Plantar Fasciitis a year later - Health + Injury

Kate Ferman

30/09/2011 at 11:47

Hi All,

I have been suffering with PF for almost year which means I haven't been able to run for a year either! After endless physio, acupuncture, Shockwave Therapy, insoles and stretching I went for MRI scan only for that to come back clear. My consultant is pretty sure I must have a small PF Tear somewhere though which is causing me pain in the same area. Looks like my next route will be the steroid injection. Just wondered if anyone has had this? Does it work and how painful is it? Being a teacher I rely on being on my feet all day so don't know if this is a risky option! I am dying to get back to running and at the moment I can't see a light at the end of the tunnel!

Thanks,

wildebeast

02/10/2011 at 11:07

hi kate 2 people in my running club have had the injection and had miraculous results,although you have a feww days of soreness,but if you look on the forums plenty of people have found no difference,i think it may depend if your doctor gets the right spot,but it may be a chace worth taking.

having said that ive had pf since june and i wouldnt have the injection unless i was desperate because im scared of needles,its getting better now,lots of stretching and rolling a frozen water bottle under it.

im up to 5 miles now but im not completely free of discomfort its an individual thing,there is another thread on this(pf what now) good luck.

GraemeK

03/10/2011 at 13:31

I found that the injection was incredibly painful for a few minutes whilst it was being done but immediatly afterwards it took the PF from being very difficult to walk on to moderately uncomfortable and setting the road to recovery. I had the injection in late June/early July, I'm almost pain free and nearly ready to start training again.

Martin Kitson 3

11/10/2011 at 08:48

Hi Kate,

I had PF for about 18 months, had a steroid injection which got me through a triathlon but symptoms returned. I had tried insoles from a podiatrist, stretches, the cold coke can and the 'Strasbourg sock' which I wore at night. Nothing really worked until a fell running mate of mine suggested barefoot running (on the road). I thought he was mad as it goes against all the advice about cushioning the area of pain but then all that hadn't worked so I gave it a go. Within 2 weeks the pain was gone!
I only had to do a few minutes at a time-once I overdid it and pulled my calf (it takes time to adapt to running barefoot). I only barefoot run a tiny bit but it seems enough to strengthen my feet to keep this annoying problem at bay.
I know it sounds off the wall and I was skeptical. I am a GP and searched for the evidence for this-there isn't a lot. But there is a lot of stuff out there about barefoot running (just google barefoot running and you will see what I mean). 'Born to Run' is an interesting read and makes this point: An arch is an inherently strong structure, that is why it features in bridges etc, no one would consider putting a support in the middle of the arch of a bridge as it weakens the structure rather than strengthens it. So why when we have a problem with the arch of our feet is the solution to support it? It gets weaker and doesn't get better.
I just did my first marathon last weekend and no hint of PF pain.
Good luck!

Martin Kitson 3

11/10/2011 at 09:36

This link gives more details about the barefoot thing, the guy writing it also found that his stubborn PF cleared up very quickly after trying barefooting. Take a look..

http://runningtrainingplan.com/runningpress/2011/barefoot-running-and-injuries/

Ted Edwards

11/10/2011 at 12:41

I see Kate has started another thread so I will copy this to her as well.

Well before I have a moan how is everyone doing. I hope that unlike me you are allnow free of pain and are managing to get at least short distance runs in if not long ones.

As for me I still have my little mantra which is " remember what Steves advice was " ie rest it until the pain as gone.Boy as that been difficult to keep to but I have managed to so far.

Each night when I go to bed and I put on the night shoe I hope that the next day is going to be a pain free one but it still has not happened.

A couple of weeks ago now we had a week end in Brighton to look at the VW Campers in the Brighton Breeze and because I spent so much time walking up and down looking at the line up of vehicles the PF started giving me some gip.So it seems that rather than get better it has got worse.

So its back to my mantra yet again.Thankfully I can still get out on the bike so I can exercise and I also went swimming last week so it does help but OMG do I want to go for a run.

