Plantar Fasc. and Work Shoe Ideas

I’m looking for advice on shoes that seem to fit my feet best.

I do have pretty high arches, but I can’t find any work shoes (food service, I’m standing all day) that aren’t crazy expensive. Honestly, the only normal comfortable shoes I own are my chucks. I’ve worn them to work (super slippery, of course) and they seemed to help a good amount. My all-day foot pain went away, and I still had pain towards the ends of my shifts, but I’d take that over every other option so far, especially if they were non-slips.

Does anyone with high arches know of any good work shoes? $100 is my absolute max, though cheaper would be preferred.
PS, arch support pretty much kills my feet. They aren’t comfortable just for daily walking, and get worse when I’m just standing.
Any combination of shoes and/or insoles works too.

Thanks

Also, excuse the thread hijack below. I’m just looking for shoes, not advice from someone who doesn’t stand on their feet all day.

Try a rigid orthotic insert

If you wanna cover up the pain, get the inserts

Or fix it so you don’t have to deal with it

Inserts will only exacerbate the problem

I hate plantar fasciitis. It’s going to be trial and error to find what works, either hard inserts like Superfeet, I had some success with them, or new shoes.

Chuck’s work okay for me but they are not very functional; slippery soles, get wet easy, hardly any protection.

Maybe try combat boots? The real companies that make stuff for infantry like Bates.

[quote]Jarvan wrote:
If you wanna cover up the pain, get the inserts

Or fix it so you don’t have to deal with it

Inserts will only exacerbate the problem[/quote]

This is simply outstanding advice, so long as you read it the right way.

With me, 15 years ago, as a result of boxing (5 miles of roadwork a morning, skipping rope on a hard gym floor, sparring etc.) my feet hurt so bad it woke me at night and got worse when i got up in the morning. I would tape my feet to sleep and get through the day. I literally would keep them taped 24x7 until they started to stink, then i’d take the tape off and re-tape them.

So what is the problem with Plantar Fasc.?
Its the fuckin PAIN.
What does “exacerbate” mean?
Answer:
To make a problem worse.
If i don’t have any pain in my feet, i don’t have a problem. So the question is:
Do inserts “cover up the pain” or do they “exacerbate” the pain.

My foot doctor prescribed custom fitted inserts.
It was like night and day.
I wanted to kiss the guy.
Best money i ever spend.
I never wear any shoe without them, work, dress, in the gym. If they don’t fit in a shoe, i don’t wear that shoe. Period.
I never want to go through what i felt before i got half a brain and went to a foot doctor again.

Apparently i’ve been “covering up the pain” for 15 years now.
And i plan on “exacerbating” covering up the pain for the foreseeable future.

Can’t say they work for everyone, but for me at least inserts gave me back a normal life.

LB

[quote]Jarvan wrote:
If you wanna cover up the pain, get the inserts

Or fix it so you don’t have to deal with it

Inserts will only exacerbate the problem[/quote]

I roll them and stretch a lot. I don’t have the option to stay off my feet. Got anything better?

You can get a foam boot that’s designed to keep your foot flexed at night. That or a similar sock type thing are often helpful. Diminishes the pain in the morning.

Otherwise stretch the tendon and calf regularly. Use a golf or lax ball to massage the fascia. Use oil and rub with your thumb. Take a towel and scrunch it with your toes. There are some more daily exercises you can use to rehab it.

Cortisone shots give temporary relief and can help while you are rehabbing it.

LBramble - the boxing and name reminds me of Livingston Bramble, haven’t heard that name in decades

[quote]VTTrainer wrote:

[quote]Jarvan wrote:
If you wanna cover up the pain, get the inserts

Or fix it so you don’t have to deal with it

Inserts will only exacerbate the problem[/quote]

I roll them and stretch a lot. I don’t have the option to stay off my feet. Got anything better?[/quote]

stretching is one of the worst things you can do to an inflamed ligament or joint.

If it’s an option, find an ART practitioner, and get it fixed in… maybe 2 weeks or sooner.

