plantar fasciitis: when does it go away?

I've been running---including marathons and Ironmans---for 10 years, and I've never had it.

But after a fast 5K in April and then a shopping run while I was wearing flip flops, I developed it, and I've had it since april.

Tried a lot of the stuff recommended in this thread including:

1) ibuprofen

2) Strasbourg sock

3) stretching

4) rolling on an iced water bottle

5) graston

Finally I went to a podiatrist who is also a runner and got new orthodics as well as 3 weeks of shock treatment.

The treatment was not ultrasound or electro-stim. It was 4000 shocks at the arch/heel insertion point designed to cause trauma to the area, promote blood flow and help it heal. 1 treatment per week for 3 weeks. After the treatment, there's no ice or ibuprofen for 2 days. You want to allow the inflammation to occur.

I finished my 3 weeks of treatment and got the new orthodics.

So far I've run up to 1:15 hours and still have pain, but it does not get worse after running. So, while I'm not doing track workouts yet, I am able to continue to run and it appears that I'm not doing any more damage. My arch pretty much hurts whether or not I run. If I run hard for an hour it doesn't hurt the next day any more than if I sat on the couch and ate potato chips.

Next step is cortisone, but I'm thinking of not doing that. If it continues as-is, I expect I'll get used to the new orthodics and the pain will slowly subside.

Best of luck!

-Don't walk around barefoot.

-Buy a pair of Montrail sport sandals. (Easiest to find them online.)

-Buy and use a "boot" every night that keeps your foot in a flexed position. It takes some getting used to, but definitely works. They can be found at medical supply stores. (The Strassburg sock is not the same. I found that it was useless for getting rid of my plantar pain.)

It's been 3 days since i had the shot, I am now walking with out any pain. Still some pain when I try to mildly stretch, or push off my toes. Was planning to try an easy run this evening. I may hold off for 15 hours or so and try in the morning to be safe.

no, rest 1 week, don't test it, don't stretch it, let the cortisone shot do its work without any interference.

Let us know how you progess, seriously.

Does the cortisone need 7 days to work? I have a race in 7 days. I have been doing some pool running doesn't seem to irriate my foot at all.

hold up pal wrote:

no, rest 1 week, don't test it, don't stretch it, let the cortisone shot do its work without any interference.

I think alot of us have generally similar symptoms - but all our situations are different enough that it is difficult to learn what to do from these various anecdotes.

For example, my pf is not horribly painful (other than the first three days). But i can't seem to shake the mild discomfort that i feel in the arch area.

Other people seem to have bad pain that they can't shake. it is not obvious that we should we be attacking the problems in the same way.

It seems to me that there is some more common ground than that. If you run fast or hard with pf you will experience more painful symptoms, which will only get better with a few days rest. It seems that the common problem is once you get to that 95% mark it never gets better on its own, and the kicker is if you push it when its 95% you may end back where you started in the midst of agony. What I have found valuable on this thread is posts which talk about long term success.

Here is my compiled list of strategies that seem to be working out for other letsrunners

1. See an orthopedic specialist (most of the following require this step anyway)

2. Cortisone Shot (seems like this one can eliminate pain and help cure pf at least for several months)

3. Orthotics (Correct foot strike + good preventitive measure)

4. Strengthening exercises (good for long term relief)

5. Daily Ice Therapy (Continue to Subdue the symptoms)

6. Shock Therapy (one post described this one in detail sounds interesting)

Oh and one more...

7. that one mysterious estw (or whatever... that was mentioned before)

For temporary relief... but no long term relief

1. the sock/boot

2. advil, creme, other pain relievers

3. Cold Turkey from running (Seems to have no long term effects)

4. Massages

Good summary, Rocket. The reason i think that although there seem to be commonalities amongst us, some of us didn't have chronic horrible pain but rather just weird discomfort. My pain is not bad enough to warrant a cortisone shot.

