Plantar Faciatis

P

Patti

Member
Hi Cathy,
I've been dealing with Plantar Faciatis for about 2 1/2 months now, it's been a very slow healing process, and I must say, I'm getting alittle frustrated with the whole thing. More than once I just wanted to cut my stupid foot off. Anyway, moving on, I've had a cortizone shot in it (ouch!) that produced no results. I have been having alot of massage therapy done on it which helps some, anti-inflammitories, stretching, icing, and have stopped all impact of any jumping sort. The ortho guy said I could continue to teach my step classes after the first month, which I did, it doesn't get any worse, but oh so slow on getting better. I really miss doing my more intense workouts on the step, have you ever dealt with this and do you have any other suggestions for treatment and/or how long can this possible take to heal?
Thanks,
Patti
 
Hi Patti!

I was dealing with this some time ago and found that when I started doing a certain stretch, it seemed to improve almost over night. Hope this works for you! I would stand like at the edge of a step or the step-up to my jacuzzi and let my heel hang over. I would press down (but not bounce the stretch)and hold it for 10-15 seconds. Whenever I would think about it during the day, I would take just that amount of time to do the stretch. Sometimes, I was doing it up to 10-15 times a day and I'm not sure if it was keeping it stretched out that worked for me, but it WORKED!! I am not a medical person but was so thrilled when it gave me results. Hope this helps!
 
Hi Patti!

This is one of the tougher injuries to heal up. That and heel spurs(which is almost directly related to plantar fasciitis)and achilles tendinitis. I had chronic achilles tendinitis for years. When I finally could not take it anymore(thought I was going to have to change my career)I underwent extensive therapy(ice, stretch, strengthen, anti-inflammatory, ultra sound treatment, hydro therapy treatment, wrapping, taping---you name it!)and finally about 6 months later I nipped it. I had to stop all impact activities for that time period and thats how I ended up getting more involved in weight training. Rehabbing this tendinitis has taught me to totally respect my body. On occasion, I still suffer a nagging pain in my tendon when I accidentally overdue it, but I immediately stretch, ice, take a couple of advil along with two days off of impact activities. This seems to do the trick. I wish I could tell you that there is an easier way but I honestly don't think there is. I'm sure your ortho doc has given you a top notch therapy plan. Helpful tip: An icing technique that I think is especially helpful for plantar fasciitis (and convenient) is to roll your bare foot back and forth over the top of a semi frozen can of soda. Hope this helps and I wish you a full recovery.
 
heel problems

Hi Patti

I have been having the same problems as you! As first my doctor diagonosed the pain as Plantar Faciatis but I had an X-ray come back yesterday showing a heel spur. I don't have any advice for you but knowing that somebody else out there has the same things makes it a bit easier for me! Let me know if you find anything that works. I am definitely going to do the stretches and ice as suggested. Good luck!
 
Plantar Faciatis

Hi Angie,
Heel spurs and Plantar Faciatis are dirctly related, and as I was talking to a good friend one day who has a heel spur and went to the ortho doctors partner that I saw told her to wear Birkenstocks. He said the other option was he could have shoe inserts made which would cost about $250.00. She opted to wear the Birkenstock's and she said it really helped her. I had mine sitting in my closet, so I pulled them out and I wear them all the time! Now, for the first couple of weeks it didn't seem to be helping but after that, Wow, what relief. I seem to have high arches and they really support the arch well. I have them sitting at the side of my bed and I slip them on as soon as I rise as I'm sure you've noticed those first couple of steps after being off your feet for a long time really hurts! I'm now doing so much better I can even do alittle impact now, pain free! YES! Anyway, they've really helped me alot along with stetching and icing! I feel for you, I know very well how painful this condition is. Hope you get better soon!
Patti
 
THANKS!

Dear Patti

Thanks so much for the quick reply! I actually have 2 pairs of Birkenstocks in my closet so I am going to get them out right away! I think that keeping them by your bed is a good idea. My foot is always killing me when I get up out of bed. In fact, I now associate my walk to the coffee pot in the morning with a sore foot!

I hope you feel better soon. Keep in touch! Angie.
 
Plantar

Hey Angie,
I've been thinking about you and wondering how you're doing? I hope better. I still have my good days and days that aren't so great. It sure has been a long slow process. But, I'm confident that at some point it will feel totally "normal" again, anyway, just wanted you to know I was thinking of you!
Patti
 
Trying to get better in Africa

HI there Patti

You are so sweet for thinking of me! I am in South Africa for the summer, and trying to heal my heel! I stopped all high impact activities about a month ago but my heel does not seem to be any better. I am also taking anti-inflammatories. I have started to do Cathe's pure strength tapes regularly, and I am also going to spinning classes (spinning is all the rage here in South Africa). But I miss the step! I'm curious: What did you do, exercise-wise while you recovering?

It was so nice of you to think of me. It really made my day! Keep well...Angie.
 
Plantar.........

Hey Angie,
South Africa? Wow! Okay, I have my bearings together now, South Africa, way cool........
Okay, for exercise I did alot of weight training aerobic videos, I have all the firm tapes and I mostly did the newer ones which are really good and some are as short as 43 minutes which works in a time crunch. I also worked out on a Reebok Body Trek which in our gym is an elliptical. What a great workout that is! When I would use the elliptical I'd come home and do a Cathe PS tape, then occasionally, I would do a step tape and then really pay, as then my foot would pound. Have you worn the Birkenstock's? My foot is doing much better now, I'm so grateful, but I stretch it stretch it and stretch it some more.. Good Luch Angie, keep in touch from Africa!
Patti
 
thanks

Dear Patti

Thanks for the reply! Could you give me your opinion on what Firm tapes you liked the most? I am so picky - I hardly like any tapes other than Cathe's. I have bought several CIA tapes, and I am almost always disappointed.

