stretching out plantar fasciitis?

[AllDownhillFromHere]

I've had terrible PF in the past (knocked me off the AT at Hannover in 97), and it flares from time to time. Just got back from a break-in hike with new shoes, and feeling a few twinges. Does anyone know if you can stretch out your tendons with exercises, or do foot exercises to strengthen anything, to reduce the incidence of PF?

[Cheyou]

https://www.amazon.com/Plantar-Fasciitis-Sleeve-Compression-Medium/dp/B00ICPV4OG/ref=pd_sim_200_3?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=PN3KPRTA3ST6PTKHRFD5

you can try this

thom

[One Half]

no you cannot. You need to stretch your calf muscle. you can start by rolling it with a street hockey ball or similar (Self myofacial release) and then stretch your calf with your foot on the floor. best to do this barefoot/sock. DO NOT stretch by using a step and dropping your heal down below step or similar.

[AllDownhillFromHere]

Thanks guys, the pain/tingling is in the front of my arch, behind the ball of the foot - do the heel/calf exercises help with that?

[One Half]

Thanks guys, the pain/tingling is in the front of my arch, behind the ball of the foot - do the heel/calf exercises help with that?


yes. the reason for the pain is that the tendon DOES NOT stretch. when the calf gets shortened (tight) from use it puts a lot of stress on the tendon and thus you have plantar fasciitis. FYI, I was a personal trainer for 20 years and had my own 3200 square foot gym until I sold to my partner about 2 years ago. I dealt with this ALL the time.

[One Half]

This is a blog post about it from the guy I learned from.

https://ericbeard.com/plantar-fasciitis-treatment-or-corrective-exercise-does-it-feel-better-or-is-it-getting-better/

the bottom part gets into actually correcting the issue in more detail than I mentioned.

[ScareBear]

The current belief is that it is an over-tight calf muscle pulling on the heel that is the root of PF. Dunno. But, the protocol is still to stretch the plantar ligament and Achilles tendon as part of the rehab. Docs are still prescribing the night stretcher brace, as well...

I had it in the right foot last year and it was an ordeal. The only thing that turned the corner was the pneumatic isolation boot for 7 freaking weeks...

TJDingo is a physio and she now has it as well. She went straight into the boot at first symptoms. She is now utilizing frozen water bottles to reduce inflammation in the plantar ligament and surrounding tissues, ibuprofen on a schedule, combined with calf massage/trigger release. She is also wearing the night stretcher brace and utilizing yoga movements that stretch the calf, Achilles and plantar. The key is, except for stretching, to stay off your foot and not do things that cause the calf muscle to tighten up. Like walking on stairs....that's a no-no...even with the isolation boot.

We've got some pro TENS units around the house and she is trying to determine if some electrical intervention at the calf is going to be beneficial...

Good luck! It's a bitch getting old, but the alternative is not acceptable!

[bigcranky]

I got some help from a large foam roller, rolling out my calf muscles. I also felt that stretching my calves before getting out of bed helped some.

[Cheyou]

Frozen soda bottle and the sock I posted above

thom

[Maineiac64]

I have battled PF in both feet for years and eventually had to have surgery to both feet although that was 10 years apart. I have tried all types of remedies, stretches, devices, and physical therapy. The things that worked the best were getting stretched by a physical therapist who worked the entire leg muscle from the butt all the way down to the foot following by a deep tissue massage of the foot/tendon to stretch it. My PT used a hard foam roller to stretch out everything as well as pushing/stretching my leg. In between therapy sessions I would ice the foot and roll it on a frozen water bottle. This alleviated all my pain but unfortunately I had to do these sessions 2-3 times per week to stay pain free. As soon as I stepped away from physical therapy my pain returned and I had to resort to surgery (which worked both times).

My recommendation is to ice the foot for 10 minutes and roll the plantar on a frozen water bottle. When you get out of bed, you can put a towel around your foot and pull it back to stretch it. I would also stretch the leg out as much as possible and use a roller to stretch the butt, hamstring, and calf.

