Plantar faciaitis insoles are crippling me.
Posted , 5 users are following.
Hi
I work in a supermarket for 6 hours 4 days a week. I am constantly walking and standing. I recently developed plantar faciaitis and have tried changing shoes fitting insoles including memory foam all to no avail. I have done all the excercises and still have severe pain. I eventually went to a podiatrist who gave me medically approved insoles and advised me to make another appointment in 8 weeks. The thing is these insoles are crippling me. They feel fine for about two hours in work and then I am in agony and walking funny. I have resorted to taking the insole out when the pain gets too much. This gives relief for 15 minutes and I then put insoles back in but there is no way I could wear them all day every day for eight weeks. Any ides or suggestions?
0 likes, 15 replies
jocojohn frales
Posted
Hi,I have had PF 3 times now, twice in my right foot and once in the left. Like you I have tried most so called cures and after many years I have come to the following conclusion. Most people concentrate on pain relief during the day but I believe the secret to a cure happens at night while asleep. When the foot is relaxed at night the Plantar fascia contracts and as the body begins any healing process it is done in wrong ( contracted) position. When the first steps are taken in the morning the Plantar fascia is stretched and any healing is immediately undone, hence the pain and you are back to square one. What I am doing now ( with good progress) is to wear an elasticated arch support, not only during the day but at night so that any healing is taking place with the Plantar fascia in the stretched (normal) position. I would also recommend before getting out of bed, flexing and gently massaging the foot for as long as possible ( at least 5 minutes ) and then avoiding putting the full weight on the foot for several minutes.
I have also tried using a leg splint which keeps the foot at a stretched angle and although that help with the initial early first steps it was like sleeping wearing a wellington boot and a good nights sleep was not easy, so for now Im sticking with the elasticated arch support.
A friend at work with PF has had good success when he was referred to a specialist at the hospital who moulded a special made to measure arch support. I am now awaiting an appointment to see them.
I hope all this helps, I know what a pain it can be but there is light at the end of the tunnel, John
julia_00615 jocojohn
Posted
jocojohn julia_00615
Posted
Hi again, I remember vividly the first time I got PF about 7 years ago, I was in Benidorm sitting on a wall eating an ice cream, my feet were about 6 inches off the pavement feet relaxed ( plantar fascia contracted). When I stepped down to the pavement my heel felt like it had a nail driven into it. It was agony ( plantar fascia suddenly stretched). That first bout of PF lasted about 18 months. It was always extreemly painful first steps in the morning. later in the day the pain eased slightly and it felt like I was walking with a sharp stone in my shoe under the heel. I tended to walk on my toes to keep the weight off the heel. A couple of years later I got PF in the other foot and that lasted about a year. I now have it again but now It is only moderately painful ( as mentioned earlier ) because I wear an elasticated arch support 24/7( except for washing )
I firmly believe the secret is to keep the plantar fascia stretched at night to be able to heal in the normal position. Also do all the other recomendations such as good supporting shoes, gel inserts, stretching exercises etc etc and I think you will start to see improvements.
John
julia_00615 jocojohn
Posted
Jocojohn
Thank you for letting me know that. It actually brought back memories of when I first got it, it felt like a nail through my heel too and I had to walk on my toes. I've had mine for 16 months but you are giving me hope! My PF doesn't feel that intense anymore, but will feel bruised or sore. The soles of my feet right around my arch and heel feel hot when standing, someone thought it could be neuropathy but I think it's still the PF manifesting itself. As it's only when standing. I got custom orthotics, am doing PT and very diligent with stretching/icing at home and I've feeling some improvement.
I'm glad you are better and only have a small case now!
frales jocojohn
Posted
jocojohn frales
Posted
Let me know how you get on, John
julia_00615 frales
Posted
I'm guessing the podiatrist told you about breaking them in slowly? I got my custom orthotics a week ago and I'm still only wearing them half the day as I'm still breaking them in.