I did a step tape (Step Fit) yesterday for the first time in almost 6 weeks. What fun! But I paid for it last night! The elliptical trainer sounds like a good idea too.

I am going to a game reserve next week so I won't be getting any exercise. You can't exactly walk around when there are lions hiding in the bush! I am thinking of bringing a jump rope but that might be hard on this darn heel too.

Hope you are having a good summer! Angie.
 
Hey Angie

What's up?
How's Africa? I hope you've been having a great time! I know it's been awhile since you wrote, I'm sorry, I've been pretty busy with family visiting from all over, plus I'm the aerobic coordinator at our gym and I'm trying to get the final stuff together for a conference here in August. Anyway, I really like The Firm "Boot Camp 3 in 1" it has two short workouts each about 45 minutes long and if I have extra time there is a way to quick forward to have a long workout. I also like the Tri Trainer series and the Total Body Shaping Mix. Some of these have very short cardio sections with impact, I can handle that with no problem but a long step tape really gets me. I have just ordered Cathe's new tapes and am looking forward to them also. I've taken a 4 month leave of teaching and I'm really enjoying doing tapes at home, personal training and training at the gym. I hope by the time October comes I'll be able to teach without pain. Anyway, Angie I hope your foot is improving, it takes time!!!!!!!!
Write me,
Patti
 
RE: Hey Angie

Hey Patti

How are ya? I have been looking all over for this thread! I returned from Africa in July, and then couldn't find it here at home! Anyway I had a great summer - got married in August! My foot is still giving me considerable pain. I finally saw an orthopedist last week, who ordered an insert to be made for my shoes. How did your conference go? You say you are an aerobics coordinator - are you also a personal trainer? I need some advice on rotations. I am finishing week 6 of the Cross Train Express (which I love), and I need to start something new. I really like cardio, and I get a little bored with weight training (that's why the express workouts were so perfect for me). Also weight loss is my biggest concern so I always choose cardio over weights if I am short on time. I can easily find 5-6 cardio tapes of Cathe's to do each week (eg Interval Max, Step Fit) but do I need to incorporate strength training? If I do, say Body Max and Circuit Max, is the short weight segments in those enough? I like Leaner Legs so I could include that too in my rotation. I found it very hard to stick with the PS series though. I tried for awhile to do 6 cardio tapes per week plus the 3 PS tapes but I hardly ever made it! Any suggestions would be most welcome!

I hope you are doing well! Best Wishes, Angie
 
Hi there.
I wanted to put my experience with Plantar Faciatis in the mix. I had it about 3 years ago from too much working out on bad shoes. I totally ignored it at first because I thought my feet were just getting used to all the training. Eventually, I wound up at the doctor. I didn't have a spur. He told me the typical stuff about icing, stretching and so on. He also told me that I could continue with activities but it would take longer to heal. I tried that. It eventually got worse. I finally had to take 6 months off from any impact activities. I did not want to but it was completely necessary. I did a little weight training and the stationary bike. The elliptical machine wasn't in existence then. It finally got better completely. I've learned to respect all the little pains I get now. I tend to get shin splints. I am going to a podiatrist today to get inserts for my running and aerobic shoes. Little pains turn into big pains if they are ignored. My best advice is to stay off it. Stretch it really good before any activities. I stretched it before walking in the mall. Perhaps yours will get better while doing your aerobics but mine just didn't. I got so tired of stepping out of the bed in the mornings and being in pain. The mornings are the worst! I hope you find relief from this. It really is a pain!
 
Thanks so much for your input. I know that this could turn into a serious problem, and I worry about it. I have cut my high impact down now to a couple of days per week, and I am mostly concentrating on strength training. Hopefully this will get better! Thanks again for telling me your story.

Best Wishes,
Angie.
 
RE: Hey Angie

Hi Angie,
Congratulations on your marriage! Thats wonderful! Did you have a great summer in Africa? I've been trying to write back but have had a terrible time getting my password updated, then lastnight I tried to write you and when I hit "post" it wouldn't. I've been quite frustrated with it. Anyway, I'm doing much, much better, but I went through alot more before I got here. I ended up going to a podiatrist because the ortho guy did nothing for me. I went through some different treatments, but he was really a stickler about stretching and icing and also prescribed a honker of an anti-inflammatory. Anyway, by walking so funny for so long because of the plantar issue on my right foot, I ended up with some soft tissue damage on my left foot and ended up in a soft cast for 2 weeks! I wanted to puke! Anyway, it's been a very long long road but I am finally back to teaching 4 classes a week and yesterday taught my first quad step class and it was a total blast. I do personal train, but with my schedule I only train two clients, three times a week. Our workshops went well, thanks for asking. I really would suggest quiting ALL impact activity for awhile, and do aerobic weight training or use a stationary bike or elliptical trainer, thats a great workout and it was quite comfortable for my feet. We have a "Body Trek" made by Reebok, and I absolutely love it. Well, chickie, gotta go, thanks for remembering me and let me know how you're doing!
Patti
 
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