Plantar Fasciitis, Anyone??

[Topaz]

My was resolved after seeing a soft tissue specialist and receiving ART - active release therapy. Hurt. A lot.

It still flares up once and a while...

I've been trying this...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BM4g6lRSA_E

I also sometimes tape.

[SteveI]

Originally Posted by Topaz

My was resolved after seeing a soft tissue specialist and receiving ART - active release therapy. Hurt. A lot.

It still flares up once and a while...

I've been trying this...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BM4g6lRSA_E

I also sometimes tape.

Hey Topaz... Nice to see your post. I had a bad case a few years ago. Lots of calf stretches and losing some weight really helped. Not to mention.. if you can take some time off. Make sure you have good shoes. There has been a ton posted on what a good shoe would be be.. try to find that info.. it was on the money and helped me. The thing that started the PF for me was a move to some New Balance 655's that I had never used and had the flex point in the very wrongest place for my feet. I went back to my Nikes and that also added my recovery. The best way, BTW to recover is to REST!!! Get of the court and let it heal.

[danno123]

I had it for a while. I actually partially tore the fascia running down a lob once. It went away once a few months after I started wearing Superfeet Orange inserts. (My arches are really high).

Good luck.

[movdqa]

I have not had PF for a few years and it was typically a flare-up once or twice a year. I used a night splint and it was gone overnight.

I originally had it in the 1990s. Back then I was running and playing tennis. I suspect that the original trigger was playing with worn tennis shoes. I saw a podiatrist who did a wrap with a cookie which helped. Back then, PF was hard to get information about. I found a way to make homemade arch supports and splints and the splints solve my problem overnight and the arch supports have kept my feet health. Of course all of this stuff can be bought from CVS today.

[Topaz]

Originally Posted by SteveI

Hey Topaz... Nice to see your post. I had a bad case a few years ago. Lots of calf stretches and losing some weight really helped. Not to mention.. if you can take some time off. Make sure you have good shoes. There has been a ton posted on what a good shoe would be be.. try to find that info.. it was on the money and helped me. The thing that started the PF for me was a move to some New Balance 655's that I had never used and had the flex point in the very wrongest place for my feet. I went back to my Nikes and that also added my recovery. The best way, BTW to recover is to REST!!! Get of the court and let it heal.

Hey Steve!

Well, part of my issue is that I work on my feet...a lot! Retail part time, and nursing school (with 12 hours clinicals in the hospital).

Take time off? hahaha...me???

Well, actually, since I did get a bump to 4.0, I will be playing less at least, because I won't be playing two levels.

[Povl Carstensen]

I think part of the reason I got it was that I started to work a lot more standing up (nursing school too btw). I still managed to get rid of it though.

[ericsson]

Originally Posted by WildVolley

I tend to agree with you, but we're definitely on the fringe on this issue at the moment. I got a cure by strengthening my feet and have not had any further troubles.

I wear Leming shoes around casually when I can't go barefoot and I use Yonex tennis shoes when I play because they don't pinch my toes. It made a huge difference for me, but one case is just an anecdote, and I doubt there will be any studies on this soon.

I still read articles claiming that being barefoot or wearing flip-flops causes PF. So the podiatry industry does not accept this sort of "treatment" or exercise. Most people will not ignore the podiatrist's advice.

If people getting PF from being barefoot or wearing flops all summer, that is only cos the foot is not used to that situation, some feet are so used to being cramped in narrow toe boxes, elevated heels and soft soles.
Then suddenly starting walking barefoot or wearing flops all summer puts a lot of stress on the feet and tendons cos they are so weak. My advice here is give your feet time to adjust and build it up....
Trust me, people in Africa where most of the time walking barefoot will not suffer from PF, they have very strong feet and very flexible toes.

[Topaz]

Originally Posted by Povl Carstensen

I think part of the reason I got it was that I started to work a lot more standing up (nursing school too btw). I still managed to get rid of it though.

Hmmm, nursing school = plantar fasciitis?

Part of our issue is that our shoes can not be sneakers and can not have any other color than white. That really limits what I could find for school, and I ended up with shoes that just were soooo uncomfortable! I think I have a better pair now, but cutting back on my retail job also made a difference.

I also use yoga toes (toe separator thingies) to stretch out my toes and feet...I think that helps my overall foot.

[Povl Carstensen]

Originally Posted by ericsson

If people getting PF from being barefoot or wearing flops all summer, that is only cos the foot is not used to that situation, some feet are so used to being cramped in narrow toe boxes, elevated heels and soft soles.

But most flipflops are rather thick, soft soles which in my experience is very far from barefoot, and not good for the foot. Plus they dont tie properly to the foot which can make you tense your toes and feet.

Originally Posted by Topaz

Hmmm, nursing school = plantar fasciitis?

Yes nursing school/kindergarten. The thing is I went from parttime to fulltime for a period and I think it delayed my recovery a little. I use Vivo Barefoot shoes for everyday use.
Now what really kicked of my PF I think was playing barefoot on an uneven clay court at our club. A a result of rain followed by sun, this badly kept or established court had turned into a sort of concrete lunar landscape. So yes, there can be limits to the bliss of going/playing barefoot. I am now however enjoying my tennis barefoot indoors on Rebound Ace. I mean, that stuff is like one big upside down sneaker.

[SteveI]

Originally Posted by Topaz

Hey Steve!

Well, part of my issue is that I work on my feet...a lot! Retail part time, and nursing school (with 12 hours clinicals in the hospital).

Take time off? hahaha...me???

Well, actually, since I did get a bump to 4.0, I will be playing less at least, because I won't be playing two levels.

Nice bump to 4.0.. Congrats!!!! Yes.. hard to stay off your feet when it part of your job. I guess I meant to say was try to limit your court hours and do all the right things. BTW...walking in bare feet or flip flops are both wrong when you have PF. The shoes need to supply the right flex point.. that is a major issue. I was wearing shoes almost all the time and it really helped to cure the PF. Best wishes and good luck curing the PF. Sorry about this.. but all I can say is that PF "sucks" and was worse than my knee being repaired. If you love to play tennis it is one of the worse issues you can have. If you can't drive to the ball you are done unless you have a very big serve and ground game. If you run to win points... forget it.

[USS Tang]

After I play and and then shower, I sit in a chair barefooted and roll a tennis ball under each foot from heel to toe and reverse for about half an hour. It seems to help (so far).