PLANTAR FASCIITIS IN ONE SPOT!

Sussex Runner (NLR) wrote (see)

Plantar Fascitis will stop you running. You can't train through it. Try icing it and gentle self massage. Rest until it feels ok and try it again after a few days. If the pain returns, stop running and ice and massage again and try a longer lay off. Keep trying until you don't feel any pain.

Yes you can. I have.

Hi Newy,

I had PF for 5 months. i tried everything. stretching, taping, night splints, orthotics blah balh and although some things seemed to help a little nothing really worked.

I self referred to NHS podiatry hoping they might say i could have injections. Podiatrist said 'you must stretch' to which i answered 'i have been stretching, i've tried everything'. podiatrist - 'how long are you holding each stretch for and how many times a day'? me- About 10 seconds once or twice a day. Podiatrist - thats nowhere near enough. You need to hold each stretch for 30 seconds and do 6 reps of each stretch  on each foot and do the whole lot 3 times a day..

She gave me 3 different calf stretches to do. I was really cheesed off. Podiatrist was quite stroppy when i said i couldn't stretch midday as i would be at work. her answer was 'would they rather you were off sick?'

Anyway, i thought right i'll show her. i'll do her bloomin stretches and she'll see it doesn't work. i was so determined to prove her wrong that i timed myself with a stop watch to ensure i held each stretch for the full 30 seconds. the whole routine took me 12 minutes 3 times a day.

I had to eat my words. By the fourth day my PF had gone. After months of discomfort. Therefore my question is are you REALLY following advise. get stretching!!

If you could list the stretches Splodge that would be great, suffereing a bit myself.

I had plantar fascitius. What a pain.

Problem occured after a drunken night at a party by running around in loose converse (trainers) . Torn the tendon. OUCH!  I learnt from that mistake!  I could not do my full gym, classes and running for a few months. As pain occured on and off.

But gradually built the intensity up overtime. I recovered VERY quickly. By doing some strenghtening exercise that my physio showed me. Also, ensuring I fully stretch at warm up and cool down.  And the biggest factor that I belived helped me was changing my trainers to ASICS gel cumulus 14 , a good quality trainer.  Also, I'm not completely sure but I feel that my age may have influnced my recovery time. Am in my late teens  

Hope I have helped  

hi thank you all for the help with this, i have bought a pair of orthotics and hopefully this will eleiviate it.

many thanks

dave

Tight calf muscles can definitely cause PF!   As spoldge said, stretching at least 3 times a day for at least 30 secs.  I normally say hold each stretch for 45 - 60 secs as most of my clients don't use a stop watch 

As to which stretches, it depends what muscles are found to be tight.  The three most common culprits are Soleus - bent knee stretch, Gastrocnemus - straight knee stretch and toe flexor group - bent toes up against a wall/step, keep heel to floor and   bend knee over middle toes.   Don't stretch into pain, try to keep relaxed,   3 x day, 60 secs each one...

Thanks for new suggestions,have not been on in a while..I used a stopwatch and followed stretches properly for a bit,iced every night and two weeks ago it was def better,I could walk at work with no pain(I can walk up to 5miles per shift on hard floors some evenings) Anyway in my excitiment I started to build up last 1 run a week only1/2 miles,still ok but on pressing knew it was def there still.. On sat I did my local parkrun only 5k in a very slow pace to be cautuous 28mins!! Well it has now gone right back to the worst of the pain in the beginning all over again,cant walk for long and pain at night.. Im so fed up that this week I have not done any stretching and also pulled out of marathon! I did wonder doing my parkrun, that if doing that every sat for a year always around 21mins was too much for my 40 plus body,I used it as a speed run but to me that felt like racing! Anyway thank you all again,I will look at more suggestions when I get over my fed up feeling!

PS. Strassburg sock seems to only help on rising for me,am also considering a cortisone shot now too

"Im so fed up that this week I have not done any stretching"

mistake no.1

NEWY - unfortunately, and there's no getting away from it, you have to be very patient with PF and almost accept that running is a no go area for a period so the plantar can return to some state of normality.  yes, for a committed runner, that's a right bugger but it is what it is.

find another form of exercise that doesn't load the plantar such as rowing, cycling, swimming (or all 3 to mix it up) and do NOT run for more than 5 mins, gradually building to 15mins, at low tempo and definitley stop if you feel pain.  keep on with the Strassburg sock.  get some decent supportive shoes - on the recommendation of a few people I have been wearing FitFlops (sandals and shoes) since around June and they have helped a lot.  look at taping up before a run (loads of info online and on here about that)

perhaps look at your running style and try to move more to a midfoot strike (not forefoot as that hurts if you're a heelstriker) so you don't load the plantar so much.   get some Hoka One One running shoes - they have helped me enormously and I'm now back to just shy of a 2hr run with no post-run pain.

most importantly - be patient.  it will get better!

Splodge, nice to hear that people do listen to our advice and yes, it does work - it would just be a waste of breath advissing you to do these things if there was going to be zero benefit to you.

Ablefeet

(fat buddah and I have debated about this toipic for a while...)

NEWY,

No one seems to have addressed what was occuring when this all began, and if it is genuinely PF (I know fat buddah, you did also mention this).

What were you doing when this all started? What was your training regime?  Had it changed in any way - distance, time, terrain? Had you changed your footwear and what were you using? Where exactly is your pain? What exactly are your symptoms?

