So my doctor says the tremendous cramps and pain in my feet is due to plantar fasciitis. She sent me to a physical therapist who showed me how to stretch my foot, which i've done for the past 2 months now. She said the only other way to reduce pain is for me to lose weight.

The issue I'm having is that it's really incredibly hard to exercise with both of my feet hurting like this all the time, especially in the mornings. My feet swell up and the pain continues up through my legs and back. It's hard to walk even from my bed to the bathroom in the morning, and later in the day it becomes difficult to walk more than a block.

Does anyone have any suggestions? I've been taking Ibuprofen but it doesn't help much and it irritates my stomach.

Have you ever tried to do a work-out DVD in a chair? You only do the upper body movements. Not as complete of a workout but still better than nothing. You can do leg lifts/movements to the DVD as well just without putting weight on them.

I had something similar, plus a torn ligament in my foot. There wasn't much I could do. I went swimming instead... though that even hurt my foot were the ligament was torn. Hope you have a speedy recovery! Oh, my doctor made me get shoe inserts... they relieve the pressure off the heel.

I still do foot exercises to this day to make it stronger! At least my heel pain is gone.

I have that currently, although it's much better now since I bought an orthotic insert meant for helping with that condition. Maybe your PT or doctor might know if an insert like that would help you. The reason the insert helped me so much was that I have very high arches, and at my current weight, my arches need some heavy-duty, good support. My shoes just weren't providing the support I needed. Now, with the orthotics, no more pain. But I wouldn't want to go even one day without the orthotic inserts. Hope your heel heals up soon, I know how bad and how frustrating that pain can be.

I did, the last time I was losing lots of weight that happened to my feet and my heels are starting to give me some issues now. I plan to go and get me some arch supports like the ones dr scholls has. I had to stop working out with the intensity because I used to walk and run 3 miles a day. Now I'm going to get them so the pain doesn't start. My dr also used to give me cortisone shots in my foot which helped a lot. I just couldn't get too many of them. I would suggest the arch support but I know the pain and it is very intense.

Can you get to a pool? I had issues with tendonitis and a bone spur so I started swimming for a while. I also bought better shoes from Roadrunners and haven't really had problems since.

I too have had this problem in the past and I agree--it is painful! Are you able to ride an exercise bike? You would be getting cardio but off of your feet.

I have not been diagnosed with PF by a professional, but from everything I've researched, I have diagnosed myself! lol Last summer I was walking/jogging 3miles/day and started having foot issues..only in my right foot. It started out as pain in my arch and then moved into my heel after a while. I thought it was worn out shoes so I bought new ones. They helped until I started the treadmill again. I then found an article online about taping and I taped my foot the last time I ran on the treadmill AND IT HELPED!! I had no pain! I also found an article by a guy who said he just wrapped duct tape around his arch after he put his socks on and it cured his PF (along with stretching exercises). I bought the athletic tape at Walmart for $2 so it might be worth giving it a try BTW, last summer when I was having so much pain, I bought 4 or 5 different kinds of inserts (including the $50 Dr. Scholls where you stand on the computerized mat) and none of them helped me. I wish I woulda tried the taping technique then...

not sure if I can post links or not, but I'll try:
http://www.heel-that-pain.com/planta...tis_taping.php

if it doesn't work, then just google "foot taping for plantar fasciitis"

GOOD LUCK!!! If you can't get rid of the pain, then I agree with others about possibly cycling or swimming to get your exercise.

A doctor can also prescribe a brace you can sleep in. It keeps your foot flexed so the muscles or whatever down their don't constrict during the night. I take my Ibuprofen right before I go to sleep too--it seems to help.

I have a torn plantar fascia right now - I feel your pain! After weeks of thinking it would resolve itself I went to my doctor who referred me to a chiropodist. He diagnosed the condition, taped my foot and, like KDM322 said, it worked! What a relief. He also prescribed stretches (which I haven't been doing , and cast my feet for new orthotics, which aren't here yet (he said the ones I have, which are about 2 years old, aren't hard core enough!) He also recommended wearing, as much as possible, motion-control running shoes, the best of which, according to the Running Room in my area, are Saucony Grids. So, with the taping and the Sauconys, I'm feeling much better and looking forward to getting the hard-core orthotics. This has been a pretty spendy exercise, but SO worth it.

I have plantar faciitis. Nothing helped me really. But my orthopedist suggested I get specially made inserts molded specifically to my feet and designed to help the plantar faciitis. I did so, and they cost 70 dollars, but it was worth it.

I wear my shoes with those inserts (and OTC inserts do not help) and now I can walk without pain. And eventually even walking with no shoes was a lot better as well. You need a prescription to get those inserts but I would definantly ask the doctor about them.

I started getting the really bad foot pain right after my last baby ( 2 1/2 years ago). It hurt so bad when I'd wake up in the morning or after I sat for a little while. It makes no sense, but the pain went away after I quit eating grains and sugar and stuck to under 100 carbs a day. It was gone within a week or so. I don't think the pain went away because of losing weight because I only lost 6 lbs that first week. I think that grains and sugar causes inflammation (in me, at least). It's a good incentive for me to stay low carb. That foot pain hurts so bad.

Hi 30and300, I've been suffering plantar fasciitis for two years now. If you work standing up, do not be shy about asking the doctor for a note you're being treated so you get rest your feet periodically!

They say that for every day you walk on it, it takes a day to heal. I know it makes walking and all of those things they usually recommend for us nearly impossible. The inserts hurt and take some getting used to. What helped me was soaking my feet in warm water at the end of the day, being gentle on them when you get out of bed, and using a tennis ball underneath them to stretch and relax the muscle. All you can do is rest as much as possible, keep up the good eating, and keep stretching the muscle - it will gradually get easier! I never thought I'd get better but can now walk for almost an hour!

Mine was so bad for a while that I couldn't walk to the bathroom in the morning. The things I was told to do included icing my feet, taking an Advil before bed, rolling my foot on a tennis ball when I was sitting, stretching my foot by putting my toes against a wall and walking toward the wall, and resting them. I know the pain can be excruciating. And losing weight DEFINITELY helps. Focus on eating right and don't worry about the exercise until you are feeling better.

My insurance didn't cover orthotics when I had my first flare (I was working in a juvenile detention center and was on my feet most of the day, often double shifts).

It took a long time to heal (and didn't heal completely until I got a desk job and started wearing only shoes with good support and cushioning).

I have to be very picky about the shoes I buy. For several years, I would only wear Birkenstock and New Balance. Then I met my husband, and he introduced me to Haflinger (like Birkenstock, a cork soled shoe).

I'm more willing to experiment with other brands, but arch support is very important. Cushioning helps too, but for me arch support seems to be the key.