Plantar Fasciitis help
Elk
I have one week before an epic hunt here in Oregon.
I now have PF!! Cannot even golf out of a cart for 4 hours without pain.
Both ice baths and iced can rolled under foot, resting, and elevation haven't helped yet. New insoles haven't helped yet. I am taping the heel when I do something longer than 30 minutes. I never go bare foot anywhere now.
I realize that it might take a bit of time, but the workouts have been deemed worthless as I have now sat on my butt for a few weeks.
Any miracle cures out there? I've waited 18 years for this tag.
Thanks,
Brad
Have you gone to a Podiatrist to get a Doctors's opinion of your condition or are you okay with someone who just stayed at a Holiday Inn Express last night?
Long recovery bro....no way around it.
Orthotics help...the heel insert helps...all of the things you mentioned help....it just takes a long time to heal.
Cortisone in your foot [a real treat BTW! sarcasm] only helps with the pain
Birkenstock inserts help a bunch.
Get a plastic coke bottle, freeze it with water in it, and alternate between cold and a foot roller to bust out the scar tissue and lengthen the ligament. I finally cured my last bout of it in a week doing that.
This close, you have no other recourse than the cortisone shot.
(I developed PF before a lion hunt and gutted it through the workouts, etc with every known PT method and insert I could find. It sucked. I got the shot and everything was great. No PF pain during the hunt.
After returning, I went very minimalist with my footwear - 5 fingers and track shoes. My foot got stronger and the PF disappeared for good. It's been 7 years. As such, I am thoroughly convinced PF is a malady of weakness owing its proliferation to modern footwear that prevents the foot from working as intended. )
I had PF bad about 3 years ago and didn't know if I would be able to walk more than 5 minutes on my solo elk hunt. I had been wearing minimalist running shoes but my foot wasn't getting better. Went on the elk hunt anyway and wore my heavier boots and surprisingly had no problems. After 7 days, lots of miles and a tough pack out my foot felt better than ever. For me heavier, stiffer soles work better and I haven't had any problems since switching.
Stretch, stretch, stretch, tennis ball under arch, rolled around, bend over touch the floor,, many times aday,,roll a spray paint can or cleaner spray can back and forth under foot, stretch, stretch some more, put your palms on the floor(or touch the floor). Get the tennis ball back under foot arch,,,, tired yet???? do it all again,,,, tired yet??? do it again,,, the more you do the faster the cure??? I had it, for like 4 months tried everything until I stretched , stretched, stretched!!!
Thanks guys!
It better heal, I got a meeting with this guy, soon!
Brad
If you can get there, and can get him in front of you that close, I'll bet a $100 you won't have any pain until the pack out ! Good luck !
Yes, scar tissue. You reinjure, and reinjure it, which keeps it from stretching back to normal length.
I have battled PF for awhile. Amazing the best relief was hunting in the mountains due to the stretching out my feet got. I would sleep in medical boots to keep it stretched out over night.
This is a bull that is either the same, or a relative of the one above. Taken near each other and two years apart.
Either way, I'll be there!
My advice is try the above mentioned remedys and pay attention to what gives you the most relief. I found rolling a frozen 2 liter bottle and soaking my feet in hot water with epsom salts helped me more than stretching. My podiatrist was surprised the hot water helped as he was a strong proponent of stretching. Goodluck, Mike
Brad, I happen to be a foot and ankle surgeon.
Plantar fasciitis treatment consists of stretches, ice, NSAIDs, arch support(try Superfeet), night splints, PT, corticosteroid injections, immobilization and surgery.
At this point, I would recommend that you go see someone and have an injection around a week before your hunt. Plan on bringing some ibuprofen and take it regularly.
Bummer to have it at all, let alone right before a trip like that!
Good luck and post pictures when you tag that giant.
Dr long beard x 2. I am primarily a knee and shoulder surgeon but see and try to treat PF regularly. Had it for 9 mos and it humbled me like nothing I have ever had. It seems different people respond differently to various treatments as you can see from anecdotal reports including mine. For me it was stretching ( including the great toe, not just the Achilles) and finally a cortisone shot one week before an elk hunt. Also, I made my own arch support by cutting out the arch support portion of 2 foam inserts and stacking them. I have high arch and only a crude "custom" support would work. All that said Listen to Dr Longbeard.