And about rolling…

everyone squats… some get gains, some get hurt

it really depends if you know how the fuck to do it right

[quote]Jarvan wrote:

[quote]VTTrainer wrote:

[quote]Jarvan wrote:
If you wanna cover up the pain, get the inserts

Or fix it so you don’t have to deal with it

Inserts will only exacerbate the problem[/quote]

I roll them and stretch a lot. I don’t have the option to stay off my feet. Got anything better?[/quote]

stretching is one of the worst things you can do to an inflamed ligament or joint.

If it’s an option, find an ART practitioner, and get it fixed in… maybe 2 weeks or sooner.

And about rolling…

everyone squats… some get gains, some get hurt

it really depends if you know how the fuck to do it right [/quote]

I don’t have an ART practitioner around here…

Not sure you know what you’re talking about regarding inflammation. Why would aggressive manual therapy be good for an inflammed area, and stretching bad? My achilles isn’t inflammed, so there’s that. I’ve got good standing posture, my gait is proper. Nothing but my weight and the shoes under my feet are the link to the pain. I’m not sold on myofascial work in this situation as the only option, it’s silly and I’m not moving with false patterns. The problem will just come back up if I stop seeing the manual therapist, that’s your solution.

I’m standing on my feet all day. I know at least 1 kind of shoe that helps, a lot, and am reaching out to those who have been in my situation (a lot of people on here wear chucks, this is a good site to ask this bc of that). I really don’t have the money to spend on a wonderful pair of shoes, let alone some guy to rub my feet and tell me to come back weekly.

You haven’t even asked what I wear on my feet yet dude, how do you know if x, y or z will help? I don’t need recommendations from someone who isn’t even paying attention to the situation.

[quote]VTTrainer wrote:

[quote]Jarvan wrote:

[quote]VTTrainer wrote:

[quote]Jarvan wrote:
If you wanna cover up the pain, get the inserts

Or fix it so you don’t have to deal with it

Inserts will only exacerbate the problem[/quote]

I roll them and stretch a lot. I don’t have the option to stay off my feet. Got anything better?[/quote]

stretching is one of the worst things you can do to an inflamed ligament or joint.

If it’s an option, find an ART practitioner, and get it fixed in… maybe 2 weeks or sooner.

And about rolling…

everyone squats… some get gains, some get hurt

it really depends if you know how the fuck to do it right [/quote]

I don’t have an ART practitioner around here…

Not sure you know what you’re talking about regarding inflammation. Why would aggressive manual therapy be good for an inflammed area, and stretching bad? My achilles isn’t inflammed, so there’s that. I’ve got good standing posture, my gait is proper. Nothing but my weight and the shoes under my feet are the link to the pain. I’m not sold on myofascial work in this situation as the only option, it’s silly and I’m not moving with false patterns. The problem will just come back up if I stop seeing the manual therapist, that’s your solution.

I’m standing on my feet all day. I know at least 1 kind of shoe that helps, a lot, and am reaching out to those who have been in my situation (a lot of people on here wear chucks, this is a good site to ask this bc of that). I really don’t have the money to spend on a wonderful pair of shoes, let alone some guy to rub my feet and tell me to come back weekly.

You haven’t even asked what I wear on my feet yet dude, how do you know if x, y or z will help? I don’t need recommendations from someone who isn’t even paying attention to the situation. [/quote]

You most likely had PF because you haven’t been wearing flat sole shoes, like chucks. And it’s apparent you haven’t been wearing chucks because you’re asking about special shoes to hide the pain (there are obviously other factors that attribute to PF besides shoes). Three ways to get inflammation out is nutrition, soft tissue work, and reduced stress (emotional and/or local) And then there is aspirin, but we all know that causes all sorts of complications.

Did a professional tell you that you don’t have faulty patterns in your hip/lumbo complex? Or is that just your assumption. Because if you’ve been doing everything right, you wouldn’t have PF, right? And if you just want to know which shoes to get, then get it.