It is frightening when Iread of how long some of you have suffered from this problem and I only hopt that I am not heading in the same direction.

For now good luck everyone and I hope like me you recover from the problem shortly.

Ted Edwards

11/10/2011 at 12:42

Martin You make a very interesting point.

GraemeK

11/10/2011 at 12:58

You still struggling then Ted? Second injection for me yesterday which seems it have cleared it up. I had some minor discomfort after a one mile jog last week so I nipped down to my GPs who gave me another injection. Appt at physio to have a biomechanical assessment tomorrow. Hopefully I'll be back in to it soon. Famous last word...........

Like you I'm worried about these stories of 12-18 mths of PF pain.

Ted Edwards

11/10/2011 at 13:15

Graeme sorry to read that.Yes it does not seem to be getting any better and I am loathe to seek professional help as the costs can just mount once you begin because each next appointment always seems crucial in improving the injury.

I have just read the study martin as posted and its very interesting but the barefoot option surely can only be used if your a track runner.If I tried it in my area it would be difficult to avoid the debris and dog mess on the streets.

How easy was it to get the injection from the doctor Graeme and did he charge you.

Good luck with the assessment tomorrow and let me know how you get on.

We have sun here at the moment so its even more tormenting that I cannot go out for a run.

Martin Kitson 3

11/10/2011 at 13:50

Hi Ted
I used to go by the 'rest until the pain has gone' mantra myself but my experience of a number of chronic injuries over the years has led me to question this.
Of course rest in the acute phase but thereafter if you keep resting you are going to get weaker and hence more prone to injury. Take the analogy of low back pain-a common presentation in my surgery. Years ago folk were told to go to bed and rest but then it became apparent when they did this they didn't get better. Now the advice is keep as active as possible and work on the core muscles to strengthen the back.
By the way, barefoot on the road or pavement is fine, obviously you run a little more carefully and I found the distances to fix my problem was measured in 100's of yards and not miles. 98% of the time I run in trainers. It really was a trot up the lane and back. If you want to try it look into the technique first and take it steady. This is a good place to start http://www.barefootrunning.fas.harvard.edu/5BarefootRunning&TrainingTips.html

Martin Kitson 3

11/10/2011 at 14:30

Heavyweaponary

11/10/2011 at 15:51

...if you stretch your plantar fascia when you've got plantar fascial symptoms, it may feel better BUT it won't get you better long term.

It's an overuse and overstretch problem. Find out why, deal with that and then get running....

GraemeK

11/10/2011 at 17:35

Ted my GP has been very supportive, I described the symptoms back in June, he diagnosed PF (which I knew) and said that given the time I'd had it, which was 2-3 or so months at the time a cortisone injection would be required to stop it from becoming chronic. This got me from not being able to walk easily to not being able to run, a few weeks later I started running again albeit gently. About three weeks later racing my son on his bike I felt a pop and the symptoms were back, I returned to my GP and he said let's have another go. The injections were on the NHS and free. Oddly my heel is very sore today after the injection although not PF sore.

I'm with HW and Martin, I too see chronic conditions and my experience is they need a kick to start healing. My plan is treat it and allow a week or two to heal, find out why it happened and take steps to prevent it coming back again. Hopefully this second injection has cured it and a biomechanical exam tomorrow shold identify the causes.

Ted Edwards

11/10/2011 at 18:03

Cheers Martin that is certainly something I should conside even though HW also feels that gives out a word of warning.

