Several years ago my husband developed a nasty case of plantar fasciitis. He visited the doctor, came home with the diagnosis, bought a special boot to wear to bed, and learned an exercise to help his foot heal. I got to wondering what people will do when there is no doctor, no internet, and no orthopedic products to alleviate the pain and heal the tissues. While my husband has had only one or two flare-ups since then, there’s no guarantee against future problems, especially if he can’t get good shoes. (Guess he better make a generous supply of good shoes a priority.) And while researching this topic, I also learned that I am at high risk due to having fallen arches. I’m glad for the opportunity to learn and prepare.
Plantar fasciitis is actually a form of tendinitis that affects the ligaments and tendons that support the arch of the foot. While most cases will resolve eventually without medical intervention, a significant number do not and develop into a long-term disabling problem. And in the meantime, the condition is extremely painful.
With plantar fasciitis, the ligaments and tendons have become strained, due to a variety of factors, right at the point where they attach to the inner bottom edge of the heel bone. And then some of the microfibers comprising these ligaments and tendons get torn, but generally not to the extent that they can be felt at the time. While sleeping at night, the damaged fibers heal with immature strands of scar tissue fibers. Then immediately after getting out of bed in the morning, the first several steps are incredibly painful as those newly formed immature scar tissue fibers are ripped out.
While the classic stabbing pain in the heel first thing in the morning is the initial symptom for most individuals, plantar fasciitis also manifests itself after long periods of standing or when standing up after sitting for a while.[1]
Risk factors
· Age—most common between the ages of 40 and 60 years[2]
· Sex—slightly more common in women[3]
· Shoes without arch adequate arch support[4] [5] [6]
· Abrupt changes in activity levels[7] [8] [9]
· Foot mechanics—flat feet or fallen arches[12] [13] [14] [15]
· Exercise—long distance running, ballet, aerobic dance[16] [17] [18]
· Sudden weight gain
o Pregnancy, especially late pregnancy[23]
· Occupation—those who spend most of their work hours standing on hard surfaces.[24] [25] [26]
· Lupus[27]
· Rheumatoid arthritis[28] [29]
Treatment
· Good shoes with proper arch support[30] [31]
· Orthotics[32] [33] (Most off-the-shelf arch supports are useless from the get-go, or become that way after just a few weeks.)
o The Ali Med Basic Foot Orthosis runs about $50 on Amazon and is foot-specific.
o Heel That Pain heel seats also on Amazon and FSA/HSA eligible for about $30.[34] [35]
· Kinesiology tape. According to physical therapist Brett Sears, here is one way to use kinesiology tape for plantar fasciitis:
- Position your foot out in front of you and gently flex your foot and toes up towards your knee.
- Anchor the first 2 inches of a tape strip onto the ball of the foot (with no stretch). Then apply the strip (with moderate stretch) along the bottom of the foot. Anchor the last 2 inches of the strip onto the back of the heel (with no stretch).
- Place another strip across the first strip (with moderate stretch). Be sure to secure the ends of this strip (with no tension) onto the upper sides of your foot.
- Repeat this last step until your entire medial arch is covered (approximately two to three strips).[36]
· Never go barefoot. (Flip-flops and thin slippers do not count as shoes.)[37] [38] [39]
· Ice. Place the heel on ice 3-4 times per day for 20 minutes.[40] [41] [42] [43] [44]
· Exercise. Before getting out of bed (yes, it doesn’t matter if you have to pee really bad, you have to do this exercise first), roll the arch of the affected foot back and forth over a frozen water bottle, 15 oz can of veggies (or fruit or beans—your choice!), 3-4” diameter PVC pipe, or tennis ball, for 30-60 seconds, gradually increasing the pressure from light to medium. This brief warm-up exercise is all that is needed to gradually load and stretch the immature scar fibers, and prevents them from being suddenly loaded and ripped out with full abrupt weight-bearing. In addition, several times throughout the day, whenever you have a moment, repeat the exercise.
· Anti-inflammatory such as Aleve or Advil.[45] [46] [47] [48]
· Eat a serving or two of Jell-O (or add unflavored gelatin to yogurt, a smoothie, or soup). Gelatin helps rebuild damaged tissue. That’s one reason why it is served so commonly in hospitals—and why you should have it in your preps.
· Essential oils. The following oils diluted in a carrier oil and applied to the heel have been shown effective in some people. [49]
o Eucalyptus
o Lavender
o Lemongrass
o Rose
Complications
If plantar fasciitis goes untreated, the patient may alter his walking gait to avoid the pain, which can then result in hip, knee, foot, or back problems in the future.[50]
If plantar fasciitis occurs in both feet simultaneously, it is more likely due to otherwise silent sciatica. That’s because much of the sciatic nerve terminates exactly at the arch. And while the sciatic nerve is getting pinched in the lower back or hip rotator muscles, the pain is felt at the far end of the nerve fibers. Lower back stretches for the back or hip issues usually resolve this cause of plantar fasciitis.
