Plantar Fasciitis

yaxomoxay

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Hi, I practice Tang Soo Do. Unfortunately I suffer from some plantar fasciitis which sometimes makes even walking quite difficult, let alone pivot for a back kick! Has anyone some suggestion to ease the pain?
 

geezer

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Hi, I practice Tang Soo Do. Unfortunately I suffer from some plantar fasciitis which sometimes makes even walking quite difficult, let alone pivot for a back kick! Has anyone some suggestion to ease the pain?

I have all kinds of problems with my feet, ankles, and knees. I dealt with plantar fascitis by getting a good set of prescription orthotics which I wear inside my shoes. I even wear them during workouts when I can (we usually wear shoes in WC and Escrima). Of course, in Tang Soo Do you train barefoot so that's not possible. But if you use orthotics most of the time, your feet may heal enough to tolerate going barefoot when you train. Start by seeing a good foot specialist and take it from there.
 

Sukerkin

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I can also attest to the effectiveness of wearing such insoles in your daily foorwear - I struggled for PF for a long time before I tried them and it didn't take long for them to make a 'believer' out of me :D
 

Jaeimseu

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Plantar Fasciitis sucks. I had a case that took just over a year to go away. At best, training was uncomfortable. At worst I was hopping on one foot.

I stretched it out really well before bed and upon waking. I didn't wear "dress" shoes for a year. I didn't spar because bouncing and sudden direction changes hurt. I also rolled a tube on the bottom of my foot or used a tennis ball.

Nothing made the pain go away, but the pain finally lessened and lessened until one day I realized it didn't hurt. I had the condition so long that I got used to it.
 

Dirty Dog

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Anti inflammatory drugs, insoles, time, and sometimes surgery.


Sent from an old fashioned 300 baud acoustic modem by whistling into the handset. Really.
 

Balrog

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It took a couple of trips to the doc and some cortisone shots before mine cleared up. He suggested taking a small water bottle and freezing it solid. When I would get home, I would take the bottle, put it on the floor and roll it back and forth under the knot on my foot. Combination ice therapy and massage. Re-freeze the bottle and you're good for the next day.

Good luck. PF ain't no fun. :vu:
 

Danny T

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Stretch, stretch, stretch, and stretch some more. Do exercises that stretch the plantar fascia on the bottom of the foot and that stretch the calf muscles.
  1. Stretch the calf muscles before taking those first steps in the morning. When the muscles in the calf are tight, they pull on the heel bone, making your plantar fascia very taut and prone to injury. To help loosen those muscles, take a towel or belt and loop it around the ball of your foot. Keep your leg straight, gently pull towards your body until you feel a stretch in the lower part of your leg. Hold that for 30 seconds and repeat up to 5 times before taking your first step out of bed.
  2. Plantar Fascia Stretching
    Loosening up the tissues that are irritated probably makes sense and all you have to do is pull your toes up with your hand until you feel a stretch along the ball of your foot. You may feel the stretch anywhere from the ball of your foot to your heel. Holding this position for 30 seconds to a minute a few times can make a world of difference in your pain levels.
    .
  3. Calf Stretching
    Stretching out the muscles in the lower leg is an integral step to recovery. There are two main muscles in the lower leg that attach to the heel, you’ll need work on stretching them both out. Stand against a wall and slide one leg back, pushing the heel down towards the floor (first picture). When you feel a stretch in the lower part of your leg, hold it for 30 seconds. After those 30 seconds are up, bend your knees until a deeper stretch is felt a bit lower in the leg (second photo). Again, hold this stretch for 60 seconds and repeat this until you’ve done it 3 times on each leg.

Plantar Fasciitis is painful and will take time to recover from.
 

Rich Parsons

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Stretches
Proper insole and I recommend getting the ones tailor made to your foot and not over the counter.
Time
And when you are not wearing your shoes I have found that a good wrap for the arch also helps.
 

Buka

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As a guy who's had it, and also worked five years in a Physical Therapy unit, I can tell you that all you need to know is in the above posts.
 

Rokuta

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Yes, all the above covers the topic very well. I will add that as a person who was somewhat overweight that losing weight also helped with my pain.
 

Buka

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Hey, guys, any idea how to prevent it from coming back? I never learned that from P.T.
 

Danny T

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Ah, life should be so easy. Those stretches were part of a daily routine, but I still got it.

Some of us are just lucky that way. What I have learned through having suffered with plantar fasciitis is I wasn't stretching or massaging the foot and calf long enough. I massage, stretch, and flex my feet and legs 3-4 times a day and for several minutes each time. I still get inflammation and the associated pain from time to time but it has never been as severe as the first time.
 
OP
Y

yaxomoxay

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it has never been as severe as the first time.

First time was awful. I just woke up and after my first step I felt like two knives just stabbing the plant of my right foot. I was crying like a girl that had just lost her favorite Barbie and Ken set.
 

jks9199

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Unfortunately -- there's no easy answer for plantars... Lots of good advice, and it's really just something that takes a long time to heal. Weight loss can help. Stretches and massage can help. Really severe cases need medical intervention. I dealt with it for literally years.
 

Cougar

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Hope the OP has been to a reputable podiatrist to confirm PF. My initial visit was suspected PF, then further examination revealed perneal tendon tears and finally disruption requiring surgery. Big mess.
 

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