I got it!!! Not super bad but it’s annoying- I think it’s been going on for a few months. . I understand it is good to always wear supportive shoes, possibly inserts. I have custom orthotics for my running shoes (not currently running)- I’ll probably start using them for all the shoes that I can fit them in. I also read that you can apply k tape to alleviate the issue to some extent. Anyway, I would greatly appreciate any advice that might be offered.
I think I’ve been dealing with it on/off for years, self-diagnosed.
Something I have been suspecting for years is that my Muck brand barn boots (and knockoffs) contribute to it. Also, flip flops. Seeing as how I live in Muck boots and flip flops, especially in the summer, I think I need to find an alternative.
I have tried OTC insets. I have tried arch support socks. I have tried night braces. They all help a little, but none is a miracle cure. The best cure is not wearing the shoes that contribute to it, yet I never seem to learn. I really do need to figure out a waterproof alternative to Muck boots for farm work.
It’s good to treat the symptom, but you also need to investigate the cause. Tight ankles, calves, and hamstrings can all contribute to PF, as well as knee and IT band issues, and kinda of everything LOL
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This, including side effects of any drugs you may be taking. A family member has been having awful foot/heel pain. Went to the regular doctor, went to the podiatrist. Was given the boot to sleep in, Celebrex for pain, shoe inserts. Nothing was really helping. Researching drug side effects they found a few hundred reports of exactly this after taking Amlodipine for a few years. Back to the regular doctor to re-arrange the high blood pressure meds and… things are improving. This person also had horrible tendon contraction from levofloxacin a decade ago so they may just be susceptible to such things.
I had a ‘normal’ case of plantar fasciitis years ago – now I never go barefoot. I wear Birkenstock sandals (they feel like they have a mountain for arch support when you first get them!) indoors and good inserts in my Muck boots and hiking shoes otherwise.
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I had it after an injury. It has improved over time. I rested as much as possible and did a lot of heels down when riding to stretch everything back out.
I changed out the inserts in my barn boots with an insert from my therapeutic sneakers (that I picked up used at the thrift store). The inserts that came with my barn boots were terrible.
Me too! Live in Birkenstocks! And Superfeet inserts in my running shoes. I also have some half inserts to use in lower profile shoes. The key is not just the height of the arch support but the location (closer to the heel or toe). My paddock boots feel good enough to ride in but I have to put my half inserts into my tall boots or it feels like it’s ripping when my heels stretch down.
That boot to wear at night hurt me like crazy and made mine worse. You can use a frozen water bottle to roll the sole of your foot over to relieve pain, and voltaren gel works well. I recommend a good running store for the best advice/orthotics, they were much more helpful than my podiatrist. Stretching your heel down is good, like on a stair or even the side of a rock or tree stump or anywhere you can find to stretch when it ails you.
I had a pretty severe case that I developed while on vacation and I had to drive home 8 hours in my car with a clutch that I had to try to press with the side of my foot—not fun. I bought an automatic next time.
I also swear by Birkenstocks. And Haflinger clogs. And Chacos. In addition to PF, I’ve had Anterior Tibial Tendonitis that lingered after wearing flip flops one day at a rowing event. If I wear flip flops for more than 5 minutes, I’m in trouble and I rarely walk barefoot.
I like superfeet inserts and put them in my paddock boots (blunstone) and tall boots. Basically, I work proactively to prevent the problem from happening again.
I had a bout with it on and off for a couple years. Tried inserts, highest quality shoes or boots possible, chiropractic adjustment and massage. The pain is ungodly.
Had a radical hysterectomy and then found out that menopause can cause plantar facetious. Can tell you that since I have been on HRT, I have had no more pain.
I can also ad this- sometime in the past year, I picked a bunch of ThinLine insoles, and I absolutely love them. Same people who make saddle pads, girths, etc.
Thanks for the responses. Interesting that it is only in one foot and not the other. Which of course is better than both. I think mine is more mild than what some have but still annoying! Hope I can do what needs to be done so it improves.
