Plantar Fasciitis and Step Aerobics

[Raine9]

Hello all,

New here.  I love step aerobics.  It's the only form of excercise that doesn't bore me.  However, I developed plantar fasciitis a little more than a year ago.  I tried a step aerobics class for the first time since my diagnosis, this past Wednesday.  Now I am paying the price.  My feet hurt.  I'm wondering if there are certain shoes I can buy or insoles to prevent my feet from hurting after doing step aerobics?

Thanks!

[HJK58]

You might want to try an orthodic.  I have PF - it sucks!

BTW - my condition did improve when I starting wearing MBT shoes (do a web search).  However, they would not work for aerobics.

[jdesouza]

I had Plantar Fasciitis and it took about 6 months to go away. The two things that worked was resting until the pain went away, and the stretching.  The two stretches that worked well were stretching the foot on a slanted board (or edge of a step) and rolling the foot over a tennis ball. Isolating the cause of the problem is key to understanding whether you need to change your shoes, rest, etc.
Good luck

[Suri123]

Hi jdesouza, how are you doing? Hope you are feeling better and continue to do well. You need to take rest and decrease the stress to nill. It is good idea to go on physical but it can also worsen. It is better to get evaluated by a surgeon and if required to get investigated. "Plantar fasciitis is a common, painful foot condition. Patients, and sometimes doctors often confuse the terms plantar fasciitis and heel spurs. Plantar fasciitis refers to the syndrome of inflammation of the band of tissue that runs from the heel along the arch of the foot; a heel spur is a hook of bone that can form on the heel bone (calcaneus)". You may get some more useful information through this link: http://****.about.com/od/footankle/a/fasciitis.htm
Take care and share your thoughts.

[Suri123]

Hi jdesouza, how are you? Hope you are feeling well and able to move around freely? How is your foot and are you on rest or have started with your aerobics? It is better to wait till the inflammation gets subsided completely and then to start on foot as continuous movements and pressure may not let it heal. Keeping your foot in warm water once morning and in evenings will releive pain much. Anti-inflammatories can relieve inflammation and pain. If it is not showing any improvement, you need to get it examined by an orthopedic surgeon without ignoring it. Hope the above link was of some help in getting information. Take care and update.

[ChitChatNine]

On the Plantar .. when I was in phys. therapy they suggested I keep a soda bottle filled with frozen water at my bedside and when I first got up from bed to roll my foot along the frozen plastic bottle .. back and forth gently.  It helped to take down the morning inflammation.

My condition is also related to something else (a severe tibial tendonitis Grade II-III) along with an arthritis in the ankle.  So I now wear custom made orthotics and high top sneakers.  Took almost 6 mos to go away.  But the frozen soda bottle did help alot!

Thought I'd share as I happened upon this post ...

Cheryl

[marissposa]

Thanks Cheryl that is a great idea!

[peekawho]

I had PF for 2 years!  Horrible.

I used a frozen OJ can to roll my foot on.  
Ice it frequently, use NSAIDS as recommended by your doctor as often as you can (do not exceed recommended daily limits).  
And do stretches.

I also highly recommend Tuli heel cups (google them).  When I started wearing them, that's really when I turned the corner with the PF, and it started really improving.