Plantar Fasciitis, Or, My Foot @#$%ING HURTS!

[Branwyn32]

Sooo after the hash I ran the other night, I noticed an awful pain in my heel. I did some research on ye olde fount of medical knowledge for the uninsured (webmd and wikipedia) and I seem to have symptoms of plantar fasciitis. I was hoping I was being a hypochondriac, but it's days later and it still hurts just the same. I tried jogging today to no avail, it hurt.

Now I don't know what to do. Other than stretching my feet and achilles tendon and icing my heels, I don't know if there's anything I CAN do. WTF I thought this only happened to like, real runners? I'm guessing it's a combination of my weight and my feet still being new to all this causing it.

So...is there anything I can do? I'm pretty screwed for exercise if this gets worse.

[Dantes]

See a doctor imo.

This is your health we're talking about here.

Diagnosing through generic search engines is meh. Get it checked out and be comprehensive with the doctor.

[Obsessionkilled]

there are a lot of options for People with PF including things like orthotics and what not. definitely seeing a doctor is the best bet. Call them ahead of time and see how much it will cost you without insurance. Working in a Shoe Store I see all sorts of feet issues but its always best for a doctor to diagnose and treat them. Your feet are serious business.

[67alecto]

Definitely go to a doctor - untreated, it too me a loooooooooooooooooooooooong time to recover after developing it playing flag football years ago.

My wife is going through it now - the doctor gave her a topical pain killer/anti-inflammatory that she equates like rubbing 4 advil on her foot.

[MMyers]

I have flat feet, so I know what this feels like.

What you can do is, sitting down or standing up, squeeze your toes as hard as possible. What's great is that it builds the muscle in your foot, all while you can be sitting on the computer. Eventually, move up to a bucket of sand or dirt, or a towel with a light weight on it.

You can go to a Podiatrist, but he didn't give me anything for pain, he made a cast of my foot so I could get a special insole. It works ok, but it was expensive.

[67alecto]

I have flat feet, so I know what this feels like.

What you can do is, sitting down or standing up, squeeze your toes as hard as possible. What's great is that it builds the muscle in your foot, all while you can be sitting on the computer. Eventually, move up to a bucket of sand or dirt, or a towel with a light weight on it.

You can go to a Podiatrist, but he didn't give me anything for pain, he made a cast of my foot so I could get a special insole. It works ok, but it was expensive.

wasn't that the advice Bruce Willis was given in Die Hard? "Make fists with your toes."

Don't worry about trying to go to a Podiatrist at this stage...just go to your GP, student health clinic, walk-in clinic, or whatever you have access to.

[MMyers]

Don't worry about trying to go to a Podiatrist at this stage...just go to your GP, student health clinic, walk-in clinic, or whatever you have access to.

QFT

Shit doesn't work, it just slides around in your shoe.

Run in some grass barefoot. I am entirely pain free then.

[Obsessionkilled]

Orthotics work for some people as well as proper footwear. Yeah seeing your GP is perfectly acceptable I would just make sure to see a doctor.

[Jess7286]

Hm, I think Branwyn runs in VFFs though, so shouldn't be a problem with orthotics or whatever those things are called.

I think with all foot pain (unless it's a super horrid fracture), you gotta stay off it as much as possible and ice/anti-inflammatory. Does it hurt when you walk on it? Or only when you run/jog?

PF happens with form and some imbalance with leg muscle groups since you're shifting your weight to compensate. It's how a lot of injuries occur. You're only as strong as your weakest link.

So for now, stay off it and ice. If it's really bad, you need to see a doctor and get an x-ray. If it's bearable, still stay off it and when you're healed, you'll have to re-adjust your running form.

[JasonFitz1]

The best treatment for plantar fasciitis is aggressive treatment. As long as it's not burning with pain just sitting down, try some of these exercises:

- curling a towel with your toes 10 times.

- picking up marbles with your toes and putting them in a jar or cup.

- spending time barefoot to strengthen your feet.

I had this problem about 8 years ago and orthotics only made it worse - but find what's best for you. There's also a special sock you can buy that keeps your foot dorsiflexed (toes pointed up) while you sleep that helps your PF.

Good luck!

- Fitz.