New relief for plantar fasciitis

[MichaelB]

This was in the morning paper http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/...d=nytcore-ipad-share&smprod=nytcore-ipad&_r=0

If you have stairs or a sturdy box in your home and a backpack, timely relief for plantar fasciitis may be possible, according to a new study of low-tech treatments for the condition.

The study is not available to the public, but the specific details of the stretch were detailed in the NYT article:

But the new study, published in August in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, finds that a single exercise could be even more effective. It requires standing barefoot on the affected leg on a stair or box, with a rolled-up towel resting beneath the toes of the sore foot and the heel extending over the edge of the stair or box. The unaffected leg should hang free, bent slightly at the knee.
Then slowly raise and lower the affected heel to a count of three seconds up, two seconds at the top and three seconds down. In the study, once participants could complete 12 repetitions fairly easily, volunteers donned a backpack stuffed with books to add weight. The volunteers performed eight to 12 repetitions of the exercise every other day.

 

[Silver]

Thank you MichaelB. I have had PF in my right foot for almost a year. My left foot is now also developing the same symptoms. The entire list of everything I have tried is so lengthy I won't bore everyone, but the money I've spent thus far is well over 1k and continuing to climb.

This exercise had been recommended to me early on, and it actually seemed to make the pain much worse. However, this study recommends every other day, while I was doing it 3-4 times daily. So.... your post has encouraged me to try it again with the hope that perhaps it will help.

 

[ls99]

Interesting fix. I do not have the problem and hope not have it either.

I do half of that exercise as part of my Ju jutsu warmups, stole the idea from ballet. Jump off one foot, then both feet just by rapidly flexing feet at the ankles, both with toes pointing forward and also in fifth position. Includes slight bend of the knee upon landing, to absorb shock.

 

[kcowan]

I had a serious case in my left foot and acupuncture combined with Dr Scholl's lifts for all my shoes made it tolerable. Stopped wearing flip-flops and going barefoot.

 

[spncity]

I will try it - thanks for posting!

Found a brand of flip-flops that are extra cushiony and have arch support - they are Telic brand. www.TelicInternational.com shows the product and lists info on where to purchase.

Out of everything in the closet, these are one of only three pairs of shoes I can wear right now due to plantar fasciitis.

Kindest regards.

 

[ernow]

I can recommend Crocs as well, they helped my PF all but dissapear.

 

[rodi]

Thanks for the link. It's due to this site that I learned what my heel pain in the morning was called, and started doing some random stretches before I get out of bed... I will add this to my repertoire.

And seconding the crocs flip-flops. If I wear these - the arch support and cushy heel seem to be enough to not trigger pain. My other flip flops are now retired to the back of the closet. I live in flip-flops... so this is a big deal.

 

[Silver]

I have been living in Orthaheel shoes, and they have been the most comfortable I can find. I tried croc's and they weren't as soft in the heel area as I needed. I just purchased a pair of Telic's online. I look forward to trying them.

 

[LOL!]

OK, I saw the photo of the exercise and it kind of reminds me of riding a bike with so-called clipless pedals … you know the pedals that you use bike shoes w/cleats with.

Do folks who do a lot of bike riding avoid bouts of PF? Trombone Al?

 

[spncity]

This is one of the three styles of shoes I can currently wear. No plantar fasciitis pain at all with these Chung Shi sandals.

 

[Alan]

Thanks Michael, looks like a great exercise and I will remember to use it next time I have a bout of PF.

The following statement in the article surprised me:

Until recently, first-line treatments involved stretching and anti-inflammatory painkillers such as ibuprofen or cortisone. But many scientists now believe that anti-inflammatories are unwarranted, because the condition involves little inflammation. Stretching is still commonly recommended.

When I had my first, and worst, PF the doc brought in an ultra sound scanner and explained what he was doing while I watched. On the good heel he measured the thickness of the plantar facia and it was 4.2mm He did the same on the sore heel and it was 6mm. He said he just wanted to confirm that it was inflamed. As well as exercises he prescribed anti-inflammatories.

 

[eytonxav]

Passed it on to DW, thanks Michael!

 

[LOL!]

He said he just wanted to confirm that it was inflamed. As well as exercises he prescribed anti-inflammatories.

I think this just shows that physicians are not all that. Most just go by what they read and what they read could be misleading.

There are biochemical markers for inflammation, so if those chemicals are absent, then there is less likelihood of inflammation. One may wish to read up about how cortisone shots (cortisone is an anti-inflammatory) have fallen into disrepute. For instance, http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/10/27/do-cortisone-shots-actually-make-things-worse/

The article also talks about degenerative damage in the absence of inflammation.

 

[GravitySucks]

OK, I saw the photo of the exercise and it kind of reminds me of riding a bike with so-called clipless pedals … you know the pedals that you use bike shoes w/cleats with.

Do folks who do a lot of bike riding avoid bouts of PF? Trombone Al?

