarrys with the insoles from the podiaist in.it's an awful thing and it's amazing how many people have had it.


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## Natch (27 October 2011)

Oh, and pilates helped mine too - that was when I got serious about stretching out the foot and calf properly. If you suspect you have tight calves, then do get yourself a sports massage on them, and it will probably give you fast relief, since loostening up your calves will loosten up everythign that is tight and painful underneath your feet too.


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## teasle (28 October 2011)

I had it for 18 months after doing a LOT of walking in the snow in wellies. Insoles from boots helped more than anything.


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## Black_Horse_White (28 October 2011)

Interesting post as I think that's what I must have. Very painful left heel, when I get up in a morning I can hardly walk, and now I think it's starting in my left one too.


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## Mearas (28 October 2011)

I suffered from it for several months caused by an old ankle injury, nothing seemed to help except accupuncture. It was fantastic got rid of the pain in a few sessions.


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## calon (28 October 2011)

I have it now and had it for 12 months before i found gel supports on e bay and heel gel and raiser pads for tendonitus which are great help and cheaper to get from abroad ,both are very painful conditions and flat shoes are difficult to wear hence the need for raiser pads and instep supports .


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## Flummoxed (28 October 2011)

Holds hand up as another sufferer.......

In my case it is also linked to poor movement in big toe (arthritis & burgeoning bunion). Podiatrist did recommend support in shoes and the rolling a ball thing which I do a couple of times a day.


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## biccie1 (28 October 2011)

I've had it for about 6yrs now. When it flares up I can't walk but most of the time I manage it. 

Make sure *every *pair of shoes you wear has a raised arch insole - so that means no flips flops!  - and when it is bad you need to wear shoes (with insoles) even around the house and barefoot will make it worse.

When I have a flare up I put ibuprofen gel on it and then use vetwrap (it is the best thing! ) to do a sports strapping for it (look it up on the internet, it really works). And in the evenings the lovely hubby takes my poorly foot onto his lap and just deep tissue massages the foot. Blimmin hurts as he's doing it  but feels a lot better after.


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## MizzPurpleKitten (28 October 2011)

Another chronic sufferer here, Literally the only thing I've found that helps is a combination of daily amitryptaline (It was an anti-depressant originally but now mainly used as a pain medication as it works on the nerve endings) and regular physio sesions. It's excruciating so I really do feel for you and hope you get something to give you some relief.


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## fallenangel123 (28 October 2011)

Another sufferer here, didn't realise there were so many of us! Amytriptoline and gel insoles for me, that and crocs for home and my beloved ariat pro boots.


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## rosie fronfelen (28 October 2011)

marlyclay said:



			I have excruciating pain in my right heel area.....it is so bad i am hobbling around like an old nag ready for the knackers!I believe it to be Plantar Fascitis,as all the symptoms are looking that way.Old age and years of being on my feet in poor footwear and cheap wellies have finally taken there toll and boy am i suffering for it now!!!!
Can anyone on here point me in the direction of the best possible wellies for heel arch support and any other advice welcomed.I am off to the doctors monday, i couldn't get a sooner appointment but feel it won't be alot of help anyway ,as will  probably be told to stay off my feet and with a family and five horses to care for that isn't gonna happen.
		
Click to expand...

I get this but only at night,its so bad to make me scream,i've been prescribed Phorpain gel and its brilliant so i definitely recommend this.


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## Gorgeous George (28 October 2011)

I had this a few years ago when training for the marathon, oh the pain especially first thing in the morning 

The things that helped me were:

orthoheel inserts (they do all sorts, ones for shoes, boots, trainers) - I even had a pair in my slippers at one point!
never ever wearing flat shoes as this really made things worse
the podiatrist I saw gave me exercises to do and the one I found helped was to imagine there is something on the floor that you have to pick up with your foot (it is the curling of the toes and arching the foot that helps)
despite being sceptical I also found that glucosamine with cod liver oil really helped.
I have not had a problem for a while now and I hope yours goes too as it isn't nice


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## Goldenstar (28 October 2011)

Ariat boots were all I could walk in at one point and I mean ALL for going out everything !!


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## miss_wilson (28 October 2011)

your GP may inject it, that would definately help! however they generally don`t like injecting with corticosteroids unless you have been down other avenues first!
your options....

