Plantar fascitis-new info? Well worth a read

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Plantar fascitis-new info? Well worth a read

Postby GeoffreyLevens » Tue Sep 16, 2014 10:48 am

Scientists now believe that anti-inflammatories are unwarranted, because plantar fasciitis involves little inflammation, contrary to common lore.

High-load strength training consisted of unilateral heel raises with a towel inserted under the toes and a weighted backpack.

After three months, those in the exercise group reported vast improvements. Their pain and disability had declined significantly.

Those who did standard stretches, on the other hand, showed little improvement after three months, although, with a further nine months of stretching, most reported pain relief.

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/09/15/heel-pain-treatment/?_php=true&_type=blogs&ref=health&_r=0


Ask Well: Plantar Fasciitis Relief
By GRETCHEN REYNOLDS
SEPTEMBER 15, 2014 5:15 AMSeptember 15, 2014 5:16 pm

A sturdy box and a backpack can help with heel pain.Credit Michael Skovdal Rathleff

Q
Can I get relief for plantar fasciitis?
Asked by Marilyn • 610 votes
A
If you have stairs or a sturdy box in your home and a backpack, timely relief for plantar fasciitis may be possible, according to a new study of low-tech treatments for the condition.

Plantar fasciitis, the heel pain caused by irritation of the connective tissue on the bottom of the foot, can be lingering and intractable. A recent study of novice runners found that those who developed plantar fasciitis generally required at least five months to recover, and some remained sidelined for a year or more.

Until recently, first-line treatments involved stretching and anti-inflammatory painkillers such as ibuprofen or cortisone. But many scientists now believe that anti-inflammatories are unwarranted, because the condition involves little inflammation. Stretching is still commonly recommended.

But the new study, published in August in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, finds that a single exercise could be even more effective. It requires standing barefoot on the affected leg on a stair or box, with a rolled-up towel resting beneath the toes of the sore foot and the heel extending over the edge of the stair or box. The unaffected leg should hang free, bent slightly at the knee.

Then slowly raise and lower the affected heel to a count of three seconds up, two seconds at the top and three seconds down. In the study, once participants could complete 12 repetitions fairly easily, volunteers donned a backpack stuffed with books to add weight. The volunteers performed eight to 12 repetitions of the exercise every other day.

Other volunteers completed a standard plantar fasciitis stretching regimen, in which they pulled their toes toward their shins 10 times, three times a day.

After three months, those in the exercise group reported vast improvements. Their pain and disability had declined significantly.Those who did standard stretches, on the other hand, showed little improvement after three months, although, with a further nine months of stretching, most reported pain relief.

The upshot, said Michael Skovdal Rathleff, a researcher at Aalborg University in Denmark, who led the study, is that there was “a quicker reduction in pain” with the exercise program, and a reminder of how books, in unexpected ways, can help us heal
.

Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2014 Aug 21. doi: 10.1111/sms.12313. [Epub ahead of print]
High-load strength training improves outcome in patients with plantar fasciitis: A randomized controlled trial with 12-month follow-up.
Rathleff MS1, Mølgaard CM, Fredberg U, Kaalund S, Andersen KB, Jensen TT, Aaskov S, Olesen JL.
Author information

Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of shoe inserts and plantar fascia-specific stretching vs shoe inserts and high-load strength training in patients with plantar fasciitis. Forty-eight patients with ultrasonography-verified plantar fasciitis were randomized to shoe inserts and daily plantar-specific stretching (the stretch group) or shoe inserts and high-load progressive strength training (the strength group) performed every second day.
High-load strength training consisted of unilateral heel raises with a towel inserted under the toes.
Primary outcome was the foot function index (FFI) at 3 months. Additional follow-ups were performed at 1, 6, and 12 months. At the primary endpoint, at 3 months, the strength group had a FFI that was 29 points lower [95% confidence interval (CI): 6-52, P = 0.016] compared with the stretch group. At 1, 6, and 12 months, there were no differences between groups (P > 0.34). At 12 months, the FFI was 22 points (95% CI: 9-36) in the strength group and 16 points (95% CI: 0-32) in the stretch group. There were no differences in any of the secondary outcomes. A simple progressive exercise protocol, performed every second day, resulted in superior self-reported outcome after 3 months compared with plantar-specific stretching. High-load strength training may aid in a quicker reduction in pain and improvements in function.
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Re: Plantar fascitis-new info? Well worth a read

Postby flowerblue » Tue Sep 16, 2014 11:04 am

I have plantar fasciitis in right heel. By the end of day of I can hardly walk it hurts so bad.
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Re: Plantar fascitis-new info? Well worth a read

Postby GeoffreyLevens » Tue Sep 16, 2014 12:34 pm

flowerblue wrote:I have plantar fasciitis in right heel. By the end of day of I can hardly walk it hurts so bad.

Might as well give this a go. I have know a lot of people with PF that lasted and lingered for so long they were seriously depressed despite all the frozen juice can rolling and stretches and ibuprofen etc. Doing same thing again expecting different results....you know. Please do let us know if it helps!
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Re: Plantar fascitis-new info? Well worth a read

Postby Chile » Sun Nov 02, 2014 2:20 pm

I found the information presented in the Correct Toes videos to be very helpful for my foot problems. They are not completely resolved yet but my feet are getting stronger.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rin6PzWQCs (plantar fasciitis actually fasciosis?)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNPfbB2sX5Q (conservative vs. conventional approaches to plantar fasciitis)

My multitude of foot issues all originated with plantar fasciitis in both feet starting almost 20 years ago. For me, staying off dairy is the number one pain management technique, as in eliminating 95-100% of the fasciitis symptoms. 'Wish I'd figured that out before going through every conventional therapy out there for my feet, ending with a fasciotomy on one foot. The surgery destabilized that foot and led to lots of other problems. Over the years, I've spent thousands of dollars on podiatrists, the "right shoes", custom orthotics (NOT covered by insurance), physical therapy and treatments. Still, more and more problems developed over the years including neuritis, Morton's neuromas, anterior tibial tendonitis, and plenty of pain and discomfort. Switching to the Correct Toes approach seems to slowly be bringing some resolution the problems. I really wish I lived in Oregon so I could go see the Correct Toes podiatrist in person to get customized advice for my particular foot issues. It's tempting to plan a vacation there just to get established as a patient!
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