Don't stop me now (Plantar fasciitis), I'm having such a good time! Wk7r3

[ShashHR]

Can anyone advise me how to relieve plantar fasciitis? I have the right trainers. It's been flaring up for a few weeks but standing at festival over weekend has really aggravated it and now feels like I've been smashed in my heel with a hammer. Strangely it is less painful when I run than when I walk. I'm starting to compensate with other foot and that is causing pain too. I really don't want to give up now. (Wk7r3 tomorrow). Any guidance would be gratefully received please.

[Capsicle]

Not an expert or anything, but I have a brother who has plantar fasciitis, and obviously resting would be helpful (Always take care of yourself first)! But doing toe and calf stretches can help, and using ice to reduce the swelling, but if your running on it when it's not healed then I imagine you are just going to end up hurting yourself more. It's up to you, but there is nothing wrong with taking a break, you're not giving up, but you have to listen to your body.

Of course though, I would go to either a physiotherapist or a doctor, their advice will always be the best you can get. Good luck with it, and I hope you're able to find a solution!

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

There is lots of stuff online but having heard of people giving up running because of pf I would consult either a sports physio or podiatrist before it gets worse.

If you are compensating in your stride you need help, otherwise you could easily create secondary problems and damage.

I wish I could give a more positive response, but it needs to be taken seriously.

Good luck.

[Millsie-J Graduate]

I had a bad case of PF some time ago..... not running related.

I had steroid injections in both heals but these did nothing. A really good physio sorted me out eventually but it took time.

First of all, get a definitive diagnosis. It is usually worst first thing in the morning and after exercise.

If you go to see a physio you will also get exercises

Things I do now to avoid PF:

- Do a few leg stretches before you get out of bed each morning

- Running shoes with a heel to toe drop of 12mm are recommended for pf sufferrers. Mine are always at least 10mm drop and I have no problem.

- never ever wear totally flat shoes, and completely forget those flip flops!

- controlled heel lifts/drops on the bottom step..raise heels then slowly drop them past the stair level.... I count to six slowly.

- repeat heel drop 5 times , 3 lots of these (15 total). Do this at least three times a day

- after every run hold a controlled heel dip for at least 30 seconds as part of your warm down

Good luck runner

[Millsie-J Graduate in reply to Millsie-J]

Also a small bottle of very chilled water rolled under the feet regularly is good! Remember your heels are connected to your calves, connected to hamstrings etc...... so stretch all of these regularly!

[Pip2002]

Hello! Same here! I started the programme and really enjoyed it. Got to week 7 and developed plantar fasciitis. Bought some gel inserts for my trainers (£20 - waste of money, didn't help) bought a plantar fasciitis relieving arch support from Amazon (£15.95 - waste of money, didn't help, slides about and is annoying). Looked up information on plantar fasciitis on line and found lots of stretching exercises and started doing those which helped but didn't relieve it altogether, plus bought a book called Yoga for Running. The stretches and the Yoga for Running have definitely helped, but I'm still in pain even though I haven't run since last Friday now and I had shortened my distances and stretched like crazy before and after running.

So, yesterday I threw in the towel with trying to sort it out myself and found and visited a podiatrist. If I could go back in time, I would just visit the podiatrist straight away and save the money I wasted trying to resolve the problem myself and the time I've wasted having painful feet. I have orthotics to put in my trainers now from the podiatrist, heat moulded to my feet and exercises to carry out 3 times a day to stretch my tight ham strings. The consultation was about an hour and included manipulation and massage of my feet and ankles and was £93 including the orthotics.

Long story short - look up a qualified podiatrist and go and see them! Oh, mine also said to buy a cricket ball and use it under foot to massage the plantar, so I'm off to the cricket club later!

[Cazza73]

Yep mines come back from a summer of wearing flip flops and flat sandals. My foot hurts like hell so back to work now and have a small block heel to wear which really helps.

[Millsie-J Graduate in reply to Cazza73]

I know its very tempting those lovely flat summer shoes.....but we pay the heel pain price if we do 😩

[Curlygurly2 Graduate]

I had it for months too, it started in February this year and is still here a little bit. Yes, all of the above advice is good, plus - put your toes against a skirting board with your heel on the floor, now bend your knee towards the wall. Can't explain it better than that, but I found that helped. Also I've changed my running style, I was a heavy heel striker, now I am more of a midfoot striker. It's helped me a lot, but I wouldn't like to recommend it to someone else in case it makes things worse in their case.

[Curlygurly2 Graduate in reply to Curlygurly2]

Oh, and keeping my running shes on for an hour or so after my run, I have some tea, look at my Garmin stats etc...before my bath.

[Rowville]

I too had that sometime ago definitely no flats I agree with JacW . I also got a spiked ball and used to sit and roll it while watching tv seemed to help. Go and get advice. Good luck

[Whatsapp Graduate]

I am suffering from that in my right leg too. I did a 5k race on Bank Holiday Monday which was basically all uphill, and ever since I have been suffering with my heel.

I have firstly stopped running for a week or two, to give it a chance to heal (I will monitor this). I am stretching my calves several times per day. Instead of rolling with a cricket ball, I suggest you freeze a bottle of water and roll that under foot, you can combine the massage with some soothing ice treatment.

Longer term, some strengthening exercises will prevent reoccurance. Sit on a chair and put a towel on the floor in front of you and try to grab it by scrunching your toes. Over the next couple of weeks you can add a weight to the towel to make it tougher.

Of course proper medical advice should be sought, but this is not always as 'on tap', and we need to be trying to do something in-the-meantime.

[ShashHR Graduate]

Thank you all so much for this wonderful advice. I will be using all your tips and try to get some heel blocks.