Anybody use them? Brand? Hints or tips? Warnings?
I've history of plantar fasciitis. Recently began trying an off the shelf orthotic insert for my shoes.
I'm not talking about custom made orthotics, but about off the shelf mass produced inserts you can buy just about anywhere.
this is one instance in which my experience might be helpful to another
i am a sports official. year round. basketball, fast pitch, and football
for 23 months i dealt with the agony of pf on the court and ball fields
it slowed me down to the point i almost ended my career in december, being unable to keep up with the players on a basketball court
had earlier made an appointment with an ortho surgeon. the first thing he asked me was whether i was ready to go under the knife and wear a boot during the healing process. when i said 'no' he gave me a pamphlet with information to order a crappy ortho insert
take my mother in law to her podiatrist appointments. spoke with her doctor. he explained that while he may refer 4 to 5 patients for surgery each year for pf, he knows surgeons who perform that many surgeries in a week; to surgeons, the knife solves all problems. explained his approach and i adopted it as his patient. the pain has gone away in 4 months
1. wear orthotics. always
2. do not walk around in bare feet for more than 15 minutes
3. wear GOOD shoes. found HOKA (wide) from the recurring recommendations on another forum discussing pf solutions
4. stretch AFTER exercising
5. if pain recurs, ice it (fill a small plastic soda bottle with water and freeze it. works like a cold lacrosse ball)
Betterform orthotics. $37 from his office. here is the web site:
https://www.orthoticshop.com/better...?varid=48814&gclid=CNrA8eix7s0CFYJZhgodT80KfQ
while i have a molded orthotic, i only use it in my walking shoes. still only use the Betterform orthotic in my athletic shoes while officiating. it is SO much better than the piece of crap recommended by the surgeon
the stretching exercise is easy. but you must do it correctly. step back from a wall where both heels are still touching the floor while you extend your arms against the wall to keep from falling over. if you feel some slight pressure in your calves, you are doing it right (as long as your heels remain touching the floor)
2 minutes per stretch
twice daily
i now do mine in a hot shower. the length of the tub is perfect for me (6'1") as my heels touch the tub floor while i lean forward bracing against the wall
use that same warm up AFTER exercise
use the betterform orthotic
discard any shoes that do not provide good heel support
and this, which did NOT come from the doc, but from a buddy who had the problem. he's a trail builder and has hiked the entire appalachian trail. while taking a hot shower, when the bottom of your foot is warm, do a DEEP tissue massage where the pain resides. initially, the pain will be intense. maybe excruciating. that tells you it is working. you are separating the tissue that has come together to apply pressure on your nerves, prompting the pf pain. in short order (10 days/two weeks) you will be stunned by the amount of relief from pain that provides. the intensity of the pain felt during the deep tissue massage will fall off abruptly. for me, this was a key part of the solution
i am back officiating collegiate summer basketball camps. can run again. not long ago, doubted that would ever happen
hope your approach has similar outcomes