I'm not sure if I'm posting this in the right forum but I thought this might be a place to start.

This past Friday I was diagnosed with Plantar Fasciitis. I have had foot pain for about the last 3 months but since I'm not a big doctor fan I didn't go until I couldn't walk in the evenings. Gee....like that isn't a sign something is wrong! So I got some great new comfy shoes, take advil, ice my feet, stretch, and purchased some inserts for my new shoes. Now what? What else can I do? The pain is really rough sometimes.

I also don't want to stop loosing weight. I have been walking on my treadmill and that has also really slowed down. I can barely walk a mile now and I'm only going 3 mph. What other exercises can I do to continue with my weightloss but not mess up my feet anymore than they already are? I know my weight has contributed to the problem so I really want to keep going.

Thanks for any help or support!

Hey, had that too, but don't let it stop you. What you need to do is stretch out that foot and ask your doc about orthotics to place in your shoes. They are spendy little boogers but they do the trick. I have had both of my feet injected twice and believe me the orthotics are worth the price you pay. Dansko shoes have also helped. I work on my feet 12hrs and find that a good pair of shoes is invaluable.
Let me know if you want any pointers on exercises for your feet.
ps. I have not had any foot pain for about a year now so there is hope.
Onmiway

Hey there. I had a bout w/the same thing in the middle of last year. That hurts like heck! I was a walking freak, averaging 3.5 miles on weekdays, then 5.5 on the weekends. My shoes wore out and I didn't replace them right away, then during the day while working, I'd wear funky, trendy footwear that didn't really have the arch support that I'd need. Anyway, after the foot pain started, I couldn't even walk for exercise like I used to...the weight crept on. My sis gave me her orthotic "boot" which I'd wear at night. She'd had a similar experience w/bad-for-you-but good-looking footwear. The boot (mine is made by Johnson & Johnson) is a rigid plastic wrapped in sort of a neoprene type covering, w/velcro straps so you can tighten or loosen it to fit you. It cradles the bottom of your foot and goes up to about midway up your calf. It keeps your foot from flexing downward while you sleep/lie down. I wore that every night for about 3-4 mos., then the pain diminished greatly. In addition, I wore good, supportive shoes every day (remember those Dr. Scholl's wooden clunky exercise sandals? They were a godsend) and always put those gel inserts into my walking/running shoes. Cushy foam house slippers worked wonders in the morning when my pain was the worst. Luckily, I never had to resort to the injections but I always think twice about buying cute, new shoes--I have to ask myself, are they comfortable and do they have the support that i need. I guess I'm getting old and to the point where comfort comes before fashion Yikes! Did I just say that? I'm turning in to my mother!

So sorry for the rambling, but hope some of this info helps.

Yup, I've had that too. I developed it when I was about 12 when I was in heavy track training. Only being that age I ignored it and only let my mum take me to the doctor when the pain was so bad any weight on the foot was sheer agony. *rolls eyes at self* Anyway, needless to say I couldnt walk properly (barely at all) on it for about 6-9 months and the doctor wasnt very sympathetic to me lol.

Like the others suggested, invest in a good pair of shoes. That condition is also commonly brought on when you have flat feet, so find shoes with high arches already in them, and also go for inserts. I found that New Balance walking and cross-training shoes have excellent support for my feet. Speaking of which it's about time i bought a new pair!

Thanks for the advice. My new shoes are Adidas (like the Nike Shox) the ones with the spring looking things on the heel. I never knew those things served a purpose! They really do craddle your heel. Its like a hammock!

The stretches I do now are really simple basic ones....like grabbing my shin with my other foots toes and just stretching the hamstrings. If you have anymore ideas I would LOVE to hear them.

Ok....so no one really answered the question (unless I missed it!) about can I keep walking....how far....should I walk until it hurts or walk through the pain?

Again, thanks for the info. I'm going to give it a week or two and then I'll call a podiatrist if it doesn't feel any better. Those "boots" actually sounds comfy for night sleeping!

I was told to stay off my foot and stay away from strenuous exercise until the pain had cleared up. I took up group sports like softball a year or so later, and then a year or so after that started playing soccer. My foot held up and so I started walking again and finally jogging. But I never never run through the pain my heel causes because thats a clear signal I've started over-streching my arch tendon again.

I'd say you can keep walking so long as it's pain free. If you feel your heel starting to go, stop. From personal experience, i kept walking/running/training through the pain and ended up stuffing my foot so badly as I mentioned in the previous post I couldnt walk properly (barely at all...I mean limping every moment) for nearly 9 months.

I found sometimes gently massaging the ball and heel of my foot would help, as well as massaging my achillies.

As far as exercise goes, swimming is a great alternative...no impact on that heel is going to happen there!

Livi

I broke many bones in my leg and foot, and now have chronic heel and arch pain. The only shoes I can wear are Birkenstocks. I use to wear them to work my 12 hour shifts, and they were the only ones that would not cause me to have sore feet at the end of the day.

