plantar fasciitis: when does it go away?

A PT determined that my orthotics were simply wrong. I switched to an old pair and I ma fine. My podiatrist is going to make me a pair like my old ones.

In 10 years, I never had problems wiht my orthotics from my current podiatrist. I can take this one mess up.

Becareful of the soleus. It takes a while to heal (mine took two weeks). Then I ran/walked on flat surfaces.

As per my PT, I heated and then stretched my calf before running. Stopped to stretch while running. Stretched and then iced after running.

A little while later, I heated it again and stretched somemore.

[quote]malmo wrote:

Prepare for the worst, hope for the better[ quote]

But what do the REAL runners do when they get PF?

Do they just do do all the stuff i'm doing -- and still train and compete (and suffer the next morning)?

I can't imagine these guys doing 100+ weeks and doubles. Doubles seem impossible with PF.

I just got this prior to my marathon training schedule so i am not sure if this will have an impact on my training -- e.g. very long runs, speedwork, even long tempo.

mcordi wrote:

As per my PT, I heated and then stretched my calf before running. Stopped to stretch while running.

How do you HEAT your calves (other than a slow jog)????

I also stopped midrun to stretch -- it seems like a good idea.

learn to cope? wrote:

But what do the REAL runners do when they get PF?

Do they just do do all the stuff i'm doing -- and still train and compete (and suffer the next morning)?

I can't imagine these guys doing 100+ weeks and doubles. Doubles seem impossible with PF.

I just got this prior to my marathon training schedule so i am not sure if this will have an impact on my training -- e.g. very long runs, speedwork, even long tempo.

Sure you can run 100+ weeks on plantar fasciitis. The problem with the injury is that you never really feel "injured". It's very insidious. Taking of a month or 10 might and you might not have healed any more than you would have had you run on it for the duration. It takes a long time to heal. It's the type of injury that can become manageable for years (mine took 5 years).

I have had periodic bouts with this terrible condition.. all I can say is savor the times when it's not flared up.

I can do some long runs with pretty sever PF, it's the track work and tempos that I just can not get through. Had it real bad last year and it felt like a nail going through my foot every step...

It makes you change your stride, ends up affecting other areas due to this, and totally kills all motovation. It just saps all fun out of running.

Runners should stop raising money for all these causes at road races and start having a "Race for the Cure for PF."

People need to try different things to try and correct the problem and quit trying to treat the symptoms until they correct that problem. Get the shots, icing, stretching, etc after you figure out what is going to keep you from getting it. PF is not an injury it's an irritation. It's not like a pulled muscle or a broken leg. Icing it won't do anything unless you correct what is causing the problem.

Is nobody listening? welcome to the 21st century. eswt works. no need to suffer like old malmo for years(it's like saying, "don't drink during that marathon; you'll get cramps!").

I didn't not run for one month exactly from when the pain started, got new orthodics, did physical therapy 3 times a week and i was good to go.

learn to cope? wrote:

How do you HEAT your calves (other than a slow jog)????

I've had success filling large gallon-sized ziplock bags with hot tap water, then resting one under each calf. I used it when I had Achilles tendonitis, since it helped me loosen up my calves without heating (and inflaming) the injured area. I bet it'd work for PF too.

I've got a related question:

I've got a young runner under my tutelage who has EXTREMELY weak arches. His mother is a runner and had serious problems with PF. I'm not sure how much of this is because of his mother (genetically and parentally), but this young fellow wears shoes with orthotics almost all the time, even around the house. He doesn't wear the orthotics for running, though. If he walks around barefoot on hard surfaces for too long, his arches start to hurt. Like I said, VERY weak arches. So, what kind of strengthening exercises can this guy do to possibly stave off PF problems in the future?

Have him do 10 minutes barefoot a day after his normal runs (to make sure everything is warmed up and stretched), and work up to maybe 30 minutes a day.

Muchacho wrote:

Have him do 10 minutes barefoot a day after his normal runs (to make sure everything is warmed up and stretched), and work up to maybe 30 minutes a day.