Can I ask what your plantar fasciitis feels like. I'm still trying to determine if I 100% have it.
frales julia_00615
Posted
JerryR frales
Posted
Frales, when I had PF I wore the plantar fasciitis "relief bridge" gel-heel innersole in my shoes - that I got at Walgreen's for about $11. Make sure your innersoles are soft and preferably made of gel. Then I wore a pair (usually) of nice thickish sox. On my heel I wore fasciitis therapy wrap padded supports that I got on the internet for about $13. So when I had my PF, under my heels I had 3 cushion layers. I wore this about 24 hours a day - except when in the shower or swimming. doknabox
frales julia_00615
Posted
Hi The podiatrist said nothing about breaking in the insoles. She just said they would fit all my shoes and to wear them all the time. When working I can barely manage two hours before I have to remove the insoles. I have half an hour of relief and then h but then my feet are sore all day. Just noticed a typo in my previoous reply. I meant 'bruising site' rather than sight.
julia_00615 frales
Posted
Oh ok. I was supposed to wear mine an hour the first day, 2 hours the 2nd day, 3 hours the 3rd day and so forth. She said to cut that schedule back if they were bothering me. She also gave me a list of shoes that were good for PF, from sandals to running shoes to dress shoes and so forth. Maybe you could call and ask if they have a list? I think breaking in the insoles and cushion should help. Ugh I'm sorry it's so bad. Maybe you could ice your feet on your break if you have a insulated lunch box to keep frozen water bottles in? I find this feels really good and help tremendously with the pain when I've been on my feet awhile.
anne_36655 frales
Posted
Hello
It's a crippling condition and you need to get into now ... there are numerous support treatments and sadly you have to try and see what works for you .. I have had this twice now and in the same foot the first time I lost heaps of weight and started running . Now I am in my late 50's and live on a property and work, so can't put that much time in .. this bout is improving with physio which hurts like hell and using shock wave therapy wkly plus stretching using a gold ball to roll .. the shoes,orthotics etc only work after you get the fascia treated the damage needs to be forced out if you get me ... ask any questions happy to share and help you it's an awful condition that can take ages ..
JerryR frales
Posted
Frales, I am a retired physician and plantar fasciitis patient. I got plantar fasciitis around February 2016. After about four months, it completely resolved.
Here's what I think. Plantar fasciitis is inflammation of the attachment of the plantar fascia to the heel bone, and/or some minimal tearing of the plantar fascia - just a few fibers - that results, naturally, in inflammation . . . like a "pulled muscle." Inflammation hurts until it heals and resolves. So what's so difficult about curing P.F.? Well we walk on it!!! Let's say we take 5000 steps a day. Imagine inflammation of your elbow, (i.e. tennis elbow). Imagine taking your sore "tennis elbow" and wacking it against the wall, 5000 times a day. Think it would heal quickly? I don't either.
So my cure for plantar fasciitis is cushion, cushion and cushion!!! That's right - cushion the heel. Here's what I did. First, I wore the plantar fasciitis "relief bridge" gel-heel innersole in my shoes - that I got at Walgreen's for about $11. Make sure your innersoles are soft and preferably made of gel. (I plan to use mine indefinitely in my shoes.) Then I wore a pair (usually) of nice thickish sox. On my heel I wore fasciitis therapy wrap padded supports that I got on the internet for about $13. (I don't wear them any more.) So when I had my PF, under my heels I had 3 cushion layers. I wore this about 24 hours a day - except when in the shower or swimming. And after about 4 months, the PF was totally gone. And I would suggest to you, have patience, not surgery.
Frales, that's what I think. I hope this helps you and the many other sufferers of plantar fasciitis. Good Luck to you, doknabox/JerryR
frales JerryR
Posted
Hi What you say makes perfect sense. I am going to try the cushion method coupled with shock absorbing shoes for work. I am thinking of Doc Martens or Sketchers. Unfortunately the type of Sketchers I need are not available in the UK. So I will need to trawl Amazon for them. DMs are available but so expensive. However if they worked I wouldn't worry about the cost. Keep you all up to date.
JerryR frales
Posted
I think you're making the cushion treatment more complicated than necessary. I didn't change my shoes. I just bought the plantar fasciitis "relief bridge" gel-heel innersole - $11, and the fasciitis therapy wrap padded supports that I got on the internet - $13. Total cost less than $30. I wore them 24 hours a day - minus when I was in the showser. I was totally cured in 4 months. Good luck!