I dealt with it for far too long, trying all of the various online fixes and then finally went to the podiatrist. They made me inserts, explained why I had to stop going barefoot and told me to always, always, always do my foot stretches before getting out of bed or after a long time sitting.
It took a bit, but following those rules (I wear Birkenstocks too) and things have been amazing ever since.
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Are you absolutely sure it’s plantar fasciitis? I have heel pain, diagnosed as PF (by non podiatrists, listening to my symptoms), but it’s not PF. It’s tarsal tunnel syndrome.
So if treating it like PF doesn’t seem to make a difference, take a look at tarsal tunnel syndrome and see if anything there lines up.
I just joined in to second the K Tape. It was a huge help for me when I had what was probably a mid-level case of it. I’d hobble for several minutes when I got out of bed in the morning while everything loosened up a bit, but it was always nagging in the background.
For me, it was better shoes (no flip flops 
), lots of stretching, and time.
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This tends to point towards an imbalance (likely multiple) in your body
There’s a whole lot about functional fitness that we don’t give enough attention to, and so much of that lies in our feet and ankles, and then works its way up and THEN back down. No hoof no horse, no foot no human.
I’d definitely start looking for someone who specializes in body imbalances
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I have battled PF in the past. It seemed to come on after a foot injury that I did not go to the doctor for fast enough. Tried boots, wraps, PT, etc. When the podiatrist was ready to get an MRI and or injections I found a chiropractor that also had a soft tissue doctor on start who did ART, Active Release Technique. The combination of the ART and chiro work along with the chiropractor helping me know what shoes and inserts (modifying inserts since I also over pronate) has helped tremendously. I am never barefoot or without inserts but only have issues when I have put my feet through a tremendous workout (all day hard work) or been walking around barefoot too much.
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I had a bad bout of PF years ago. When I asked my doctor how it came about, she said my Teva flip flops were to blame. I had no other “aggravating factors” such as being overweight, middle-age, etc.
It felt like I was stepping on a very sharp rock with every step. That summer, I lived with frozen peas wrapped around my foot, would roll my foot on a frozen can of orange juice, and just tried not to walk, as much as I could. I could ride a bike, and swim, so I still got some exercise.
After it got better (couple months?) I found very good leather insoles on Footsmart that I used in all my shoes.
No more barefoot, flip-flops or flats. I need shoes with “elastic” arch support. Clarks, Merrells, Born, and a few others are very comfy to me.
I can’t stand Birkenstocks, they hurt my feet.
My PF hasn’t come back since then, but I am very careful when I feel a twinge in my foot that could signal its return.
Thanks all. I appreciate everyone’s input. I am making a point of wearing shoes with good arch support and I hope that will help. I am also planning to purchase some insoles that I can use with shoes that don’t have good arch support. Anyone have any feedback on insoles that have been helpful? I just hope that this will get better over time.
The podiatrist recommended the Spenco brand inserts. They have worked well for me (so I don’t have to move my custom inserts all around for chore boots, etc.).
Mine are Taccos. Full length, thin leather, not too high arch support. I tried some that just killed my feet, the arch was too high. It’s a matter of finding the ones that fit YOUR foot. I also have some 3/4 length Pedag that are comfy in tight shoes.
And yes, it will be better over time!
I had a horrible time with it and none of the things they tell you to do were helping. I’d pretty much just decided to grit my teeth and bear it type thing
Unrelated I completely changed my diet and realized about 2-3 weeks in that it was gone, 100% gone. So I looked into a bit and found out that it can be diet related. No (#&$(#&* doctor ever mentioned that once, not one.
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SO MANY doctors don’t have any idea how many physical problems can be caused by diet. I eat healthy, and by removing some foods I have completely eliminated weird knee issues I was having at night. Someone else told me that cheese makes their feet hurt.
Traditional doctors don’t even tell you that PF has very common roots in body imbalances, but are happy to just treat the symptoms, That’s why more people need to see specialists, or at least functional medicine Drs.
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