[ednc]

I find the "shoes with arch support" advise in the article to be horrible*

(*Disclaimer I am no doc, this is only based off what worked for me)

I spent years fighting plantar fasciitis, and tried every shoe, device, gimmick and (expensive) orthodic available. I spent $1000's on this, and my insurance companies spent even more on custom orthodics and docs. Nothing worked, and it actually got worse over time. I could barely walk some days, and traversing stairs backwards (this helped a little with the pain) was pretty common.

I assumed it was just due to a childhood injury on my left foot, and I'd just be suffering for life. But when my right foot got the pain ( only after using all the medical remedies and prescribed devices ) - I knew something was off.

A few years ago I heard about the barefoot running trend. On a whim I decided to try it (the barefoot part, not the running part, yet) and see what would happen - it would have been hard for things to get worse.

Fast forward to now - I have not had pain in years, lost weight (which also helped), and run 1/2 marathons and 5ks multiple times a year.

In my experience any arch support just helps lead to atrophy of the tendons, which cause the pain.

My remedy in a nutshell:

1. Before you get out of bed each day (and BEFORE you put any weight on your feet) stretch both feet (even if only one is having a problem). Grab your foot at the ball and pull back (gently, you're not trying to snap your foot). Hold for 60 seconds. repeat on each foot 2-3 times. Over time you can dial this back, but keep at it for a few weeks and you will notice a difference.

2. Stay "barefoot" as much as possible. Walk around the house barefoot, wear thin, flat shoes when possible (Nike Free, Vibram, Vivo, or any thin sole shoe without a big heel - normal sneakers suck)

3. Read Born to Run - it's a great book :-)

Hope this helps some. I suffered for years, and it sucks. Happy to answer questions.

[jstelly]

For people who have experienced this, it's worth noting that planar fasciitis can also be caused by your sleeping position. The stretching advice still applies but you can also modify your sleeping position to remedy the pain.

[ednc]

PS - I use a standing desk now, and stand for 6-10 hours a day at it.