Graeme by what you have said if my injury continues I may visit my GP.

tracey ingham

23/10/2011 at 09:13

Hi Ted and Kate i too have had PF for many many years the first time was so cronic i had to walk with walking sticks.I tried EVERYTHING and like you nothing worked and i had it in both feet ( i have a flat foot that makes it easier to get PF)so i had the first injection and after i was pain free and that lasted about 3 years, the second one lasted 2 years and my PF is started to niggle back. The injections are very painful for aminute or so and your feet feel bruised for a couple of days after but then i was pain free and i was able to walk without pain which was heavenly. The GP can do them (he tried to do mine and we had to abandon it after 4 attempts it was a very harrowing experience) but just bear in mind these people are not experts and do not do them consistantly. I was referred to our local foot clinic and as they are specialised in feet it was very good ( but still VERY painfull) I wish i can say that something other cured it but there was nothing that helped (even the 12 sessions of physio and accupuncture didnt touch it) i would deffinately have the injection again rather than faff aroung with stretching (the stretching made mine worse), rolling etc 1 minute of really bad pain but then no PF! it was well worth it! hope you get rid of the dreaded PF whichever route you go as i know it impacts the whole of your life when you are walking in pain! (let alone running)

Graeme i do alot of on and off road biking in the lakes and just on the back of what you said i did not have planta until i did a hard 48 mile bike ride over the hills in the lakes and thats when i felt mine go and up until then i had always blamed the running!

Ted Edwards

23/10/2011 at 15:49

tracey that makes for horrific reading indeed but I am glad that it seems to be ok now.

Its also interesting to read about getting PF after a hard ride in the lakes because since the PF problem I have gravitated to using the bike more.I must also had that you must be a tough fit cookie to ride 48 miles off road because that's a lot harder than doing it on road.

Getting back to the PF I am still using the night shoe but every flipping morning the pain is still there.I do hope it disappears far quicker than yours or some of our forum colleagues did.

Having had such an awful time with PF are you more conscious of doing the stretching/ strengthening exercises these days.

tracey ingham

25/10/2011 at 13:23

I do strech more than i used to especially my calves but i tended to do it after my running not so much after my biking but i do now. I do think for myself i have to be careful about over stretching as i can feel it when i do and i know other people who have said that alot of stretching also has adverse effects in their PF.I have also been advised that "rolling " can be counter productive (it was for me but as i said before i have a flat foot so i will be more prone to PF

) I think the hardest part is to rest and i was very guilty of not doing that ( hence why it got so bad the first time) but i have learned to try and rest it (but as Martin said rest alone may not cure it and it can return when you return to exercise) and i make sure i change my trainers more often.

How long are you going to wear the shoes in bed for? When should you be seeing an improvement?Are you doing anything else for it?

The biking is hard work but exciting (until i come off LOL then the bike takes the easy route down!!!LOL) and you get to see things you would not normally get to see. biking on and off road over hilly and mountanous terrain is very exciting i would hate to have to cut that back or out altogether because of PF. I hope the PF and you are feeling better soon i know how it can get "you" down. good luck!

Ted Edwards

02/11/2011 at 13:42

Tracey unbelievably having been shopping with my wife my PF seems to have flared up again because it is really aching now.

I am still wearing the night boot on the affected leg and I thought that by doing so it was making my injury better but after today I am not so sure.Having had this injury for some weeks now and having made sure I rested it by not running I really thought I would be back running by now.

I wanted that to be the case because as you know cycling can be difficult during the bad weather because of icy roads.I am glad however that cycling is one of the other sports I enjoy doing,another being swimming, because at least I can maintain a certain level of fitness.

Given this injury does not seem to be improving its now time to go and see a physio which I have been loathe to do because of the cost but if it can help cure the problem then it has to be worth it.

Thanks for your good wishes Tracey I will not let it get me down because many people suffer on a daily basis with far more serious injuries and disabilities but have an injury to the PF is a pain literally and in other ways as well.

Kate Ferman

04/11/2011 at 12:22

Hi All,

Many thanks for all your replies. Steroid injection booked for Mid December...any advice on the pain? Is it really really bad? Also how long is it recommended before you can try running again or is it not advised for a while?

Thanks!

Kate

GraemeK

04/11/2011 at 12:41

Kate,

I've been given different advice regarding startign running again. My GP said give it a 2-3 weeks and don't go mad straight away, a physio said soft tissue injuries take 8-10 weeks to heal so that's the time frame. As for the pain, my first injection was grit my teeth, screw my eyes up and think of running again, anything to forget it, the second time was pain free.