Thanks again everyone. I will faithfully try all these ideas.
Man, what timing, eh?
I am ready with about 99% of the prep. :-)
Brad
Do the insoles. The best one for me was to stand on the stair step with the front of my foot and lower my heel to stretch it. Good luck.
"Plantar fasciitis treatment consists of stretches, ice, NSAIDs, arch support(try Superfeet), night splints, PT, corticosteroid injections, immobilization and surgery."
Take it from me, all the above is the exact route I took, and ended up with Gastroc Release Surgery on both legs, then a plantar fasciotomy on my left foot that has left me hunting more and in much more rugged areas.
My recovery was 6 weeks on each leg surgery, and 3 weeks on the left foot surgery. Time well spent laid up to not only extend my hunting life, but improve on the places I can access to bowhunt whatever I want.
The shots work, by taking most of the pain away. I was only able to get them Quarterly, and if I had known that I could go straight to an Orthopedic Surgeon and skip all the years of "BS" temporary relief, AND Co-Pays, I would have done it much sooner.
I used to wear size 10.5-11 boots. After surgery, I now wear size 13.
I'm no Doctor, but I have paid for quite a few's Medical School, so take it from me...Make an appointment to see an Orthopedic Surgeon, and while there to discuss surgical repair after the hunt, ask for the shot/injection to get you thru the hunt.
My (personal) problem with going to a foot doctor, is that if they completely cure the problem, there is no reason for you to come back to see them again (read that as pay them more and more).
A Surgeon is there to make repairs, and everyone knows it from the onset. Then find a Physical Therapist that makes custom orthotics. They fully understand Biomechanics and will get you back on your feet in no time (pun intended).
There are some stretching exercises that will help and as mentioned rolling a frozen bottle. I had it last year and it was painful and right now it seems to be gone. Rest and stretching will work. Other than that Advil and grit your teeth and deal with it. Look up the exercises on line and do them .
In 2010 I had the same problem with PF, it started in late July. Went thru the same thing, stretching, icing, foot doctor, Superfeet insoles, cortisone shots, etc. Nothing seems to help until I found a night split boot to wear while I slept. Saved my season and I wore it every night at elk camp. Worth a shot. BTW, I'm sitting out this season due to over stretched ligaments in both feet. Good luck and shoot straight.
Get an injection, an insert, and stretch you achilles like a mofo (6-8x per day). Works for 80-90% of folks I deal with. Where in OR are you?
I had PF a few years ago, it seemed to never end...I agree with BOWNUTCO; that is what ultimately "cured" my PF. Agree with DrLongBeard all of those helped.
My wife is currently battling PF and her physical therapist is "dry needling" the affected area...both the calf region as well as the bottom of the foot. This seems to give her immediate relief.
There is a lot of good advice here. The night splint People seem to like the most is called a Strasburg sock.
Also I have heard good things about ASTYM treatment for PF. Be forewarned it is extremely painful. Ask a physical therapist about it.
Unfortunately there are no miracle quick fixes.
Im going thru it right now and nearing an end to pain. I have 3 relatives that have gone the route ending up in surgery....2 are having more complications.
My phys therapists-for another issue, warned me of possible issues with surgery. So I started doing specific excersizes targeting the pf. Slowly I started getting better. Then I discovered my PT's use a TENS unit and deep tissue massage for injury therapy. The first time I got the shock treatment for 15 minutes my feet felt better for several hours. Now Im awaiting my own home model
I also discovered that my old tennis shoes and old work boots took away the pain..... So I ordered the same old shoes that are still made and purchased the same pair of steel toes that reduce the pain of the new shoes/boots that caused the PF.
You can puy a portable battery powered TENS unit from Amazon for around $45. This late in the game it may be worthwhile to spend some energy in researching the item thats not much bigger than a thermocell. If you get 3 or 4 pain free hours of hunting per day it may be of the $45 value.
Good Luck buddy!
I'm just finishing a bout myself. Did all the stretching, icing etc and didn't have much relief. I'm a trail runner and refused to take time off but it got to the point that the pain was so bad in the morning I walked around limping like a 95 year old man. About 3 weeks ago I bought 3 new different pairs of running shoes and started rotating through the day every couple hours. I kept up with morning and evening stretching and after a week the pain went almost completely away. Not sure if this will work for everyone and its certainly not convenient but it got it done for me.