That'll do to start with.

Ablefeet

AF - you will be pleased to know (but you can probably surmise from my last post) that my PF appears to have now gone and I don't get post run pain (following morning) discomfort.  I can get out of bed, put my foot down, and walk normally - well as normally for an old bugger anyway!

I don't feel "cured" yet and I'm still cautious and doing stretches, wearing FitFlops etc as I really don't want it to return. and I really think that switching to Hoka One Ones to run in has made huge difference as the super deep cushioned sole lessens any heel impact and they do tend to make your run more midfoot.   they have a zero drop, although you wouldn't think that looking at them.

FB - in all seriousness, that's superb news. That doesn't mean that I agree with the minimalist/zero drop approach, but as we all know - what works for one person, doesn't necessarily work for another.  The same goes for FitFlops - in theory they shouldn't work, but I have far too many patients (with various ailments) who all swear by them.

Which Hoka One One's are you using as not all of them are a zero drop?

Ablefeet

AF - after my "discussion" with you about going forefoot, and my limited attempts, I abandoned the idea - it killed my calves.  I was expecting some discomfort but not 3 days worth after one run!  hey ho - had to try....

I then read a few reports and blogs about runners who had had PF and/or orthotics, finding Hokas "cured" their issues - maybe it's the deep cushioning?  I dunno but I thought it was worth a try.   getting hold of a pair was hard - stock of them is as rare as rocking horse crap - and the only ones I could get in my size were the Stinson Evos which are essentially an off road shoe.

you're right - it's not a zero drop but 6mm - which to me is zero after years in Nimbus and Cumulus.  and I do find that I feel more midfoot in them although there are still signs of heel wear but more towards the sides than the back of the heel which would indicate that I'm not heelstriking as heavily.  whether that's the shoes or my subconscious making that change I'm not sure!

the downside of the Stinsons being an offroad shoe is that the sole wear is getting marked now - they aren't designed for tarmac pounding - so next purchase when I can get hold of some will be the Tarmac versions as hopefully they'll wear better.

fingers crossed it continues this way!

Hi, just read all your comments with interest, been suffering with PF since June, and i have done all the above, stretching, icing, injections etc! the bottom line is there is no cure and this condition can become very depressing.A lot of things like insoles and the strasbourg sock etc are gimmicks really, it's defo related to calfs so stretching them should help in the long run. I'm going to go down the minimalistic route with my inov8's..3mm heel to toe drop. The prob all started when i joined tri club and went from plodding around to doing some serious HIT training and then ignored prob! If only i could turn back the clock! I am now seriously thinking of giving up running and triathlon, which makes me feel gutted! Also has anyone tried trigger point therapy? bascailly its like an intense massage directed at certain spots, may work for you, nothing worked for me.

Hi Darren,I do feel for you,mine also started in June and like you I ignored it,was even told by a very experienced runner that if I ever got a sign of PF treat it immediately!! I thought Ill be different!! How stupid.. Able Feet to answer your question,I started this thread as I wondered if I could still marathon train after it first really stopped me in my tracks,thinking it would clear up in a week or so!! Mine started in June very slight,kept running and was always ok,ramped it up in August for half marathon mid oct going for a PB ! 5 runs a week,1 day speed session as well as a 21min 5k every week.. On top of this I worked 3/4 days per week evenings on my feet sometimes 5/6 miles on hard floors.. The running was still ok but by Sep walking at work hurt(out of 40 of us there,8 have pf!) Had it strapped for half and it felt fine,started off,doing well,fast,mile 5 pain so bad it stopped me in my tracks,couldnt walk for 2/3 days and had it diagnosed as bad flare up of PF.. Somedays I still limp all day,other days its fine,was getting better then I started running last week only 2/3 miles and now back again.. I run mid foot and I have run a lot this year in racing flats.. I hate the feel of big padded trainers,as I feel trapped and am now too trying the barefoot route,have got some vivos but they kill me at the moment,walking barefoot as much as poss too.. However Fat B, today while I was out I found some Fit flop shoes in sale! Felt great when I tried them so got them for work! I will listen now and stop running and hopefully it may get a little better.. Icing morning and evening really helps Darren,immerse foot in full bucked/basin freezing water 10mins,try twice a day and last week before I stupidly ran a 5k on Sat the barefoot walking in the house really helped,but not enough clearly! Thanks FB for taking the time to give me suggestions,it does help to know that other people have had it as badly as me and that it will go(I hope!)Guess Reading half is out of the question...!!

Darren Kelly 7 wrote (see)

A lot of things like insoles and the strasbourg sock etc are gimmicks really,

I would have to whole heartedly disagree with you here.  With over a decade of experience in treating patients with true PF, orthotics are a great adddition to the treatment programme.  If the reason for your PF is due to a biomechanical insufficiency, causing an increased load through the insertion of the PF into the medial tubercle of the calcaneum, then you should get some benefit from using orthoses. 

Darren, the problem you have is, as you've already admitted to above, is that you've gone from being a plodder to joining a tri club and going "too hard, too soon".  Don't go down the minimalist route - all you changed was your training programme not the way you actually run! You don't have to give up running, but be realistic as to your recovery programme.  You are in the fortunate position, unlike alot of patients that I see, that you know the exact cause /  reason for your problem.

Ablefeet

Darren, you have just answered your own question.

But in fairness, if you want help, where are you based?

Ablefeet