[MuddyWaters]

When I was lifting heavy wts in 20s I had pf so bad I could barely walk.
Used hard orthotics to put arch back in foot, my arches had collapsed
Not a pain since, even while lifting very heavy wts and hiking or running thousands of miles.

My belief..is that if you dont get rid of it permanently...your listening to wrong people.

I went to orthopedist, he prescribed ice, rest, ibuprofen.
Useless.
I found a sports foot specialist, problem gone forever.

[AllDownhillFromHere]

How does the roller work? I'm having a hard time envisioning it.

Thanks again for the tips on this, I need to come up with a strategy before Campo.

[ralph23]

Foam roller for the calves. Simply Google "foam roller for PF". You will find all the answers you need.

And notice how everyone says it is so much worse in the morning? Thats because while you sleep on your back then the weight of the blankets forces extension of the ankle all night long, causing PF flareup. If you are a stomach sleeper then the mattress causes ankle extension with the same effect. Get a Strassburg sock to maintain neutral ankle position while you sleep. It won't cure your PF but it will vastly reduce PF stress while you sleep.

[Storm]

When I was lifting heavy wts in 20s I had pf so bad I could barely walk.
Used hard orthotics to put arch back in foot, my arches had collapsed
Not a pain since, even while lifting very heavy wts and hiking or running thousands of miles.

My belief..is that if you dont get rid of it permanently...your listening to wrong people

I went to orthopedist, he prescribed ice, rest, ibuprofen.
Useless.
I found a sports foot specialist, problem gone forever.

Pretty much had the same experience. Tried all the recommended remedies, went to orthopedist, did as he said to no avail.
Friend told me he had bought special insoles from New Balance shoe store. Thought I might as well check it out. Bought new shoes and insoles for PS. Pain was gone in less than a week and has not come back. I am still wearing the insoles and they will be in my hiking shoes.
Note: I have no affiliation with New Balance.

[orthofingers]

I believe "Dixie" on her YouTube Homemade Wanderlust channel has a video of how she treated her PF while she was on her NOBO AT thru last year. I haven't seen it but, I've never been bothered by PF either.

[Trailweaver]

Interesting. Penny Pincher says "do not stretch using step . . ."

I had PF & was treated by an orthopedic MD associated with Emory. I know that he treats many Atlanta Ballet and Hawks professionals. He diagnosed the PF in my case in just minutes after I had been to three other doctors over months of pain.

He recommended that I stand on steps, facing "upward" and in sock feet, that I place the affected foot halfway off the step and slowly lower the heel downward till I felt a "tightness" or "pulling" in my calf muscle. Do this, count to 10, rest 10 seconds, & repeat maybe 10 times. Change feet, do the exercise, then stop. He said it was important to gradually "lower" the heel an do not "bounce." Just lower, hold, count, rest. He recommended that I do the exercises several times a day until it was better, and told me that if it came back, to exercise again in the same way, but that if I regularly did "stretching" exercises it probably wouldn't return.

I did as directed, & I haven't had this problem return. It's been years. I do understand that if you've had PF long enough that it's become chronic, it will take longer to "fix" but really - I think this is the best way to do it without surgery or some other drastic measure. It really is horribly painful, & you really do have to walk, so it is pain with every step. You have my sympathy. The trick is to treat the cause & get rid of the inflammation, but how to do both at the same time.

I'd be curious to know why Penny Pincher doesn't recommend this? And please know - I'm not trying to get a fuss started here - I'm genuinely interested to know.

[Ddtrey]

https://youtu.be/qEqKgVxr560

I posted this about a month ago. Shows what I am taking on my thru hike next month to stay ahead of things like PF. I have suffered with PF before due to over use during workouts. These techniques, if applied routinely WILL hello and hopefully cure.

[KDogg]

Learn how to use KT tape. It took care of plantar fasciitis like nobodies business. I don't think I would have finished the last 200 miles without it. Works great for runners knee too.