The strasburg sock worked several times over the years for me.
Brad, 16 months for me. This will be my second hunting season with it. It's nasty. I think mine is worse now than a year ago. Lots of advil, stretching and make it work. I've got an appointment(3rd doctor) for Oct. 3rd. I have tried a lot,superfeet, the expensive inserts, night time socks, better shoes. I've had 5 Knee surgeries, 2 shoulder surgeries, Achilles surgery. This is the worst. I'm 59 and am getting frustrated, as the number of years to hike and hunt are dwindling.
I tried the expensive inserts, and cortisone injections. Both helped some. The thing that really cured it was twice daily stretching, abut 15 min sessions, and fairly intense. There is an orthopedic surgeon in town that says the best treatment is simply stretching. If I was in your shoes, I'd get a cortisone injection, commit to a stretching routine, and maybe get some new shoes:-) Good Luck.
Good luck but I am not aware of anything that can help but rest.
went to Walmart display for Dr Scholls inserts where you stand on the machine and it tells you which one to buy. They worked and I'm pain free now except I smashed my two big toes with a folding table a month ago.
Good advice above, stretching, inserts, cortisone injections, etc. I would add one last thing. If you can find a podiatrist to give alcohol injections. That is what saved me from surgery. I tried it all for 2 years and was on the verge of surgery when my podiatrist wanted to try alcohol first to kill the nerve causing the problems. Worked like a charm. Have had zero issues for 8 years now.
Had it bad a few years ago. Stretching was what worked for me, and if I feel a twinge of it now stretching nips it in the bud. Soft insoles and avoidance of walking on hard surfaces helped a little before I learned about the importance of stretching. I would also take, on a scheduled (not just as needed) basis, the maximum safe dose of ibuprofen or naproxyn.
I suffered with PF for more than 8 years. It can be crippling. I tried the night boot, stretching acupuncture, e-stim, iced golf balls, months of rest and nothing cured it long term until I was fitted for custom inserts. The Dr I visited said surgery was a last resort and I was getting close.
One quick fix was a good tape job. I got instant relief when leaving the Doctors office and was able to do long hikes with out pain. Once I had the inserts and I had worn them constantly for 4-5 months I weaned myself off the precautionary tape before every hike or workout.
Tape is cheap an might help you on your hunt.
Good luck!
Sandbrew https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NsZ10FaUWCg
PF is very unpleasant. I probably didn't have it as bad as some, but I've had in my right foot, flares up off and on. The 2 biggest things that have helped me are getting good arch supports in my shoes, but more than that, the religeous stretching of my calf, acheles tendon, and the under side of my foot. It took some time - months - but it did get better.
I had plantar fasciitis and it took years to heal but I learned some things. I tried expensive custom arch supports from podiatrist and chiropractor and had the best results from the $40 Dr. Scholl's ones you get from Walmart after standing on the machine. I found that taping my feet with athletic tape really helped. I used two pieces around the heal and then a cross pattern under the arch and then another two around the foot over top of the arch. Google it. Lastly is I recommend a trekking pole or poles. It will take some of the pressure off the feet.
I suffered from plantar fasciitis for along time. I agree with Owl, about 3 years ago, I switched to minimalist, zero drop barefoot style shoes, and it has completely cured me. I really feel that minimalist style shoes allow for the body mechanics that Mother Nature intended. The only draw back is that once your feet are conditioned for it, you really can't, or would want to, wear traditional shoes or boots again.
Struggled with this until I found the boot. I had pf for almost a year before using the boot and the pf was gone within days after starting to use the boot. Geeesh, wish I had tried it much sooner. A machinist friend of mine told me he had it, gave him the boot and he gave it back less than a week later because the pain was gone. The guy I bought my last truck from...same exact thing. It's basically the same thing as the Strasburg sock except it is stronger and keeps your foot in the exact same position until you wake up and take it off. All the other stuff worked some but nothing helped like that boot for me. They are cheap (especially compared to an elk hunt)...order one overnight before you run out of time.
Been suffering with it for 3 years. I now have Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome also. Tried everything, stretches, frozen bottles, frozen golf balls, night splint, injections, orthotics. No relief. Doc says I need surgery for both. I do get relief when I mountain bike regularly and the symptoms deminish quite a bit. Weird. It must stretch my calf muscles or something. I recently read about a new therapy in which they draw blood from your arm and inject your blood into the plantar facitis sight. Reportedly, over 80% of those treated had zero or very little pain very soon after. According to the article, the procedure helps it heal. I believe it is still experimental though. I would give it a try at the drop of a hat if my doc did the procedure.