Your PF is not caused solely by a tight achilles. It’s an overactive flexor digitorum longus (sp?) and hallucis longus… which the origin of the problem can stem from anything from your foot, all the way up to your hips.

But listen, if your hip is super healthy/aligned, your knees/ankles are healthy/aligned and your foot still hurts, maybe its a tumor.

[quote]Jarvan wrote:

[quote]VTTrainer wrote:

[quote]Jarvan wrote:

[quote]VTTrainer wrote:

[quote]Jarvan wrote:
If you wanna cover up the pain, get the inserts

Or fix it so you don’t have to deal with it

Inserts will only exacerbate the problem[/quote]

I roll them and stretch a lot. I don’t have the option to stay off my feet. Got anything better?[/quote]

stretching is one of the worst things you can do to an inflamed ligament or joint.

If it’s an option, find an ART practitioner, and get it fixed in… maybe 2 weeks or sooner.

And about rolling…

everyone squats… some get gains, some get hurt

it really depends if you know how the fuck to do it right [/quote]

I don’t have an ART practitioner around here…

Not sure you know what you’re talking about regarding inflammation. Why would aggressive manual therapy be good for an inflammed area, and stretching bad? My achilles isn’t inflammed, so there’s that. I’ve got good standing posture, my gait is proper. Nothing but my weight and the shoes under my feet are the link to the pain. I’m not sold on myofascial work in this situation as the only option, it’s silly and I’m not moving with false patterns. The problem will just come back up if I stop seeing the manual therapist, that’s your solution.

I’m standing on my feet all day. I know at least 1 kind of shoe that helps, a lot, and am reaching out to those who have been in my situation (a lot of people on here wear chucks, this is a good site to ask this bc of that). I really don’t have the money to spend on a wonderful pair of shoes, let alone some guy to rub my feet and tell me to come back weekly.

You haven’t even asked what I wear on my feet yet dude, how do you know if x, y or z will help? I don’t need recommendations from someone who isn’t even paying attention to the situation. [/quote]

You most likely had PF because you haven’t been wearing flat sole shoes, like chucks. And it’s apparent you haven’t been wearing chucks because you’re asking about special shoes to hide the pain (there are obviously other factors that attribute to PF besides shoes). Three ways to get inflammation out is nutrition, soft tissue work, and reduced stress (emotional and/or local) And then there is aspirin, but we all know that causes all sorts of complications.

Did a professional tell you that you don’t have faulty patterns in your hip/lumbo complex? Or is that just your assumption. Because if you’ve been doing everything right, you wouldn’t have PF, right? And if you just want to know which shoes to get, then get it.

Your PF is not caused solely by a tight achilles. It’s an overactive flexor digitorum longus (sp?) and hallucis longus… which the origin of the problem can stem from anything from your foot, all the way up to your hips.

But listen, if your hip is super healthy/aligned, your knees/ankles are healthy/aligned and your foot still hurts, maybe its a tumor. [/quote]

Yes, I’ve had professionals (plural) evaluate me. No one is perfect, no need to be a smart ass, but these are not issues for me. You’re telling me -itis is caused by either a tumor or bad motor patterns? lol

Also, ‘if I was doing everything right’ is a cop out. I have TOS, got that from fucking up I assume?

If I knew what shoes to get I wouldn’t be posting the thread, you’re missing the point. That’s evident since you’ve hijacked this thread and haven’t given me any useful info. Better yet, denied someone’s testimonial who has been without pain for 15 years. I’m not an idiot, I’m very involved in the science and practice in the strength world. I’m just asking for some fucking shoes that are better than mine. Also, you’re a twat to say that insoles are covering things up. You know chuck taylors have an insole, right? The thing between your foot and the ground. I’m asking for a work shoe (have you ever wore non slips?) that is similar to that… not a useless lesson questioning my knowledge.
Maybe I’ll take your sage advice and go see a doc to remove the tumor in my foot.

