Is there anyone who's had PF & found a cure?

Laura! First it's soooooo good to here from you again. You have been missed by so many, me included.

I also have flat feet, terribly. When I stand, there is no arch what so ever. Years of wearing Birkenstocks I believe has helped my problem. A podiatrist suggested it to me instead of wearing those God awful expensive contraptions you put under your feet.

As I age (60) I'm feeling more pain now, but maybe because I need new Birkenstocks. I've been wearing the same ones for years.:D

I'm so sorry you are going through this. Whatever you do, don't give up on exercise, continue what you can do.

Take care, and don't be a stranger, we love you.

Janie
 
I have been a long distance runner for decades and unfortunately, I have had issues with PF, mostly in my right foot, for the last 8 years. One thing I know for sure is that there is no "one-size-fits-all" answer to PF. What works for one person, may not work for another. I will say that according to more than one orthodpedic doctor I have gone to, and there have been many, rolling your foot over a golf ball, or tennis ball is a BAD idea. It actually irritates the fascia and can make the PF worse.
 
Stebby said:
I think my case must be much milder than yours. Anyway, I've had PF twice and was prescribed the following things:

- stretching my feet (starting with pulling my toes back with my hands and progressing to flexing my feet & sitting on my heels) - 3X per day for 3-5 minutes
- rolling my feet on a cold Coke can or frozen water bottle, or a body bar if the pain isn't too severe - 3X per day for 1 minute each foot
- foam roller on IT bands and other muscles of thigh (part of my PF problem was due to poor body mechanics from muscle imbalance) - 1X per day approx. 3 minutes each side
- give up high heels (I hear ya Laura, but my PT said this was the single biggest contributor to my PF and I would continue to have problems if I didn't stop wearing them) ... I never wear anything higher than kitten heels now

The last two are the only two things that I do ongoing, even when I have no PF problems. I've been completely pain free for almost a year now.

Stebby
Click to expand...

I'm so glad I found this thread!
I've been experiencing PF symptoms for about a month and started doing some of your therapy...I can already feel a difference! I especially like the "sit on the heels" stretch and the frozen water bottle roll. Thanks for sharing your experience with the forum; yuo really helped me!:D
 
I did the same as Mother of Six and the other poster....go barefoot.
The shoes we wear ruin our feet and take away our natural ability to balance and use those muscles. As a result, the muscle imbalance and pain starts to occur.
Very few doctors will tell you this. The treat symptoms, rather than address the issue.

Like MOS, I did some homework, and learned that shoes are the root cause of many issues.
I started working out barefoot (even step!), and went through 2 weeks of serious DOMS in my feet as a result.
Once I had regained my strenth there, I haven't had an issue since. That was 10 yrs ago!

Today, I work out in track shoes with absolutely no padding or stabilization at all. Just basically something to cover the bottom of my feet and prevent them from getting chewed up.
 
None of these really has helped me. Mine got. So bad it was my fault because I kept getting on it even when it hurt thinking it would go away. Anyway it got me to where I coilld not stand at all.. they want to do surgery. I don't. So I stayed ooff it four weeks and keep tryeagsin I still do night splont ice stretch but this has been going on for a yr. So it actually poped one day jusr walking across the road. I limp out of traffic. Stayed off it ice four more weeks. Now it is t on bottom of fooot it is weird the pressure of weight on foot does not hurt the bottom it hurts the ankle. When I'm hurting I stay off it a few days or a day. Cause ots in different area I can at least walk. It feels like my ankle tendo ns are popping. Coonfused. You are smart to do something riight away.
 
Stretched, iced, went easy on the workouts. Once the pain was gone I went barefoot. I do everything barefoot except spinning. This includes step and high impact. My feet were always flat. Guess what? Now when my feet are wet I can make cute footprints because I now have an arch! Even my husband noticed. My feet never hurt when I am working out.

Never in a million years would I have believed that going barefoot would be the cure for me. I thought people were crazy. But I tried it and it worked for me. I haven't had any issues with my Pf in a few years.

If you decide to try going barefoot you should ease into it.

Good luck!
 
I've had PF for about a year now in both feet. It's slowly getting better. I've done just about everything mentioned in the previous posts. I didn't start to get much relief until I purchased Walkfit orthotics online. I'm on my feet all day and I wear these in my Brooks Ariel athletic shoes. The orthotics are very stiff so they don't work we'll for working out in. I'm thinking about doing my workouts barefoot or getting a pair of Vibrams. Unfortunately, the day after a step workout my feet really kill me. Stretching the calves is definitely key for me. Just my 2 cents:)
Amy
 
I haven't posted in ages -- haven't lurked in ages until this last week. At any rate, this subject is bringing me back because this is a recent problem for me and I want to know everything I can get my hands on. Clearly, it's a controversial subject, but I wanted to give a pointer to this video:

Plantar Fasciitis: Heel Pain | Foot Pain | Running Injury

I don't agree with everything he says, but it is food for thought. Good luck to all my fellow PF-sufferers.
 
I've had PF and post tubular tendinitis in both feet. Mine was so bad I could only wear sneakers with custom orthotics. I was also completely flat footed. I tried cortisone shots to physical therapy and nothing helped me. I ended up having surgery to have my tendons realigned. I had my right foot done on 1997 and my left done in 1999.

It was the best decision for me. I couldn't walk for 3 weeks and had to use crutches, but without a doubt was the best thing for me. I have not had any trouble since my surgeries. I am able to run an do high impact cardio. I don't have to wear orthotics anymore, but I do find only certain sneakers work for me (asics katano). If I stray from those while working out my feet will get sore. I do wear heels as well, but try not to go more than 2 inches. Oh and I now have a natural arch.
 
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