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View Full Version : Plantar Fasciitis - Women more prone



Smile
08-16-2006, 02:15
How many ladies out there suffer from this?

:-?

I have hiked with a few women who had this, curious how you all handled it and what advice you might have for others.

Monster
08-16-2006, 08:54
As a runner and a hiker (and a female!), I go through bouts of minor plantar fascitis myself. I usually find that it corrects itsself quickly once I switch to adequte arch support. For instance, I am currently wearing Tevas and my arches ache. Tomorrow I'll have to wear sneakers. Massage also works great for easing the pain.

Sardenia
08-20-2006, 21:34
In my daily life, I work with foot patients, at times. Two general suggestions for them in dealing w/plantar fasciitis is: in the a.m. use a tennis ball to slowly roll under your arches, key word slowly, and don't go past the ball of the foot itsself, nor under the calcaneus (heel bone), stay in the arch. Do this while sitting, for a couple of minutes you can vary the pressure to your comfort level. Slow though.
Secondly, stretch the two calf muscles, gastroc and soleus, in a weightbearing position and make sure you are wearing shoes.
Stand facing a wall w/the calf to stetch behind you (semi-lunge position, hands on the wall), keep your heels on the floor and keep the knee straight (stretching leg) for a hold of approx 15-39 secs, then slowly bend the knee of the calf being stretched, with heel on floor, and hold 15-30 secs. With either stretch you should feel it in the calf; each stretch will pullin a higher or lower position depending on which muscle you are stretching. Hope this all makes sense.
If your PF persists, you may want to seek out a professional and, as Monster stated, check out correct arch support for your foot style.

Lilred
08-20-2006, 22:30
I have plantar Fasciitis and bought some custom insoles for my hiking boots. They worked great. Find the kind that can be heated up and formed to your specific arch. Also, Crocs are the most comfortable shoe to wear. I put them on when I'm limping all over the place, and my limp, and pain, goes away. I swear by Crocs for this problem.

lindy
09-16-2006, 21:25
thanks for the heads-up on the crocs :)

my PF also comes and goes. I have found that stretching exercises do help and also I wear a brace on my foot at night because of the way I sleep (foot extended instead of being kept at a 90* angle) and the brace also keeps the cat from sleeping on my foot, which really tweeks it. On trail I plan on settling for an ace bandage because my brace is homemade and quite bulky and it turns my ace bandage into a multi use item and since I usually have to wrap that foot ANYWAY ... sheesh! I wish I were younger and not so falling apart lololol oh well!

Blissful
09-18-2006, 10:19
ANYWAY ... sheesh! I wish I were younger and not so falling apart lololol oh well!

Ha, wait til' you hit forty. :) You wouldn't believe the different medical problems that are cropping up as I prepare. My feet are a huge thing - I have a bad left ankle from a severe sprain two years ago - tried every kind of insole, even custom made, now tryng Superfeet, they made my arches hurt. Used them on a short hike this weekend and they did okay. Still have to test them more or I may switch to the heat molding ones.

Now just need to find the right backpack to manage my sciatica. yuck

jlb2012
09-18-2006, 10:53
If your arches are hurting with Superfeet you may get past that issue by taking the footbed out and squeezing the arch area with your thumbs to crush it down a little - if that does not work take the footbed and gently hammer the arch area. Obviously put the footbed back in and try it for a mile or so between tries.