Plantar Fasciitis

First topic message reminder :

I suffer from this, and it can be quite painful at times, and really limits the physical activity I can do.

My question is, has anyone else suffered from plantar fasciitis before being sleeved, and found it improved as you lost weight?

Im really hoping that weight loss will help with the condition...

Thanks :)

I've had severe PF a few times over the years the thing that worked the best was acupuncture - yep you're right it REALLY hurt the 1st time but fixed it completely after only 3 treatments.
Years ago I did have a super huge cortisone injection under GA and that worked too but the acupuncture worked just as well and less invasive and cheaper!
Have also done the splints, physio, heat, ice, exercises etc etc all with minimal affect
Hope that helps someone

Hi gruggy. i was sleeved on the 13 th Dec 2012 and have lost 17 kgs,going ok at a farily good rate but every one is different,older seems to be the slower rate lol.No i have not done a diary,i just nip in here and there and respond or help someone else with my experiences. I just loved being barefoot too but i dare not do it now since my foot has come real good after the surgery on it and the weight loss with the sleeve,i just slip my massuer sandals on as soon as i get up and i wear them all day,i put good trainers on when i get on the treadmill though.I now hope it just all satys good with the feet as PF can sneal back up on you,i did have it in both feet but the left one was the worst at at present it has gone from he right foot so i am hoping it wont come back now the wieght has gone. I do hope it gets better for you and that the weight loss helps you too.

Nice to hear from you sassyjane, thanks for the encouragement about barefoot, though it's not really what I want to hear, already wearing good shoes full-time I'm walking so much better with much less pain.
I've read lots about barefoot running and was into outdoor barefoot walking with my boys on our property. It feels great connecting with the earth and freeing.
BUT it's not worth the pain.
When did you have your sleeve?
Do you have a diary or something here when I can find out more about you and your experiences?

Hi Gruggy, there seems to be lots of unsuspecting things that can trigger off the PF,not wearing supporting shoes is one of the main ones according to my physio, as soon as your feet touch the ground in the morning put on supporting shoes or some type of health shoe that supports under the arch,this was one main thing he said to do so it may help until you have your surgery,he STRESSED done go go bare foot as there is nothing under the arch of the foot,that was one of my big down falls as i hated wearing shoes but have got use to wearing massuer sandals now as soon as i get out of bed.The weight loss has been the biggest help in getting over the PF surgery and you may be even able to manage it with the weight loss and no surgery.Yes i ended up short and fat with a limp,still short as i cant change that but i have lost 17 kgs and have no limp so the sleeve has done wonders for me.

Nothing to add that will be any help, I'm just going through my second bout of it and feeling a bit sorry for myself so getting a bit of encouragement reading that others have gone through and survived it.
I've gained a lot of weight recently [not sleeved yet, a long wait until early 2014] and I think that's what's caused it, plus working out barefoot on a tile floor.
It's not totally debilitating but I never wanted to be one of those big women with a limp and that's exactly what I am now.

Hi Ginka,that is the nasty thing about PF you think it has gone for a while and then the dam thing sneaks back up on you again and usually worse than what it was before.All mine started off about 14 years ago by wear steel cap safety boots up North.I had tried strapping,laser and you can just name it and to no avail this time,surgery it had to be.I was worried i was taking ages to heal after the surgery but that was before i lost the weight after the sleeve,losing 17 kgs has made it just unbelievable after suffering it for so many years.I think after a time and you have tried every thing for PF surgery is the last resort so you may need to consider it,i thought many times it had gone but it was not to be.

Thx sassyjane for the info and support. Good luck ginko take care.

I was just thinking about updating on my last post. Having thought I had rid myself of PF, it has returned with vengeance after participating in 9.5 km trail run and falling 3 times. I have started strapping my foot again and not too sure what to do :(

Hi Tracy, have you had surgery for the PF ? i had tried everything including two awfully painful injections into the heel. I had surgery for it in July last year and it was taking ages to get over it,i knew with the weight loss it would help,which it did and i can now walk pain free which has been amazing as i have not done that for years.Surgery for the foot is no guarantee but at the stage i am at now i would recommend it if you have not had it.My PF was so bad i think i would have had to have surgery even before all the weight gain,but it does put you in a nasty circle as the more you do the more you suffer for it and that is why a gained so much more wight. I have lost 17 kgs now and my foot does not bother me at all.I know i should have had the sleeve done years ago which may not have made the PF such a painful process. I hope you do well, i know you have good and bad days with PF.

I have suffered with pf on and off for years, lost 35kgs and have the most serve case ever. It is so painful and frustrating as it limits me at work and at the gym. Really thought the weight loss would help, but in my case it hasn't but I still have more weight to lose.