I have PF and have been seeing a physical therapist twice a week for almost 3 months now The problem is just getting under control. My problem is the opposite of yours (low arches), but apparently anything and everything can cause it. My therapist has worked on my back, hips, pelvis, ankles, Achilles tendons, and, most of all, my feet.

Everything the therapist worked on was related to a problem he found. Some of the things he did helped a bit, others didn’t help at all. The work he did on my feet hurt like hell, but I think this work did the most to help rectify my problems.

My main point though, is that, at least in my case, there was no magic bullet. The foot contains something like 26 separate bones along with muscles, ligaments and tendons. Imbalances or problems in one area can cause your foot to compensate in various ways and cause the type of pain you have. There may be one cause for your problem, or there may be many. A doctor can’t help much. All he can do is rule out something more serious and offer to send you to physical therapy or give you a cortisone injection. A podiatrist can make orthotics for you, but you’ll still need to see a therapist to correct the underlying problems.

PF is aggravated by sitting, standing and sleeping. Stretching the foot and Achilles tendon can help to loosen the foot up after you’ve been doing this. In my case, standing is the worst as it hurts to stand in one position too long. Sleeping and sitting only hurt after getting up to walk. As someone mentioned, you can get a plastic splint to keep your Achilles tendon stretched while sleeping and avoid pain in the morning. I found this to be more trouble than it was worth though. I had trouble sleeping with the damn thing on. To me, it was better to sleep through the night and hobble a bit in the morning, rather than try to sleep with them on.

There’s some debate as to whether orthotics are good or bad for problem feet. One school of thought argues that you need the support to solve your foot problems and prevent new ones. The other school says that too much support prevents the foot bones from moving properly and also keeps your foot muscles from working properly. My doctor and therapist have a foot in each camp. They say that you need the proper amount of support (but not excessive support) to get the foot to rest and heal. They also concede that barefoot (or shoes with no support that allow your feet to move) is best, but contend that you need to transition to this gradually to prevent further problems.

I think that you’re in a pretty tough situation, as you need to stand all day, but can’t also spend money on therapists or shoes with good support. At a minimum, try stretching your feet and Achilles tendons regularly, and roll a golf ball under your feet occasionally as well. A heel pad might help temporarily to shorten the Achilles tendon, but longer-term you should stretch it properly. Lacking prescription orthotics, some cheap arch supports might also be helpful.

Good luckj.

[quote]VTTrainer wrote:

[quote]Jarvan wrote:

[quote]VTTrainer wrote:

[quote]Jarvan wrote:

[quote]VTTrainer wrote:

[quote]Jarvan wrote:
If you wanna cover up the pain, get the inserts

Or fix it so you don’t have to deal with it

Inserts will only exacerbate the problem[/quote]

I roll them and stretch a lot. I don’t have the option to stay off my feet. Got anything better?[/quote]

stretching is one of the worst things you can do to an inflamed ligament or joint.

If it’s an option, find an ART practitioner, and get it fixed in… maybe 2 weeks or sooner.

And about rolling…

everyone squats… some get gains, some get hurt

it really depends if you know how the fuck to do it right [/quote]

I don’t have an ART practitioner around here…

Not sure you know what you’re talking about regarding inflammation. Why would aggressive manual therapy be good for an inflammed area, and stretching bad? My achilles isn’t inflammed, so there’s that. I’ve got good standing posture, my gait is proper. Nothing but my weight and the shoes under my feet are the link to the pain. I’m not sold on myofascial work in this situation as the only option, it’s silly and I’m not moving with false patterns. The problem will just come back up if I stop seeing the manual therapist, that’s your solution.

I’m standing on my feet all day. I know at least 1 kind of shoe that helps, a lot, and am reaching out to those who have been in my situation (a lot of people on here wear chucks, this is a good site to ask this bc of that). I really don’t have the money to spend on a wonderful pair of shoes, let alone some guy to rub my feet and tell me to come back weekly.

