Coping with plantar fasciitis.

[Elfe5]

I have started running again about a month ago after being on the IC for six months. It is wonderful to be running again, so imagine my dismay at discovering that a mild grumbling Plantar Fasciitis is getting worse. Has anybody found useful ways of dealing with this without having to stop running altogether? I am already wearing a nighttime splint having had this problem many years ago before I was running.

[Tasha99 Graduate]

I’ve just invested in enertor insoles. I’ve not used them yet but they have great reviews. Although mine is a different issue to yours, they’re still useful for PF. There are also some ideas on the link. If you fancy trying them, you can send them a message and they reply pretty soon with advice. Plus there’s a 30 day money back thing too.

enertor.com/pages/injury-ad...

[Elfe5 Graduate in reply to Tasha99]

That’s really helpful thanks- I ‘ll look into it. Great to hear from you xx

[Tasha99 Graduate in reply to Elfe5]

Ha ha I’ve just sent the same link to you on the other post 🤣

[Elfe5 Graduate in reply to Tasha99]

Obviously meant to be! 😂

[Granspeed Graduate]

Not very technical, but I keep my grumbling plantar under control by regularly rolling a tennis ball around under my barefoot arch. I push quite hard - like using a foam roller - and if it really hurts I do it for longer. It’s worked so far. But I’ll read the link about insoles too! 😄

[Elfe5 Graduate in reply to Granspeed]

Thank you very much. I have been rollering this morning with an old wooden rolling pin! 😃 - Also swiped one of my daughter’s tennis balls - there seems to be a community of them living in the foot well of our car! 😂

[Elfe5 Graduate in reply to Granspeed]

I am finding your tennis ball suggestion helpful thank you. 😄

[RunningChocoholic Graduate]

Hi, I posted about this a few weeks - you may be able to find it? Anyway - I find standing on a step and letting your heels drop is a brilliant stretch. It hurts a tad but it works. I do this as often as I can (brushing teeth, waiting for kettle to boil etc ) and I do the stretch for at least 2.5 minutes. Every evening I also put my foot in a bowl of cold water with ice cubes and an ice pack in there. Then I have another re-usable ice pack (bought from Amazon) that I can mould round my heel). If I can, I use that during the evening until it’s no longer cold then I pop it back in the freezer. You can use it sitting or standing depending on what you’re doing (eating, ironing!). Finally (sorry I’ve rambled on) I wear my walking shoes as often as I can - driving to work, at home. Slowly my foot is improving. It hurts if I run, it hurts if I don’t but there is a definite improvement since I’ve used the ice and done these stretches. Hope it goes soon x

[Elfe5 Graduate in reply to RunningChocoholic]

Thank you, that is really helpful. I have embarked on icing, stretching exercises and rolling with an old rolling pin. Fingers crossed for gradual improvement. I will also chase your earlier post-many thanks. Hope your PF fades away soon. 😀

PS similarly to your walking shoes, I have crocs with insoles inside them which I find very comfortable around the house.

[RunningChocoholic Graduate in reply to Elfe5]

Ooh I shall look out for Crocs, thanks! I’m desperate to be barefoot or in flip flops but right now flip flops are the enemy - 🤣 x

[Oldgirlruns Graduate]

Sorry to hear that Elfe - PF can be horrible as I discovered last year. There are some really good stretching exercises on the NHS website, including the standing on a stair and dropping the heel one recommended by TP2019. Mine only really started to get better when I started doing the exercises regularly. I still do them now just in case it comes back! Hope it clears up for you soon! Oh, and no more flip flops for me. Ever. Boo hoo😢 but they’re lethal for PF. Sensible shoes and orthotics are the way to go apparently!

[Elfe5 Graduate in reply to Oldgirlruns]

Thank you very much - I have looked up the exercises and started them. I’ll make the effort to do them frequently and hope to avoid another spell off running. 😃

[SlowLoris]

Custom insoles from a good running shop works for me. About £40.

[Elfe5 Graduate in reply to SlowLoris]

I don’t know anything about these. Is this to adapt a neutral shoe for e.g. a person who overpronates? Do you use these in just running shoes or all shoes? Do you select them with the help of gait analysis?

Sorry- lots of questions there. Many thanks 😄

[SlowLoris in reply to Elfe5]

Basically it’s a thin, fairly stiff insole moulded to the shape of your foot. It will give good customised arch support for your PF.

It also stops your foot sliding about in the shoe with less lace tension.

Being quite stiff they also spread the impact load over the midsole so willing stop that ‘packing down’ in the impact spots.

You can swap them between shoes and they should outlast a couple of pairs.

I got them for my arthritic knees but they’ve been excellent for the niggling PF as well.

I’ll stop there because I sound like an insole salesperson!

[Elfe5 Graduate in reply to SlowLoris]

That’s so helpful thank you- I will pursue that. 😄

(You obviously have got the job!😂)

[Nats_swims88]

I have PF too and I have insoles from the NHS. I have had it for over a year and it is so painful, I wear the insoles every day for work, running, walking but I do miss my high heels for work 😭. I will be following this post and the advice already given as I have only done WK1R2 and dont want to stop just because of my stupid feet! I want to be a runner!!!!!

[SlowLoris in reply to Nats_swims88]

You’ve started so you are a runner. When you graduate you will be a long distance runner!

[Elfe5 Graduate in reply to Nats_swims88]

Thank you. I have bought insoles for PF online, but I can see that I will need to buy different shoes because they don’t actually fit in most of my current ones! 🙄

..and I completely agree – I want to be a runner to… and yes stupid feet! (at least for now – I hope we have more sensible feet in the future! )😀