I tried Nike, Adidas, New Balance, etc., but Birkenstocks were the only shoe that worked.

hey mama2a&c,
i too have had plantar fasciitis, have had it for years. i worked in retail for years. there were times i was limping out of an 8 hr. shift. i have had mutiple foot surgeries. don't go that rount unless it is an absolute must. have been injuected to many times to count. what onmyway2005 is telling you is excelent information. i have had about 6 orthodics made over the past 20 years. they make lots of different kinds. you go to a poditrist. that a dr. that specality is feet. alot of insurance co. will pay for orthodic. my son and daughter have had them also. thsee are made with a mold taken of your feet so they fit you perfectly. over time you may have to have them changed as you notice changes in your feet. the inserts are not all that great because it is a basic design for anyone to use. where as the orthodic are made perfectly for yor feet. hope this helps. go for it girl. your dr. may be able to give you some injections in the mean time. but go to the specialist. their the ones that know the best treatment.have a great evening.
kind regards,
mary

Ditto's !!

One exercise that really helped me was stretching. My doctor told me to get a 2" x 4" (piece of wood, cut to about 16" wide) and keep that by the kitchen sink or where ever you stand alot. You can also do this on stairs. Place the upper part of your foot on it (your toes and the metatarsal) on the board and let the heel of your foot rest on the floor. This will stretch the archway. By golly it did help ALOT.

Hang in there !!!!

I have an ankle disability (not plantar fascitis) and my doctor told me the only real exercises that I could do regularly that wouldn't exacerbate my condition were swimming and biking.

Problem is when I swim I break out in itchy rashes. So I'm left with biking. I decided that dieting (and biking) was my only recourse. Only I break out in rashes when I swim, so I'm left with biking.

Hello
This is all excellent advice.....I have had foot problems since birth LOL, yes I truly have....was casted as a baby for being "pidgeon toed".....I remember going to therapy when I was 3. Well over my 43 years, I have tried everything like everyone else. I have plantar fascitis and have had it for over twenty years....have had orthotics, injections, worn orthopedic shoes and birkenstocks, wrapped my feet daily, iced them stretched them...basically done it all......the best "cure" for me has been wearing the "boot" at night.....it started off being uncomfortable, but after wearing it naight after night...it did the trick. I currently walk regularly, but I also break it up with biking and swimming and strength training because walking every day can cause it t come back. I wear New Balance shoes with the roll bar....they say they are the best, I don't know, but they work for me! I have orthotics in them as well. I would also say that I have been through several poditrist until I found one that truely tried to help...not just give a shot and tell me to ice it and keep off it for a few days....I found one that worked for 6 months to find the right combo of orthotics and the "boot". I can say that I have been pain free now for a year and 1/2. I have gone this long and actually longer before it flares up again...I am sure it will, I have VERY flat feet....not arch at all....but I know when it starts up I do something differnt for exercise for a few weeks and wear the "boot" and I will eventually be better! Hope you are doing better!
Lilybutt

I know your pain! I had plantar fasciitis several years ago. I literally would crawl around my house some nights. Never knew that feet could hurt so bad! Went through the orthodics, stretches, exercises and the boots. The pain finally ended when my doctor shot up both feet with cortisone. Now, the shots are not for the weak at heart When my doctor did the first one I had to peel myself off of the ceiling. Then I had to tell him to go ahead and do the other! For a brief second I thought "well this was a truly stupid move!" (I am familiar with cortisone injections as I have R.A.) This treatment turned out to do the trick for me. I've known other people that it either didn't work for, or was a temporary fix, but for me, it was the best.
I've been told that due to the R.A. and being flat footed, that I am predispositioned to this. After about 2 weeks I was pain free and have remained so ever since. So it did work out wonderfully for me.
However, I did find during the painful times that if I froze a bottle of water, (16-24 oz. size), and then put it on a towel on the floor and rolled it with my foot, it did a great job of cooling the arches of my feet and easing the pain somewhat. I made sure that the bottle had 1 1/2 inches of space at the top before I froze it so it wouldn't bust.
Good luck and I hope you find some relief. What a bite in the butt, you start working towards a healthier lifestyle and get sidelined by this! Just not right.

I had plantar facitis (sp?) last summer. Everyone gave good advice.

1. Massage feet. I would do this for 5 minutes 3 times per day. I would get my foot nice and warm with my hands.

2. Stretch arch. I would do this right after my massage. I would do it 3 times with a 30 second rest between stretches

2. Roll foot on a water bottle full of ice, I did this 3 times per day for 15 minutes each time right after I stretched.

This is the order they did all this in my Physical therepy.

I then bought new shoes. You should get new exercise shoes every 6-9 months. I got New Balance cross trainers, I love them.

In the mean time you can ride a bike or swim.

After a couple of months I wanted to start walking again, so I started out real slow on the treadmill. I would stop the second I felt pain, but I would still walk a little each day to build up endurance. I am now back to walking 2-6 miles per day.

On a funny note, I can't use an eliptical trainer, the pain comes back within 5 minutes.

Hmmm. Just found this thread so will answer even though I realize it may be a moot point now with the original poster! I have had a succession of foot problems, beginning approximately 10 years ago with plantar fasciitis, which once I did what had to be done to heal it up, hasn't really returned. Despite foot problems, I still walk and exercise, but it isn't a good idea to walk when in the midst of plantar fasciitis ... it can feel ok when you are doing it, but next a.m. it will be worse. Even using an exercise bike can irritate it when it's healing. You need to get it healed and that does take rest (along with orthotics and all the other things the doc says). It WILL heal and if you are careful it won't come back!

I once had this condition unrelentingly every day for six months but it hasn't come back (knock on wood).