[ScareBear]

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/a3/84/7d/a3847d6f083d791c3b39385897aeb21e.jpg

[fudgefoot]

As a runner, I've had several episodes of plantar fasciitis. In one case, it took 9 months to resolve. The calf stretching can help but if there is a mechanical issue with your foot that is contributing, it may tend to recur. After I got it the 2nd or 3rd time, I went to a podiatrist and he prescribed custom orthotics to provide additional arch support. After using them, the PF went away in a couple weeks. That was over 10 years ago and I have not had any more problems (I continue using the orthotics religiously). Bottom line: if you have a particularly intractable case of PF, see a podiatrist.

[lonestarrunner]

+1 on the calf muscle stretching; works for me every time. Make sure you focus on stretching the calf muscle and not the Achilles tendon.

[ScareBear]

And yes, orthotics are a first-line treatment for PF. For me, the SuperFeet green did just fine. My ortho advised to try them prior to forking out 300 bucks for custom orthotics.

The trick is, you have to wear the orthotics in every shoe...for ever...just sayin...

[joec]

I tried all the tennis balls, frozen water bottles, etc forever. Someone on this forum pointed me to a device called "One Stretch" and I bought it and problem solved. It offers support for the entire arch while you stretch you calf muscles.

[TexasBob]

In addition to other good advice wear one of these while you sleep at night. https://www.amazon.com/ACE-Plantar-Fasciitis-Sleep-Support/dp/B005YU8XLO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1485215747&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=ace+sleep+support&psc=1

[ScareBear]

In addition to other good advice wear one of these while you sleep at night. https://www.amazon.com/ACE-Plantar-Fasciitis-Sleep-Support/dp/B005YU8XLO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1485215747&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=ace+sleep+support&psc=1

My ortho said no go on the Ace. Here's the generic version of the ortho night splint. The key is the ability to adjust the "pull" on the foot with the side straps. You have to tighten it as much as you can stand at first and adjust tighter weekly...

https://www.amazon.com/Plantar-Fasciitis-Posterior-Night-Splint/dp/B00PX5HGPE/ref=sr_1_4_s_it?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1485217197&sr=1-4&keywords=plantar%2Bfasciitis%2Bnight%2Bsplint&th=1

[AllDownhillFromHere]

Does it come with the model?


My ortho said no go on the Ace. Here's the generic version of the ortho night splint. The key is the ability to adjust the "pull" on the foot with the side straps. You have to tighten it as much as you can stand at first and adjust tighter weekly...

https://www.amazon.com/Plantar-Fasciitis-Posterior-Night-Splint/dp/B00PX5HGPE/ref=sr_1_4_s_it?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1485217197&sr=1-4&keywords=plantar%2Bfasciitis%2Bnight%2Bsplint&th=1

[One Half]

Interesting. Penny Pincher says "do not stretch using step . . ."

I had PF & was treated by an orthopedic MD associated with Emory. I know that he treats many Atlanta Ballet and Hawks professionals. He diagnosed the PF in my case in just minutes after I had been to three other doctors over months of pain.

He recommended that I stand on steps, facing "upward" and in sock feet, that I place the affected foot halfway off the step and slowly lower the heel downward till I felt a "tightness" or "pulling" in my calf muscle. Do this, count to 10, rest 10 seconds, & repeat maybe 10 times. Change feet, do the exercise, then stop. He said it was important to gradually "lower" the heel an do not "bounce." Just lower, hold, count, rest. He recommended that I do the exercises several times a day until it was better, and told me that if it came back, to exercise again in the same way, but that if I regularly did "stretching" exercises it probably wouldn't return.

I did as directed, & I haven't had this problem return. It's been years. I do understand that if you've had PF long enough that it's become chronic, it will take longer to "fix" but really - I think this is the best way to do it without surgery or some other drastic measure. It really is horribly painful, & you really do have to walk, so it is pain with every step. You have my sympathy. The trick is to treat the cause & get rid of the inflammation, but how to do both at the same time.

