Plantar fasciitis

kingrollo
kingrollo Posts: 3,198
Anyone got any advice for plantar fascitis ?

I ve had it before - I had an injection in the end which cured it - although I was off the bike with another injury as well !

I have finally got back on my bike - but have the dreaded burning pain in the centre of the foot. Walking seems to bring it on
(although I was doing more walking when not cycling and had no pain - so I thinking cycling is the culprit)

Ive had a bike fit - and have custom footbeds - I also have custom orthotics in my everyday shoes

I have a trip to the GP booked - but its such a long winded slow process - even if they refer me to a podiatrist -
Ive got to wait, get referred, have an assessment etc..

Anyone recommend any shoes \ DIY footbeds etc

Comments

  • hdow
    hdow Posts: 184
    Surely Plantar Fasciitis is soreness & pain under the centre of the heel rather than in the centre of the foot. Sorry if I have misinterpreted that what you wrote
    I had it last year from running & found 'Foot Active Comfort' inserts helped reduce the pain. However, it was only going to a physio & a podiatrist that cured it. Went direct & paid for the treatments myself; not cheap but worth it to me. There was a two pronged approach: take some load off the Plantar Facia & get the foot working properly. Together they allowe the foot to cure itself. They looked at alignment of the spine, walking and running action before making custom inserts. I also had manipulations of the joints in that foot to help the foot arch move properly. New running shoes with a bigger heel-toe drop were bought. So that off-loaded the stress on the Plantar Fascia. To cure it I was given & did lots of exercises to activate and strengthen the muscles in my foot and around the ankle; twice a day, every day. Running was gradually re-introduced. Never had problems cycling as the shoe inserts already there gave good arch support. Ten months on the PF has stayed away but I still do the exercises a couple of times a week as a precaution & because they help my running.
    I discussed an injection with the podiatrist who was qualified to inject but held off because of the risks. As the exercises worked there was no need.
  • mercia_man
    mercia_man Posts: 1,431
    edited February 2016
    Have a look at FS6 compression sleeves for foot and ankle. You can get a pair for around £20 on Amazon. I'm a competitive runner and suffered from plantar fasciitis for 18 months. I was desperate. I tried supportive shoes, Superfeet insoles and exercises but the pain returned every time I ran or walked more than a short distance. Even cycling could trigger pain. The first steps on getting out of bed in the morning were agony. Wearing an FS6 sleeve day and night originally and now just at night cured me. I was back to normal within a couple of months.

    Obviously, they don't work for everyone, but there's loads of reviews on Amazon from people who have had a similar experience as me.

    Another running friend with PF has had his pain relieved by paying privately for a sports therapist (a top fell runner) who massages his arch. He says it's like popping bubble wrap.
  • keef66
    keef66 Posts: 13,123
    I gave myself metatarsalgia once; Felt like I had a large, smooth pebble under my forefoot; very painful, and only relieved by keeping my weight off it and taking the max permissible amounts of ibuprofen for 4 days or so.

    It was caused by a new pair of walking boots which were a tiny bit narrower than the old ones, exacerbated by the fact that my wife was away for a week, and I was doing all the dog walking.

    Any chance your shoes are too narrow, done up too tightly, or socks too thick so your feet are unable to spread properly when you're stomping down on the pedals?
  • Had it - more central foot than heel. Physio taped foot so it couldn't bend much & gave me exercises.
    Exercises included rolling foot on bottle, scrunching up towel with toes and excentric calf raises, but taping did wonders!
    Took 6-8 weeks to heal. I'm still careful but can run 10-15 km a week without problems, as long as I stay off soft surfaces - only roads and firm paths from now on. Cycling was never a problem as cycling shoes prevented too much foot flex. Hope you get it sorted
  • +1 for birkenstocks. Since wearing birkenstocks the problem has gone away. I have a slightly twisted pelvis which means I'm tight down my left side which is the foot I had the problem in. PF is something that I've had on and off (mainly on) for the last 25 years. Stretching has helped in the past and I always wear an orthotic insert in my shoes. However, like the earlier poster I now wear the birkenstocks most of the time. They are fairly expensive but they last for ages - I'm on my second pair in 3 years worn nearly everyday, and the originals are still OK to wear about the house. In fact I'm wearing them now.

    The sizing is a little eccentric (ie a bit on the large side) but once you've got that sorted you can pick them up on Amazon for under £50. The only problems are:
    a) they're pretty ugly
    b) you'll look like a German on holiday
    c) you'll find yourself eating muesli and brown rice
  • kingrollo
    kingrollo Posts: 3,198
    borisface wrote:
    +1 for birkenstocks. Since wearing birkenstocks the problem has gone away. I have a slightly twisted pelvis which means I'm tight down my left side which is the foot I had the problem in. PF is something that I've had on and off (mainly on) for the last 25 years. Stretching has helped in the past and I always wear an orthotic insert in my shoes. However, like the earlier poster I now wear the birkenstocks most of the time. They are fairly expensive but they last for ages - I'm on my second pair in 3 years worn nearly everyday, and the originals are still OK to wear about the house. In fact I'm wearing them now.

    The sizing is a little eccentric (ie a bit on the large side) but once you've got that sorted you can pick them up on Amazon for under £50. The only problems are:
    a) they're pretty ugly
    b) you'll look like a German on holiday
    c) you'll find yourself eating muesli and brown rice

    Surley you don't wear those at work !!!!!

    Any particular model of BS ? - theres loads on Amazon...?

    would these do the trick ?

    posting.php?mode=edit&f=40011&p=19792280
  • Your link is broken, I wear the boston ones as I don't like sandals. They are all based on the same footbed. I'd go and try some on in a proper shop as the sizing is a bit odd. I'm normally an 11 or 46, with the Bs I'm a 44. They also do different widths as well.
  • warreng
    warreng Posts: 535
    +2 for Birkenstocks. But definitely go to a shop for a sizing.
    2015 Cervelo S3
    2016 Santa Cruz 5010
    2016 Genesis Croix de Fer
  • mrwibble
    mrwibble Posts: 980
    could be very tight calves down at your achilles distal end
  • Stretching, stretching, more stretching and insoles in all your shoes all the time. Would thoroughly recommend doing pilates, ultimately what cured mine.