Forgot to add, make sure to do this in soft, level grass, like around the infield of your track.

If you can find a doctor to perform Graston, it worked like magic on my pf. It took about 6 treatments, 2 per week. I was running and back at my normal fitness level after not being able to run a step.

I'm trying the barefoot thing. I've had PF on and off since around March or April I think. After my last 3 runs, I've run 1-2 miles barefoot in the grass. My feet feel great while doing this and I can feel it stretching and working my lower legs. Yesterday I ran 5 miles easy followed by 2 miles barefoot and this morning my foot feels great. For once my plantar fascia didn't feel like it was ripping off my heel when I took those first steps. It's still a little sore to the touch at the heel attachment point, but not nearly as bad as normally so it's definitely getting better. I've also been wearing flat shoes to work and going barefoot around the house to keep it stretched. I'll keep giving updates as I go.

Please continue giving updates. Some of us need to hear about other experiences.

I had an appointment today with a PT. She claimed i did NOT need the orthotics. Rather, she claimed that i got PF because my calves were very tight, my recent mileage increase, and my minimal stretching routine.

She gave me some ultrasound (not sure what the heck it does), showed me some stretches and strengthening routines (which i already knew), told me to try taping the foot. And that was it.

My PF seems different than that of others here. It does NOT bother me first thing in the morning. I get the heel pain about 45 minutes into a run and it starts to alter my footstrike. After the run and some stretching and icing, the pain slowly goes away.

They sent me to this Physical Therapy place where they gave me stretches to do. They found that I have a leg length discrepancy and something called a 'slipped hip'? WTF?

Anyway the ultrasound is where they smear this green jello like substance on this apparatus and rub in on the arch for something like 10-minutes. Supposedly they are limited in how long they can do it as it can damage tissue, so they say.

The podiatrist said that bicycling will tighten up the achilles and calf muscles which they are trying to stretch out.

The PT questioned that, but said "he's the doctor".

I'm starting acupuncture next week, F*ck this modern medicine. I want to run again. It's more sore now after the stretching and crap than it was when I started.

Good luck with the acupuncture - update us please.

I discontinued the orthotics, they caused me too much pain in other areas.

I'm continuing with the stretching, icing, and golfball.

I am also starting with a deep massage next week and see how that helps.

The past 3 nights i ran 9 or 10 milers.

Discomfort (very mild pain or even numbness in the arch/heel areas) occurs at around the 40 minute mark.

I can keep going for 10 miles but i don't think i can withstand this for more than 15 miles.

I have tried acupuncture and it seemed to help a little for a while. I think worth a try.

I had three cortisones in one foot. I think it was a mistake getting 2 more after the first didn't work.

I have had 3 sets of orthotics and they all caused me further problems. I am a neutral runner so I ditched these eventually. It is true orthotics support the arch allowing the plantar to rest a bit and heel but they can also irritate the area if they are firm and dig in. Plus they weeken the arch.

Strengthening exercises i.e. picking up a pencil with the toes have been helpful for me.

I have spent a fortune in physio before realising I may aswell treat it myself because it aint going away fast.

I picked up pf on my left over 2 years ago and I still have it despite stopping running for 6 months and doing little running for another year. I was a low 14 min 5k guy. I kept myslef fit and I am now running with it and just putting up with it. I also now have it on the other foot. Racing and sessions aggrevate it a bit but I can do 2 per week ussually. 85 mins is tops I can run. I agree with a previous poster that said two a days are almost impossible. I can only run once. I am back on about 55-65 miles this past 8 weeks and have managed to get down to a 14:33 5k off that. I'm not going to try and up the miles any more than that. I'm just going to enjoy what running I can do. Its a bastard!

Another update... ran 1.5 miles barefoot in the grass yesterday. Foot felt really good this morning. No pain at all when I got out of bed, just a little stiffness (I rolled my ankle a while back so that could be contributing to it). My heel just feels like it's a little bruised now. There are no sharp pains coming from the area anymore and I don't have to limp when I get out of bed.

malmo, join the new millenium here: eswt wasn't aroung when you were at your peak.