What if you just stopped running and did alternative workouts for a year? Would it heal on its' own?
What if you just stopped running and did alternative workouts for a year? Would it heal on its' own?
I don't think so, I just took 6 months off and it is still there. I really believe you just have to be willing to do the maintenance work (stretching,ice, massage,etc) day after day to get through it. Most of us stop doing that stuff the second we have a day without pain and it comes back.
PF can be a very irritating injury if not dealt with quickly and aggressively. Stretching (lightly), icing, anti inflammatory medication all work to a point but you need to find the underlying reason. Could be hip issue, leg length discrepancy, etc that is causing the PF. GO to an orthopedist. Other options are using an insole called Superfeet and using the footwheel to help break up the myofascial tissue.
Irishguy wrote:
PF can be a very irritating injury if not dealt with quickly and aggressively. Stretching (lightly), icing, anti inflammatory medication all work to a point but you need to find the underlying reason. Could be hip issue, leg length discrepancy, etc that is causing the PF. GO to an orthopedist. Other options are using an insole called Superfeet and using the footwheel to help break up the myofascial tissue.
I have high arches that basically started 'straining' and tearing at a point. Cortisone shots cleared up the inflamation in about 4-5 days but permanent relief came thru orthotics from a Dr. Schuster in NYC.
I'm in my 50's so I may not be a good indication if you are young. I got PF over 2 years ago and while I've never done the cortisone route I've done extensive therapy including ultra-sound and cold laser. Eventually, I learned how to tape it and run. Over the last 18 or more months I've taped it all the time except for about a month about 2 months ago. I've had to start taping it again but with the tape job I can run pain free. You might try it.
PF Sucks! wrote:
You are treating the immediate symptoms, not the cause of the problem. As a long term solution, you should strengthen your feet and ankles, along with keeping your plantar fascia stretched. You don't see many Kenyans with P.F.- they all grew up running around barefoot and have very strong lower legs. Same goes with runners in the 60s and 70s who all ran in low heeled, flat shoes. No PF until shoe companies started shoving these high heeled overly cushioned shoes down our throats.
I assumed the original poster was already grown up and not a 5 year old child so it's a bit late for them to grow up running around barefoot.
"You don't see many Kenyans with P.F."
How many Kenyans do you know? Do you know ONE person from Kenya?? Sure we dont see their top runners or hear about them suffering with this, but do we hear about top US runners with it???
I see one person mentioned taping. I tape my feet every
day because of pf. The sock is good too for the long term
but tape. Just google PF tape. You will find instructions
Article on Plantar Fasciitis and treatments etc:
http://www.docfullem.com/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=9&Itemid=1
Photos of how to tape:
http://www.docfullem.com/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=10
I had PF for 4 years, but never really knew what it was. Last year October mine ruptured during a 5k race. You wanna know what I learned? REST, REST, REST. I dont mean 1 month or even 2. After that I needed 6 months off (it takes usually 6 months to a year to fully recover from a rupture).
I had orthodics, cortisone pills and eventually got the cortisone shot...and that actually aided in the tear. If you want to get the shot, take a SIGNIFICANT time off, not just a week. The shot weakens that fascia and makes it much less pliable so you need to be careful. My best recommendation for recovery would be to continue to ice, make sure you're in the right type of running shoes with the right type of support, and take time off to let it heal (especially if you get the cortisone shot, which will help significantly if you don't push your luck and run on it too soon after). I did all that and can now proudly say I am esentially pain free for the first time in years.
You are getting good avice here. Focus on the stretching and foot exercises to fix the cause of the problem. Rest won't help and can allow things to tighten up/atrophy even more. I had plantar from spring '84 until about '94 when I finally got good advice on how to get rid of it. I've been running pain-free (as far as the plantar goes anyway) since then. I sure as hell don't miss all the tape, icing, cortisone, orthotics, etc. Once you get to the cause of the problem, the pain goes away surprisingly fast so stay positive and get better.
EZ10Miler wrote:
"You don't see many Kenyans with P.F."
How many Kenyans do you know? Do you know ONE person from Kenya?? Sure we dont see their top runners or hear about them suffering with this, but do we hear about top US runners with it???
Actually I know two- a guy that was on my team in college and his roommate. Neither of them had heard of plantar fasciitis before coming here. Both of them are the most injury free runners I know. I think the fact that they grew up running around barefoot has helped them, and certainly not hurt them.
My P.F. gets WORSE when I wear shoes with a noticeable heel lift (usually my dress/work shoes). What has worked for me is ice and keeping my plantar fascias and calves stretched.
Yes, keep the plantar, achilles, and calves loose and limber and also do exercises to stregthen your foot muscles. Just doing "toe crunches" even with your shoes and socks on can make your feet much stronger and make a HUGE difference. Higher heel lifts make everything in the back of your leg atrophy and wearing super-cushioned and supportive shoes makes your feet weak. You need to reverse that and it really doesn't take that long to see noticeable improvement if you are disciplined with the stretches and exercises. I'm not just BSing, I have been there, it sucks big time, but I got rid of mine permanently and you can do the same. I've gone almost 15 years now pain-free after being tormented by it for 10 not knowing what to do.
Try using double insoles in your current shoes. Buy two pairs of Spencos, then continue with the stretching & such.
One guy I know did this: bought two pairs of insoles with each pair of new shoes, and had no problems (granted he changed the insoles when they wore out)...sort of a home-made orthotic.
Instant gratification? Cortisone is your answer with orthotics. I injured mine two weeks prior to a marathon and went to a podiatrist that is also an athlete.
One shot of cortisone in the bottom of my foot, I taped it up for the marathon and ran a 2:35 in racing flats. The doc did mention that it could have ruptured but it didn't. I haven't had any issues since and that was 8 years ago.
Got Cortisone?
I think you got lucky and I'm happy for you that you did. But, your case might have been an example of plantar caused by a trauma or bruise, rather than what causes most cases - lack of range of motion in the back of the leg and weak foot muscles. If the original poster has plantar caused by the normal causes, a shot and some orthotics are a band-aid approach and won't be a permanent fix. When I first got plantar in '84, I did the tape, cortisone, orthotics thing to get me through a college season but then it roared back with a vengeance and resulted in a redshirt year. Had I just nipped it in the bud by fixing the problem, I would have had a much happier next 10 years of running.
Phil Heath wrote:
I tape my feet every
day because of pf. The sock is good too for the long term
but tape. Just google PF tape. You will find instructions
who in the world wants to have to tape their feet every day (twice a day for a serious, 100 mpw runner) for the rest of their career? Uh...no thanks. I got cortisone shots and then orthotics; now I'm good to go, twice a day, 120 mpw.
unless you buy stock in athletic tape, which i recommend as a 'buy'.
What helped me was custom made orthotics. That is the only way I got the PF to calm down enough to run again. It cost me 240 dollars ( without insurance) but it is SO worth it. If you have insurance, sometimes they will pay for some of the cost.
[quote]fishnbrew wrote:
a shot and some orthotics are a band-aid approach and won't be a permanent fix.
r u insane? cortisone shots then orhotics were a permanent fix for me. I was nearly crippled in both feet. After getting custom made ortotics, I never again had a problem with pf and I ran many 100 mile weeks and did intervals on the track, etc, etc. and ran times that just missed making the American list honor roll. (in other words I was a good 'regional level guy').