Since wearing my orthotics, i have now developed pain in the ball beneath the big toe in BOTH feet (even the foot that didn't have the PF symptoms).

Has anyone else encountered this?

One friend who is a PT said that it could be referred pain from the original trouble spot - but the fact that it is in both feet is weird.

it's not a mystery. well, really only in this country is it a mystery, unfortunately. i read about its use in Canada almost ten years ago in RW.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ESWT

[quote]learn to cope? wrote:

Since wearing my orthotics, i have now developed pain in the ball beneath the big toe in BOTH feet (even the foot that didn't have the PF symptoms).

Has anyone else encountered this?

I would be surprised if your orthotics are 100% correct from the get go. Usually they will have to be fine tuned and adjusted slightly over the 1st 6 months in reponse to things like you mentioned.

Just got shot wrote:

It's been 3 days since i had the shot, I am now walking with out any pain. Still some pain when I try to mildly stretch, or push off my toes. Was planning to try an easy run this evening. I may hold off for 15 hours or so and try in the morning to be safe.

Day 4:

Did not run yesterday I erred on the side of caution. Did do 50min in the pool. When I woke up this morning I did not notice much improvement from yesterday. Still feels ok to walk but some pain when i try to walk normal from my big toe.

I went to my therapist and had my calfs and foot loosened up. My foot felt better and more natural to walk on.

I then ventured out for any easy 30min run on a flat trail. There was some pain, much like it was prior to having the shot. Though there was no indication of the sharp pain I had the day prior to the shot when increasing the pace. I'll take that as a positive sign. I did not want to push it so I stopped running after 20min and now have it in a bucket if ice water. I will probably cross train again this evening.

Race in 6 days!

you ran too soon....you are going to mess up your arches

I've been doing the ice, therapy (ultrasound), stretching and all that s*it for five weeks.

The Podiatrist says he's "reluctant" to give me cortisone.

A non-running coworker has PF and was given an injection on his FIRST VISIT to another podiatrist!!!

WTF?

Do some Podiatrists have $$$ deals with physical rehab places or what?

MINIMALISTS: I developed this problem from doing all my running in racing flats. DON'T DO IT!!!

Don't blame us, blame your parents, society, and yourself for making you wear overly-supportive high-heels for most of your life, which have in turn ruined your feet.

I thought everyone would be sick of my whining but apparently there are so many of us out there -- i think people like to hear similar stories for encouragement. So at the risk of being a pain in the ass, here is my update...

I've been doing the ice, stretching, orthos, golfball (for hours per day). Yesterday, i felt that the heel pain was entirely gone and that it had travelled upward to the ball of the foot. At that spot, i could kick the shit out of it with the golfball - you could feel the knot there (or whatever that is) just like when you have a knot in your shoulders.

So bc i felt ok, I went out for a 9-miler and it went fine. Halfway thru, i felt extreme pressure in BOTH arches - probably from the orthos that either need to be adjusted or i just need to get used to them.

After the run, however, i felt my old friendly heel pain back, but not as extreme or painful. I stetched and massaged and iced. In the morning, it was not so bad. So it sounds to me that this is here to stay, but it is manageable (though i am not sure if i will be to do 20 milers nor speedwork).

One common element i hear from fellow PFers is that it is at its worst in the morning. That was never true with mine.

[quote]Frustrated and Sore wrote:

The Podiatrist says he's "reluctant" to give me cortisone.

[quote]

My podiatrist also said "no way" to the cortisone. He wouldn't even listen to my commentary. The thing is i am not sure if really am an immediate candidate for it since my PF is not horribly painful like some ppl have it.

Tell us more about the ultrasound. That was not offered to me by my podiatrist.

learn to cope? wrote:

Will it? Should I just take off a full month? Does each ez run prevent it from healing?

Unfortunately for you, with plantar fasciitis, if your injury got better in a month you should feel very lucky. Plantar fasciitis can take YEARS to heal.

Prepare for the worse, hope for the better.