That is sort of how I cured my plantar fasciitis years ago. I had terrible pain for over two years. Foot doctor tried cortisone shots and gave me a list of stretches including one similar to this. Nothing helped more tan a day or two. Walking on the concrete floors at work was excruciating and I looked twenty years older than I was.

I happened to buy a set of toe clips for my commuter bike as I didn't want to wear cycling shoes to work or shopping.
The toe clips made a stretch in the foot similar to the pick up the towel with your toes exercise the doc recommended but thousands of times over. (Who is going to pick up a towel 500 times in a sitting?) Within two weeks of adding the toe clips and doing maybe 4 intermediate length rides a week the pain was gone and has stayed gone until last week - over 15 years.

The pain started up again hiking with the dog last week, time to buy another set of toe clips.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Early Retirement Forum mobile app

 

[redduck]

I think this just shows that physicians are not all that. Most just go by what they read and what they read could be misleading.

There are biochemical markers for inflammation, so if those chemicals are absent, then there is less likelihood of inflammation. One may wish to read up about how cortisone shots (cortisone is an anti-inflammatory) have fallen into disrepute. For instance, http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/10/27/do-cortisone-shots-actually-make-things-worse/

The article also talks about degenerative damage in the absence of inflammation.

Any chance that your post and the NY Times blog are misleading?

 

[spncity]

It is interesting to read the comments below the NYT article - some sufferers have comments on what helped them.

 

[LOL!]

Any chance that your post and the NY Times blog are misleading?

Of course, there's a chance. Read the original research yourself. Then ask, "Is there any chance that the original research is misleading?" and I will answer, "Of course, there's a chance."

 

[Alan]

I think this just shows that physicians are not all that. Most just go by what they read and what they read could be misleading.

There are biochemical markers for inflammation, so if those chemicals are absent, then there is less likelihood of inflammation. One may wish to read up about how cortisone shots (cortisone is an anti-inflammatory) have fallen into disrepute. For instance, http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/10/27/do-cortisone-shots-actually-make-things-worse/

The article also talks about degenerative damage in the absence of inflammation.

Hard to believe that the foot in pain had a plantar facia 50% thicker than the good one and it not being inflamed, but I'm not a Doc.

My foot Doc does not believe in cortisone injections, and the only anti-inflammatory he said to use was OTC naproxen. He was a big believer in exercises, just not the particular one that Michael shows here.

 

[FIREd]

Thanks Michael. I've developed a case of plantar fasciitis in my left foot over the last month or so. This morning I could barely put my foot down after a 5-mile walk yesterday, even with my new Dr. Scholl's insoles. I'll try that exercise.

 

[splitwdw]

We talked about plantar fasciitis back in May and was wondering if any of you had tried the ultrasound treatment like I had. As I said back then, had the cortisone injection the first time and it worked but was very painful. I waited almost a year to get treatment the second time I had it because the injection was so painful. New doctor that I tried said he didn't recommend injections but used ultrasound. Haven't had a problem since.

p.s. did try all the exercises and night splint.

 

[Silver]

We talked about plantar fasciitis back in May and was wondering if any of you had tried the ultrasound treatment like I had. As I said back then, had the cortisone injection the first time and it worked but was very painful. I waited almost a year to get treatment the second time I had it because the injection was so painful. New doctor that I tried said he didn't recommend injections but used ultrasound. Haven't had a problem since.

p.s. did try all the exercises and night splint.

I have not tried ultrasound yet, but have read that ultrasound of 1 mhz frequency can be helpful. Ultrasound machines can be purchased inexpensively, (less than $75.00) and I have considered getting one. I have also read that a TENS units may also be helpful.

Thus far for me I have found that consistent use of a night splint and routinely wearing Orthaheel shoes is keeping this hateful condition at a low roar about 80% of the time. I refused to get cortisone because I knew what it can do to healthy tissue, especially in a small confined area. Very deep (and painful) massage seemed to start the healing process more than anything, but I think consistent stretching will help as well.

 

[splitwdw]

Well worth the $30 I paid (doctor is semi-retired and only takes cash patients) and that was almost instant relief after almost a year if pain.

 

[O2Bfree]

The night splint cured it for me. Took about 6 weeks of consistent use.

 

[rodi]

I wanted to thank the members here for this and the previous discussion about PF. I didn't know what it was - just had sharp heel pain. For me - it got a lot worse when I retired in June because I was going barefoot significantly more than when I worked.

I started the exercises mentioned in the OP *AND* purchased a night splint. I don't know which is the most beneficial since I'm doing both. But I can now get out of bed in the morning without fear of pain.

Thanks Folks!!!!

 

[omni550]

I wanted to thank the members here for this and the previous discussion about PF. I didn't know what it was - just had sharp heel pain. For me - it got a lot worse when I retired in June because I was going barefoot significantly more than when I worked.

I started the exercises mentioned in the OP *AND* purchased a night splint. I don't know which is the most beneficial since I'm doing both. But I can now get out of bed in the morning without fear of pain.

Thanks Folks!!!!

This is why I love this forum! Useful information from well-informed posters.

omni