TEOTWAWKI will be accompanied by a whole lotta pain for most people. Some of those people will develop plantar fasciitis as they spend more time walking and as their shoes wear out and can’t be replaced. Being aware of the risk factors and doing everything we can to mitigate them may help us avoid developing plantar fasciitis.
Links to related posts:
[1] https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/plantar-fasciitis/symptoms-causes/syc-20354846
[2] https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/plantar-fasciitis/symptoms-causes/syc-20354846
[3] https://www.healthline.com/health/plantar-fasciitis#causes-risk-factors
[4] https://www.healthline.com/health/plantar-fasciitis#causes-risk-factors
[5] https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/plantar-fasciitis
[6] https://www.verywellhealth.com/plantar-fasciitis-2549411
[7] https://www.health.harvard.edu/pain/plantar-fasciitis-symptoms-causes-and-treatments
[8] https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/plantar-fasciitis
[9] https://www.verywellhealth.com/plantar-fasciitis-2549411
[10] https://www.health.harvard.edu/pain/plantar-fasciitis-symptoms-causes-and-treatments
[11] https://www.verywellhealth.com/plantar-fasciitis-2549411
[12] https://www.healthline.com/health/plantar-fasciitis#causes-risk-factors
[13] https://www.health.harvard.edu/pain/plantar-fasciitis-symptoms-causes-and-treatments
[14] https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/plantar-fasciitis
[15] https://www.verywellhealth.com/plantar-fasciitis-2549411
[16] https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/plantar-fasciitis/symptoms-causes/syc-20354846
[17] https://www.healthline.com/health/plantar-fasciitis#causes-risk-factors
[18] https://www.verywellhealth.com/plantar-fasciitis-2549411
[19] https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/plantar-fasciitis/symptoms-causes/syc-20354846
[20] https://www.healthline.com/health/plantar-fasciitis#causes-risk-factors
[21] https://www.health.harvard.edu/pain/plantar-fasciitis-symptoms-causes-and-treatments
[22] https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/plantar-fasciitis
[23] https://www.healthline.com/health/plantar-fasciitis#causes-risk-factors
[24] https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/plantar-fasciitis/symptoms-causes/syc-20354846
[25] https://www.healthline.com/health/plantar-fasciitis#causes-risk-factors
[26] https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/plantar-fasciitis
[27] https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/plantar-fasciitis
[28] https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/plantar-fasciitis
[29] https://www.verywellhealth.com/plantar-fasciitis-2549411
[30] https://www.healthline.com/health/plantar-fasciitis#Home-remedies-for-plantar-fasciitis
[31] https://www.health.harvard.edu/pain/plantar-fasciitis-symptoms-causes-and-treatments
[32] https://www.healthline.com/health/plantar-fasciitis#Home-remedies-for-plantar-fasciitis
[33] https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/plantar-fasciitis
[34] https://www.healthline.com/health/plantar-fasciitis#Home-remedies-for-plantar-fasciitis
[35] https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/plantar-fasciitis
[36] https://www.verywellhealth.com/treat-your-plantar-fasciitis-with-kinesiology-tape-2696033
[37] https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/ready-to-run-mayo-clinic-health-system-gives-tips-on-self-care-for-plantar-fasciitis/
[38] https://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/treatment-for-plantar-fasciitis
[39] https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/plantar-fasciitis
[40] https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/ready-to-run-mayo-clinic-health-system-gives-tips-on-self-care-for-plantar-fasciitis/
[41] https://www.healthline.com/health/plantar-fasciitis#Home-remedies-for-plantar-fasciitis
[42] https://www.health.harvard.edu/pain/plantar-fasciitis-symptoms-causes-and-treatments
[43] https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/plantar-fasciitis
[44] https://www.verywellhealth.com/plantar-fasciitis-2549411
[45] https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/ready-to-run-mayo-clinic-health-system-gives-tips-on-self-care-for-plantar-fasciitis/
[46] https://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/treatment-for-plantar-fasciitis
[47] https://www.healthline.com/health/plantar-fasciitis#causes-risk-factors
[48] https://www.health.harvard.edu/pain/plantar-fasciitis-symptoms-causes-and-treatments
[49] https://www.healthline.com/health/plantar-fasciitis#Home-remedies-for-plantar-fasciitis
[50] https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/plantar-fasciitis/symptoms-causes/syc-20354846
Otc orthotics called "10 seconds to comfort" are worthy and have some longevity. The last pair i got were just under $40. And doing the tennis ball self foot massage several times a day is very helpful.
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