1) see a physio, they can give you some stretching exercises to try to relieve the pain.

2) see a podiatrist that specialises in biomechanics to make you some innersoles.

Buying innersoles/heel raises may help?? but generally offer little specific support!!

Plantar fascitits is an inflammation of the layers of the layers of the foot, so off loading the muscles is your best bet!


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## Oberon (28 October 2011)

Thinking back, I think I must have suffered from this a couple of years ago.

I'd changed jobs for a much busier area and was on my feet 14 hours, rushing around.

I was wearing trainers and suffered horrible pains in my heels. It was like cramp but I couldn't get rid of it and just rolled around, screaming and crying at one point.

Once I swapped the trainers for Crocs, I never had it again.


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## mich123 (29 October 2011)

its horrid and painful, I hope it gets better soon.  I wore birkenstocks round the house and sometimes when it was cold out wore them with socks!!!!! Not a pretty sight,  but these were about the most comfortable things i could find to wear.  I also had a pair of ecco shoes which were good. Hope it improves quickly


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## JenHunt (29 October 2011)

having had this for around 6 years now I can sympathise!

I second Mich123 - get some birkenstocks and wear them until they wear out! 

use a rolling pin or bottle of frozen water or a golf ball to roll under your foot when you're sitting down - this eases the tension in the plantar fascia and makes it less painful.

stretch your calf muscles off - stand on a step and drop your heels down one at a time, or stand with your toes about the width of a 4finger kitkat from the wall and try to get your knee to touch the wall without lifting your heel from the floor.

be persistent!

if all else fails get the GP to refer you for cortisone injections - flipping painful at the time (but only momentary) and a bit bruised feeling for a day or so, but mine is 400% better (so far - it was only 2 weeks ago!)


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## marlyclay (29 October 2011)

Thankyou to everyone who has bothered to reply to this post.I have read through and you  have given me some great advice.Wow ,i never realised that this condition was so common and sadly so hard to permantly get rid of !
So far i have tried the stretching exercises and that has helped,so has the iced bottle,strangely i had been feeling the need to roll something round under the arches of my feet,so the golf ball and ice bottle was a good suggestion.I have also purchased today some orthoheel inserts and this has started to help ease the discomfort a wee bit.Although at £32 they were a tad pricey me thinks!
The crocs suggestion intrigues me ,so i will look into purchasing a pair,thanks oberon for the link.
I love the H&H forum you guys are so good and a really appreciate all advice given.XXX


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## Natch (29 October 2011)

Hope your feet feel better soon! X


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## Roasted Chestnuts (29 October 2011)

PM Hevs on here 

She has experience with this


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## Dottyfordylan (29 October 2011)

My mum got a foot brace from the doctor that she wears when resting at home which stretches out the muscles/tendons underneath the foot. She says it's really helped


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## 5379 (29 October 2011)

I have to recommend Fitflops. I've no idea if they tone your bum/leg muscles as they suggest they do but they are SO supportive and comfortable and having had heelspur and problems with my plantar fascia muscles they really really helped. I wear mine around the house now its bit to cold to wear them out but if you search fitflops.com they now do lots of shoes and boots although I'm not sure about wellies. Definitely worth a try.


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## MissMistletoe (29 October 2011)

Some great advice here already, but the key things are: 

Stretch those calf muscles twice a day. If your calf muscles are tight, then your foot will have to roll inwards to compensate as you walk. This will aggravate and stretch the plantar fascia further.

Podiatrists are trained to give stretching advice (not just physios!!)

Get some good arch supports, either from Boots or your local podiatrist.

Keep up with the daily foot massages, particularly in the morning, and icing in the evening, or whichever way suits you best.

Steroid injections are available, and do give great pain relief, but can only be given three times maximum per year.


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## WelshD (29 October 2011)

I wear the orthoheal inserts from Boots, pink ones in my wellies and thinner blue ones in my work shoes

I do love Crocs, they help (but not the fake ones) Crocs also do a very expensive pair that are supposed to be excellent for PF sufferers - http://www.crocsrx.com/relief.html

I've found that if you cant get off your feet easily (eg out and about all day) then changing footwear between different pairs of comfy shoes really helps so I always keep a comfy pair of Clarks sandals and my Crocs in my car now


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