Plantar Fasciitis has returned...

[Angie94]

I am suppose to leave in 18 days for my first camino. Several years ago I had a painful bout with plantar fasciitis in my right foot. Eventually it subsided and I thought I was "cured" forever!
It has decided to rear its ugly head again...
I am worried about this situation. I am staying off of it, no training, soaking it in ice water, stretching and massaging it and taking NSAID.
Anyone else have any experience with this??

Thanks.

 

[Albertagirl]

I left on my camino frances last year with mild plantar fasciitis. I have prescription orthotics and I find that stretching my calf muscles also helps. This was recommended to me by a podiatrist when I first got plantar fasciitis: try standing on a step and letting your heels fall. You will probably notice that you have a lot of stiffness in your calf muscles. This can be a result of trying to get in shape by doing more exercise than usual. Unfortunately, all my discomfort in feet and legs seems to be related to exercising to get in shape for a camino. Maybe those of us with older bodies [Edit: speaking for myself, of course] sometimes forget the relationship between exercise and stretching until our bodies remind us. Good luck and buen camino.

 

[trecile]

I saved this article for my husband who also suffers from PF, and someone else posted it on another thread recently. It has some exercises that are different that what has been traditionally done for PF.
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/09/15/heel-pain-treatment/?_r=0
Good luck!!

 

[Americanperegrino]

Let it alone for a week. Don't stretch it, exercise it, walk a lot, or try new orthotics-yet. Take ibuprofen. Give it a chance early on to heal. Message it several times a day gently, but, deep. In a week start very gentle stretching increasing a little more stretch every day. Change your othotics to some more supportive for the instep. Maybe your old orthotics are a little worn and that is causing the new pain. take it REALLY easy starting the CDS for the first week or so.
Also, has anything changed re the surfaces that you walk on? Have you started walking barefoot? New tile/hardwood floors? Just a long shot.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Ice, stretch, roll a ball, get orthotics. Your podiatrist may be able to suggest an off the shelf model if not make custom ones. Also, buy Birkies and never walk barefoot, even when getting out of bed. Good luck.

 

[Laurie Sanantone]

Google for an Ortho Sleeve FS6 sock. You can probably get a small size for about $10, larger sizes seem to cost a lot more. I used these when I developed PF while training for a half marathon, and with ibuprofen, ice and stretching I was able to continue training. I'm taking 2 socks with me on my Camino next month.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Google for an Ortho Sleeve FS6 sock. You can probably get a small size for about $10, larger sizes seem to cost a lot more. I used these when I developed PF while training for a half marathon, and with ibuprofen, ice and stretching I was able to continue training. I'm taking 2 socks with me on my Camino next month.

and there are those long socks with a hinge at the top and at the toe tip that kee the foot flexed at night. I find they disturbed my sleep which does not help en route either...

 

[koilife]

Talk to a professional, such as a podiatrist or physiotherapist. With 18 days left, you don't have much time to play roulette. (That being said, I'll bet you a menu del dia that your PT gives you exercises like above in @trecile's post, or one very, very similar to it. Eccentric stretching seems to be in the forefront of tendinopathy.)

My prayers and best wishes for you and your speedy recovery!

 

[Tia Valeria]

Vick 'Vapor rub' was recommended for various ailments apart from coughs. It is an ointment for rubbing onto the chest and the suggestion for coughs was to rub it onto your feet at night!
For muscle and other aches/pains rubbing it onto the affected area is suggested, foot arch and behind the knee for sore feet. Not sure whether it is the warmth relaxing the area, or the massaging while rubbing it in but it helped my foot when needed.

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi, Angie,
Your post reminds me of @Robo's wife's experience just a few weeks ago. Take a look here:
https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/plantar-faciitis-treatments-pre-camino.39643/

And judging from his "my wife eats too much" thread, I would say things must be working out. Take it slow and try not to panic/obsess about it -- easier said than done though because I know how those pre-Camino jitters get the best of you even in the best of circumstances. Fingers crossed for you, Laurie

 

[Angie94]

thank you EVERYONE for the tips, suggestions, links and well wishes. I will take this information and put it to good use and will follow up in a week and let you know my progress.
This forum is such a blessing.

 

[julia-t]

I am walking at the moment with plantar fasciitis in my right foot. I've had it on my heel before, this time it's further forward under the arch. I have orthotics and gel insoles. I also strap it daily using KT tape. This really helps. You can see videos online showing you how

It's not so bad once I get going, but worse at rest.