I'd be curious to know why Penny Pincher doesn't recommend this? And please know - I'm not trying to get a fuss started here - I'm genuinely interested to know.

The method you describe, foot off step, puts more strain on the tendon and will often do more damage than good. Many times it doesn't actually get the calf stretched. See the article I linked. I too suffered from PF until I followed the methodology in the article. I actually learned it first hand from Eric Beard. I know y'all don't know him but trust me when I say that in the world of personal training instructors he is a "Guru" not just for his knowledge but for his ability to teach others. He does corrective exercise with professional athletes. Last I knew he was traveling with an up and coming tennis star who had stalled out because of injury affecting her performance. He fixed her issues. He has several degrees in exercise science etc and actually was the education coordinator for the National Association of Sports Medicine. Plus, he's a "local Irishman" with a Boston Celtics tattoo on his calf! ;) What's not to love?

But back to the point, read the article. He explains it well. I had much success employing this method for myself as well as clients who suffered. I also used to just share this info freely with anyone in the gym who asked about it. Word travels when you take away a person's pain!

[One Half]

And yes, orthotics are a first-line treatment for PF. For me, the SuperFeet green did just fine. My ortho advised to try them prior to forking out 300 bucks for custom orthotics.

The trick is, you have to wear the orthotics in every shoe...for ever...just sayin...

right. unless you correct it. I actually went to VFFs exclusively after correcting this problem. Your feet get really strong with VFFs, including the arches. Prior to this I had custom orthotics in my sneakers as well. But that didn't correct the issue.

[gbolt]

Interesting. Penny Pincher says "do not stretch using step . . ."

I had PF & was treated by an orthopedic MD associated with Emory. I know that he treats many Atlanta Ballet and Hawks professionals. He diagnosed the PF in my case in just minutes after I had been to three other doctors over months of pain.

He recommended that I stand on steps, facing "upward" and in sock feet, that I place the affected foot halfway off the step and slowly lower the heel downward till I felt a "tightness" or "pulling" in my calf muscle. Do this, count to 10, rest 10 seconds, & repeat maybe 10 times. Change feet, do the exercise, then stop. He said it was important to gradually "lower" the heel an do not "bounce." Just lower, hold, count, rest. He recommended that I do the exercises several times a day until it was better, and told me that if it came back, to exercise again in the same way, but that if I regularly did "stretching" exercises it probably wouldn't return.

I'd be curious to know why Penny Pincher doesn't recommend this? And please know - I'm not trying to get a fuss started here - I'm genuinely interested to know.

+1 on the Steps. Instead of "Toe Raises", these are called "Heal Drops" but it's all perspective. Also suggest using a band/towel looped around toes to pull towards chin to stretch calf and counter the Night Time Sleep problem. Rolling the calf (as with any muscle) helps on many levels. Finally, icing foot, Vitamen I, and Rest will work wonders. Best to prevent if at all possible.

[TexasBob]

My ortho said no go on the Ace. Here's the generic version of the ortho night splint. The key is the ability to adjust the "pull" on the foot with the side straps. You have to tighten it as much as you can stand at first and adjust tighter weekly...

https://www.amazon.com/Plantar-Fasciitis-Posterior-Night-Splint/dp/B00PX5HGPE/ref=sr_1_4_s_it?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1485217197&sr=1-4&keywords=plantar%2Bfasciitis%2Bnight%2Bsplint&th=1

My doctor gave me one of those also, problem is I can't sleep when I am wearing it. It is too bulky and the straps are a problem. I can sleep with the Ace product.

[ScareBear]

But, the ACE product really doesn't do anything that will make a difference...

The night stretcher is a bitch to sleep with. The first couple off weeks, you will wake up at 3am with a cramp and struggle to get out of the thing. But, it works. Try 400mg Ibuprofen and 50mg diphenhydramine(Benadryl) 30 minutes before bed to help keep you asleep with the night stretcher on.

[TexasBob]

But, the ACE product really doesn't do anything that will make a difference.......................

Worked for me that all I can say.