Hi Nini, i suffered for years with PF and had tried just about everything you could think of to get rid of it,the extra weight was not helping either. July 2012 i ended up having to have surgery for it as i had been unable to walk properly for too long,plus going round in circles not being able to exercise,hence more weight gain. It took quite a long time to get over the actual surgery,in the mean time i decided to have the sleeve done which was done on the 13 th Dec 2012 as i knew the weight had to go to help ease my foot.Now it is brilliant as i have lost 15 kgs and now walk normally,has taken a bit of brain training to walk normally after not being able to for so long,i still have about another 12-15 kgs to go ,i know i had done the best thing with having the foot operated on,the next best was having the sleeve done as if i did not have it done i think i would still be strugglng to get over the foot surgery and not walking properly..

Take care,it gets better.

Thank you Sara, I still have 5 kg to go, those last few kg are soooooooo hard to lose!

Hi GKEL81,

I also suffered from PF, and it was agony. I thought I was going to have to give up my job as I could barely walk by the end of the day. I went to a great orthotist who recommended Brooks shoes - which are really ugly but very supportive. He made my orthotics. I thought they were worse than the PF. For 6 weeks I felt like I was walking on rolling pins but I preserved and now I haven't had PF for a year, what a relief. This is before I have lost any weight. I am hoping that after I lose my weight I can get rid of the orthotics as well.

cheers Nini

Ginka,

You look amazing.....

I am close to my healthy BMI and my PF has gone!! I think weight loss is the only solution. I really feel your pain, it is really depressing but will guarantee once the weight comes off, mobility will improve. Best wishes for this journey!

I have PF and it is agony. The pain is horrendous and makes the simplest of tasks difficult. I strap my feet most days and take a lot of voltaren.
Ice works a bit but not much. I too have fallen down the stairs as a result.
I am praying that weight loss helps.

I used a tennis ball to do the same thing, did not work. Had been suffering from it on and off for 14 years, probably only 3 years in the off category. Felt like amputating my feet of early this year.

I had this about 10 years ago and did the rolling of a rolling pin under my foot from arch to back of heel as hard as I could bare it every night... it got rid of it and it never ever came back

I thought I would update that since loosing 28 kg, just over my half way point, my plantar Fasciitis has almost disappeared. I can even jog now! So I believe weight loss is really the only permanent solution to this condition.

Ummmm.... I know what it is now lol ( yay for google).... I'd never heard if it - sorry Ginka so I have no feedback, fortunately I haven't had this ailment (phew). Hopefully someone can advise soon.

...anyone out there with Platar Faciitis feedbacK??????????????

Hi all

I was just about to post on this topic and found this thread.

I would like to know from those that have since lost their weight if the PF has now improved?

I have done all the following treatments, many listed below:

• Sleeping with a foot splint (so uncomfortable)
  
• Full orthotics (expensive)
  
• Cortisone Injections (painfull)
  
• Rodiowave Therapy (super painfull)
  
• Stretches, incl rolling ice bottle and tennis ball under arch
  
• Ice /Heat treatments (gave myself frostbite once too)
  

This is the third time it has returned and seemed to only improve in the past when I lost weight. The pain is now pretty severe that I have stopped exercising. Not good!

Thankyou! I am really appreciating the advice and tips being offered :)

I have an apt with an excerise physiologist in a few weeks, will see what is suggested there.

Funny thing, I have been living with this for so long now, that Im almost used to it, and know exactly when I will experience more pain, what will cause it, etc! I rarely walk around barefoot anymore, but when I do - oh it feels so nice! - but I pay for it later when I can barely walk :(
Ah Panadol, I do love thee!

I've suffered from plantar fasciatis for quite a few years now. I find that the symptoms are worse when i'm carrying extra weight (like I am now! lol).

I've just had a new pair of orthotics made (as my old ones had started to lose their structure and support), so I'm hoping that will help my current symptoms. After i exercise, getting out of bed the next day is absolute torture. The second I put my feet on the floor I'm in agony. On more than one occasion I've actually taken a tumble due to the pain! I suggested to my podiatrist that maybe I should just stop exercising - he looked at me with complete horror, until I told him I was joking and then promised to do my stretches and get fitted for a new pair of orthotics.

So for me, I find that the less weight I carry, the better my feet are.

I had PF years ago and it is caused by your instep dropping when you put on weight. What I did was get my physio to make up night splints for me out of plaster. You put them on your legs whe you go to bed - you wrap them and your legs in crepe bandages. Your foot has to be in a lexed position (like it looks when you are standing). The splint needs to hold your foot in this position overnight. After a few weeks, my P dissapeared and I have never had it since - even though I have been mch heavier. Hope this helps.

Caused some severe plantar fasciitis trying to be healthy and walking to the train station and around work at lunchtime in flat shoes. It was agony! Fixed it by never walking around the house in bare feet again, bought a pair of FitFlops to wear around the house. Used a plantar fasciitis stretch first thing in the morning before putting my feet anywhere near the floor (or in my fitflops) see video here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LvW4kKBPq2Q&NR=1 and used the stretch and massage any time I could during the day. Strapped it up when I needed to do exercise with any impact (see video here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Z2XlqsuQSY&feature=relmfu). My osteo said to avoid flat shoes, always have arch support from inserts (can buy from althletic shop) for sneakers/exercise shoes, and make sure any of your normal shoes have a heel of 2-5cm. Hope this helps!