You haven’t even asked what I wear on my feet yet dude, how do you know if x, y or z will help? I don’t need recommendations from someone who isn’t even paying attention to the situation. [/quote]

You most likely had PF because you haven’t been wearing flat sole shoes, like chucks. And it’s apparent you haven’t been wearing chucks because you’re asking about special shoes to hide the pain (there are obviously other factors that attribute to PF besides shoes). Three ways to get inflammation out is nutrition, soft tissue work, and reduced stress (emotional and/or local) And then there is aspirin, but we all know that causes all sorts of complications.

Did a professional tell you that you don’t have faulty patterns in your hip/lumbo complex? Or is that just your assumption. Because if you’ve been doing everything right, you wouldn’t have PF, right? And if you just want to know which shoes to get, then get it.

Your PF is not caused solely by a tight achilles. It’s an overactive flexor digitorum longus (sp?) and hallucis longus… which the origin of the problem can stem from anything from your foot, all the way up to your hips.

But listen, if your hip is super healthy/aligned, your knees/ankles are healthy/aligned and your foot still hurts, maybe its a tumor. [/quote]

Yes, I’ve had professionals (plural) evaluate me. No one is perfect, no need to be a smart ass, but these are not issues for me. You’re telling me -itis is caused by either a tumor or bad motor patterns? lol

Also, ‘if I was doing everything right’ is a cop out. I have TOS, got that from fucking up I assume?

If I knew what shoes to get I wouldn’t be posting the thread, you’re missing the point. That’s evident since you’ve hijacked this thread and haven’t given me any useful info. Better yet, denied someone’s testimonial who has been without pain for 15 years. I’m not an idiot, I’m very involved in the science and practice in the strength world. I’m just asking for some fucking shoes that are better than mine. Also, you’re a twat to say that insoles are covering things up. You know chuck taylors have an insole, right? The thing between your foot and the ground. I’m asking for a work shoe (have you ever wore non slips?) that is similar to that… not a useless lesson questioning my knowledge.
Maybe I’ll take your sage advice and go see a doc to remove the tumor in my foot. [/quote]

Unfortunate you are upset.
And the gentleman who “didn’t” have pain for 15 years is because he covered it up with tape. He was being genuine with his situation to help you understand covering up the pain will only keep you in pain. And with that said, good luck buddy.

I’m just looking for advice. Also, your reading comprehension is lacking, or you didn’t finish reading the guy’s post about his situation. He doesn’t wrap his feet any more…

I do really appreciate all the other posts that have been placed here guys. Thank you.

Have you looked into the sleeping boot option? It was I think the breakthrough for me and then stretching and pt to avoid a recurrence every morning. Took about two months. After that episode I haven’t done the prevention or pt and haven’t had a reoccurrence in 5 years

I think I’m more apt to try the sock thing instead, but I’ve had a hard time sleeping lately, so I’ll hold off a bit so I don’t have something making it any worse

Hey man, I worked food service for three years and developed PF. It sucks. Feels like someone is stabbing you, huh? I could not more highly recommend seeing a foot doctor. I got cortisone shots in each foot about every 6 weeks for a total of 3 times, I think. The shot knocked out the inflammation within 24 hours. He also put me on corticosteroids to keep the inflammation at bay.

Then, he custom fitted me with insoles. He had me buy insoles at a local athletic store, and then he heated them up and molded them to my feet. Like one of the guys said on this thread, the insoles go in EVERY shoe…work, gym, casual. If they don’t fit in the shoe, I don’t wear that shoe. I even bought flip flops for the summer that are made for PF. (Orthoheel)

It took a couple of years of consistently wearing my insoles, but it’s gone. I have not had one episode of PF in 2-3 years.
Some of the other recommendations are valid, but not as good. Stretching the calf and foot is GREAT, but you have to be consistent. Do it twice a day every day. Also, I found freezing a water bottle and then rolling my foot on it every night helped. You’re essentially icing it and massaging it simultaneously.
Good luck!! I sure understand the pain! But see a doctor. You won’t regret it.