Plantar fasciitis is a painful inflammation of the plantar fascia (tendon), the thick fibrous band of connective tissue originating on the bottom surface of the heel bone and extending along the sole of the foot towards the toes. It seems to be particularly painful first thing in the morning when your feet first touch the floor. I’ve had a problem with this and, like others with the problem, I can assure you it is all but crippling.
I’ve cured mine. It wasn’t difficult, but it didn’t happen quickly – at least 12 weeks passed before I could say that the pain was gone. It was painful for so long (far longer than ten days – See Ten Day Rule) that I actually consulted my doctor about it.
Here’s what I did.
- purchased some shoes with good arch supports. The New Balance brand was recommended and they were very helpful.
- purchased arch support insoles for other pairs of shoes. The gell ones from Dr. Scholl’s are inexpensive and good for most people.
- used anti-inflammatory medicine (ibuprofen). Reducing inflammation seems crucial for long term results.
- learned how to tape my foot to support the inflamed tendon. I did this daily for several weeks. I tried a number of brands of tape and concluded that the J&J brand ( one inch wide) was by far the best. It feels very good on the foot. I must warn you, though, be careful when removing the tape. When wrapping, the ends of the tape will usually end up on the top of your foot – where the skin is thin and sensitive. If you rip off the tape, you can also remove a layer or two of skin. In itself, that hurts. It also makes it all but impossible to tape again until the wound heals. Watch This Taping Video and learn.
- made sure that I had slippers with arch supports and I stopped going barefoot. I step out of bed into my arch supporter slippers. The only barefoot times are while I’m in the shower.
I no longer tape my foot or use the ibuprofen tablets, but I still wear supports and never go barefoot.