Find a Chiropractor or Therapist that has a Class 4 Laser. Have them work the Calf muscles and the sole of the foot. Worked great for me.
Way too many posts for me to read through so, this may have been stated already. Go get a cortisone shot in the affected foot. I have PF in my left foot right now, and the shot is the only real relief. Good luck!
Get the brace that keeps your foot in the backward flexed position. Sleep with the brace on it helps tremendously.
Highly recommend Vitamin B.
Make sure you take it with food.
I got PF bad about 5 years ago, it took about a year to heal, I got it from running, tried everything but it took time to heal it, I will never run again, thats what caused it, you will just have to limp your way through your hunt, best of luck!!!
I have had PF and heel spurs at the same time and the shot with stretching has helped take most pain away . My heel spurs were like stepping on pebble every step . Cortisone is my best friend !
What stretches did you guys find to be the most beneficial?
To stretch, stand on a step with just the toes of the affected foot and lower yourself down to stretch the tendon. Sort of like a calf raise just don't do the raise part. stretch for 15 seconds or so. Do a series of them.
Taping during the day and sleeping with the Strassburg Sock helped me a lot. I now wear Heel That Pain inserts in my boots.
Knock on wood.....no recurrence.
my Podiatrist told me that the frozen bottle treatment is just a temporary fix and in some cases can actually irritate the problem move. he sold me some insoles that are moldable by heat to fit the arch that he uses himself. he advised me to take them to the store when buying shoes and boots to get a proper fit. he told me he has a pair for his work shoes, his workout shoes and his hunting boots so he doesn't have to swap them out. in the long run I got the shot and as PM I still wear the insoles. I have to have them adjusted every so often but it's been worth it. it's been about 18 months since the shot and no problems.
No short term fixes. I did pretty much what Doc Longbeard suggested, stretching, ice, different insoles. It was a long process to heal it up and be able to run again. Stretching was the biggest key for me.
Best of luck!
Wife had this & ended up with a boot similar to one Silks posted. Still suffered. Regardless, long healing process. Good luck, it's going to be painful & by all means don't over extend yourself..
I forgot about that boot. after a month of using it at different settings, I gave it up.
Thanks again, you all are great!
I drew the Wenaha elk bow tag here in Oregon. 18 years of waiting....and now this.
I've endured many injuries in sports through college....but this one is really debilitating!
I'm not 20 anymore.
Thanks,
Five days to go until I am hunting in my Happy Place.
Brad
Brad this is the boot I was referring to. A Futuro sleeping boot to immobilize your foot. Its a plastic shell with Velcro wrap. Always need to help out a fellow recurve hunter.
Shot will fix it for a couple months. Did those for a couple years. Surgery fixed it. Get the shot. Go Hunt.l Best bud is a foot and ankle doctor.
It took stretching every thirty minutes for ten months and mine faded away.
I found this type of brace MUCH more comfortable and easier to sleep with. I also used a pillow to prop up the covers on my bed to prevent them from push down on my foot.
I've had luck with the Stassburg sock
I have the same issue, had it for about a year now. I find some relief by wearing a compression ankle support. It covers about the front of the arch to about 3 inches above the ankle. Get them at Walgreens Drug. Also take a prescription anti inflamitory, basically amped up advil.
Dry needling has been the cure for my elbow tendonitis, after trying many other treatments, including cortisone injections. It relaxes the muscles that are causing tension and ultimately, micro abrasions of the connective tissue. The relaxation enables healing, which cures the root of the problem. I know others who have used it to successfully treat PF. It might be worth a try.
OK! I taped both my feet and struggled with it all weekend. But pain is forgotten when you tag out on a beast!
THANK YOU guys for all the hints!
Brad
Damn, what a monster! That musta been magic tape you used. Or Good Luck Tape anyways. Congrats.
I think you were sandbagging us!
Wow, what a great looking bull! Congratulations and way to suck it up.
Since my last post I found an insert from a company called sofsol that is designed for this problem have two sets of them. They have helped I got mine at Cabelas $19.99.