 

[MichaelB10398]

Just about the time that you think you have stretched your foot enough, stretch it some more. I had a mild case of it and after talking with a doctor and doing some internet research I stretched my foot constantly and it went away. I still will stretch my foot/toes/ etc. just as a preventative. I hope it quickly is handled and is put behind you.
Blessings,

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Me again... start wearning your walking shoes and orthotics now and as much as possible in order to stop the development of the inflammation.

 

[Robo]

Hi, Angie,
Your post reminds me of @Robo's wife's experience just a few weeks ago. Take a look here:
https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/plantar-faciitis-treatments-pre-camino.39643/

And judging from his "my wife eats too much" thread, I would say things must be working out. Take it slow and try not to panic/obsess about it -- easier said than done though because I know how those pre-Camino jitters get the best of you even in the best of circumstances. Fingers crossed for you, Laurie

Pat ( my wife) is coping well. She admits she could not have managed without the cortisone shots.

Medication is also proving necessary. She was not keen on using meds. Even though I needed them for 40 days straight on my CF last year. (For tendonitis )

By the end of day 1 she realized that meds would be required!

Just before starting out she takes 800 MG paracetamol for the pain and 500 MG ibuprofen for the inflammation.

As I found last year.....the paracetamol fades at about 2 1/2 hours. But you can only take it 4 hourly. So we try to time our breaks etc to fit the pain killer fade and rest till the next dose.... so far so good.

Though she is now wearing 2 knee braces as well

But......make sure you get Professional medical advice !

 

[Terrri]

I developed ps on my first camino. It came on suddenly so I guess I did major damage and barely made it in to town that last day of walking. I thought it was one of the usual pains that eventually go away but sadly it wasn't. I was so afraid of blisters that I wore my older comfortable boots that were a little too broken in and I didn't realize it. Having brand new inserts couldn't fix what was wrong with the boot and just over 200km was as far as I could go. Up until that last day I hadn't had any foot pain at all. After I returned home I literally couldn't walk for over 2 weeks.

One exercise I haven't seen mentioned here is where you write or print the alphabet in the air with your big toe. It sounds silly but it gets your foot working in all the usual directions. I also bought a wobble board and step on it frequently during the day at home. I don't try to stay balanced but rather try to rotate my foot in all directions.

I saw a video where the lady did very deep tissue massage using a foam roller in between her shin muscle on the back of one leg and the front of the shin on the other leg. She used the top leg to roll out the tendon and slowly stretch out the fascia. It is hard to explain properly. I just looked and found the video:

http://mobilitymastery.com/learn-th...lles-pain-heel-pain-and-compartment-syndrome/

I didn't learn the trick of plunging your feet into cold water at the end of every day until after I stopped walking. The weather wasn't good enough to put our feet in cold water through out the day and I never thought of doing at the end of the day. I also know I didn't drink enough water. I am returning in September for 3 weeks and am planning on no issues this time.

Good luck to you!

 

[Angie94]

I saw a video where the lady did very deep tissue massage using a foam roller in between her shin muscle on the back of one leg and the front of the shin on the other leg. She used the top leg to roll out the tendon and slowly stretch out the fascia. It is hard to explain properly. I just looked and found the video:

http://mobilitymastery.com/learn-th...lles-pain-heel-pain-and-compartment-syndrome/

I have seen A LOT of different kinds of exercises for this issue...but not this!
It makes sense the way she explains it. I am definitely going to try try this ~ THANK YOU SO MUCH for posting this!!

 

[Terrri]

I see you have left for your Camino Angie. I hope this method worked for you and that you had enough time to try it out. As our departure date gets closer I keep thinking I need to take my own advice and try this out!

 

[ChristianSdeM]

I have seen A LOT of different kinds of exercises for this issue...but not this!
It makes sense the way she explains it. I am definitely going to try try this ~ THANK YOU SO MUCH for posting this!!

Hi Angie, would you like to comment on how it went for you, therapy and all? Thank you in advance!

 

[John MLT]

Hi Angie, would you like to comment on how it went for you, therapy and all? Thank you in advance!

...following!

 

[JohnMcM]

...following!

Me too. Mine has come back with a vengance.

 

[eesaston]

In addition to a series of exercises to stretch the plantar fascia and Achilles tendon, I used compression support braces for plantar fasciitis. It not only distributes pressure evenly to the feet, but also prevents ankle sprains.