Plantar Fasciitis ending my season

[RichNH]

do lots of stretching. That is the first line treatment. Search the internet for details. Physical Therapy works, your doctor will have to refer you. Take some Aleve (Naproxen). 2 pills twice a day is the prescription dose. If miserable it can be injected with a steroid (cortisone)...or there is newer treatment called prolotherapy which is working well for this. Need an orthopedist for that. For less invasive treatment get inserts with arch support. These can be bought at a pharmacy or orthotics can be made by a podiatrist...probably for your boots too if you want to stay on the hill. Some people swear by Acupuncture, might be worth a shot.

A few ideas, good luck

[Beckmann AG]

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PF is a bit of a catch-all term, with a number of origins.

If you want to provide more information regarding onset, progression, history of foot issues etc. that would be helpful.

PM if you prefer.

[Pat Donnelly]

Hey Buggs, almost as much fun as an impacted tooth! Rethink your footwear. I had certain shoes and boots that could aggravate the pain. Have since changed out to mostly New Balance and/or Dunham. Search for models for PF condition. In sneakers, always opt for running shoes as they offer more cushion / support. Around the house I wear Crocs, never go barefoot. Orthotics can help too, but the NEW shoes and boots helped me the most. You may need to replace your footwear more often to maintain good support and heel cushion, usually before the soles wear out. Last year I bought a few pair of MBT shoes; basically no heel so the point of impact is near the arch or forward of the heel. Takes a few steps to get used to the rocker sole.

Some streching demo's

Edited April 5, 2013 by Pat Donnelly

[Bobby Buggs]

Thanks Pat, Im kinda picky about footwear. I only wear Ecco shoes and primarily wear the Gortex trac shoes during the day.

Eric, I have never really had foot issues till now..50 Last time I was at a boot fitter he mentioned my feet were pretty flat, I was unaware of that. this all started after I worked a home show here and was on my feet for 37 hours in 4 days. I noticed some basic soreness at the end of the days, just sort of achy. then Monday after the show I had a feeling like someone was sticking pins in my heel. Thats what I have been having come and go since the show. It was a week on this Monday since it started, I purchased some different insoles and things from heelthatpain.com and pain has come and go. Yesterday I tried doing the elliptical and that flamed it up quite nicely. thats where Im at

[ti_knee]

http://thesock.com/ runners used to rave about these back when I sold shoes. I'd check with a good physio before giving it a go.

[Beckmann AG]

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From your description, the residual pain is associated with bearing too much weight on insufficient area for an extended period of time.

Sounds like you were standing around in a pair of shoes with a heel height too low for the task at hand. Or, if the pain is only on one heel, there are other factors coming into play that had you biasing weight to one side.

Foot conformation can be a contributing factor, but not so much for the insult itself, but for what happens next. After injury, 'floppiness' of the bone structure influences muscle activity required for stabilization/mobility/balance, and that in turn can prolong inflammation and thus delay healing.

Bear in mind that a foot can be 'flat' without being structurally deficient.

If any of the above rings true, find a pair of firm-soled shoes with a higher heel, and tread lightly. (Preferably not squishy running shoes.)

You'll know you are going in the right direction when you feel less discomfort from the affected area upon waking.

[bruincounselor]

Keep in mind you now have two different issues: 1. Recovery from the injury, and 2. preventing the recurrence. This might require different tactics including the aforementioned stretching and therapy. You also have inflammation so Ibuprofin or another anti-inflammatory might help short term. Long term you need more support - running shoes are OK for movement; but not standing. I used to spend 40-50 hours a week in the summer on concrete; when I got out of bed in the morning my tendons were so tight I couldn't flat foot it on the floor without painful stretching - I tried running and basketball shoes with no success - what worked long term was leather work boots with a real heel (there's a reason beyond a steel toe tradesmen wear them). I added insoles and have not had any problems since. I good bootfitter will help you find the right fit and sole for standing on concrete. Figure out where your local tradesmen go for boots and make a visit. I spent good money 5 or 6 years ago and aside from a resole every 2 years they did the trick.

[Jonny]

Find a PT who specializes in this. You may have PF or Achillies tendonopathy which is similar but affects the tendon just behind the Plantar Fascia. He/she will teach you taping techniques which help for now, and massage, stretch, shoe selection strategies which help for the future. For now, make some small water balloons and put them in the freezer. Once they're frozen, put one on the floor and roll your foot around on it for a few minutes. You can use an old "spaldeen" handball filled nearly full with water and then frozen for this also. Over the long term really HARD massage has helped me the most, and I never wear shoes without orthotics. DON'T go for cortisone injections except as a very last resort - they often result in a full tear which is really awful.

[darko714]

I had plantar fasciitis for two years and it hurt like hell. I had to quit running, but it didn't affect my snowboarding at all. My doctor referred me to a podiatrist, and he prescribed a kind of boot to wear at night to stretch my achilles tendon by canting my foot upward (or my leg forward), exactly like a . . . snowboard hardboot! Ironically, the ONLY time it didn't hurt was when I was out riding.

If you have the same problem that I did, riding might actually be the best therapy.

[Flow243]

I got it pretty bad after a hard crash a couple years ago. The issues were really in my lower legs and hips. Now I do yoga a couple times a week to keep things stretched out. I went and had some serious deep tissue massage from someone with a good understanding of athletic issues to start with and that really helped but is was the yoga that kept it away. I bought this video below and I do the hip openers as well as the standing stretches a couple times a week(about 20 minutes each time) and it keeps the nagging issues at bay. I think I spent about $180 on three painful massage sessions(Scrapping, cupping, she was brutal) and about $25 for the video and foam block (@Dick's Sporting Goods) needed for some of the poses in the video and my issues went away in about 2 weeks. It's more than likely that your issues are elsewhere and they're torquing on your foot. It took me a while to figure that out but once I focused on the calf and the hips, it went away pretty quick.

http://www.protherapysupplies.com/Shop-By-Category/Books-and-Media/Gaiam-AM-Yoga-For-Your-Week-with-Rodney-Yee?gclid=COmzq_Hbx7YCFct7QgodsSEA3A&source=googleps

I will say, the best thing I ever did for snowboard equipment was get a decent pair of cork orthotic inserts for my boots. I've had them for about 8 years now and they were well worth the $200. I've never had any foot pain since...early season, long days, long traverses, nada. You can buy those cheaper do it yourself versions at REI or whatever but you have to get them right of they fugg you up even worse. I just paid to have someone custom fit them for me and they're really sweet.

[skatha]

My case was in my left foot and resulted from my wearing "nice" shoes for my clinical rotations in med school. My fix-first I taped my heels, then I fashioned a compressive bandage from a modified ankle brace. This was my experimenting with what felt good-no internet when I went to med school. I also ditched the fancy shoes for what the nurses told me to get. They know all about comfortable footwear. Footsmart is a catalog with all sorts of fixes for foot issues. Since I had my ankle reconstruction, I have to use an orthotic for that side. No more plantar fasciitis.