Plantar fasciitis: What to do when it’s so bad you can’t walk
A pain in the foot can stop your running in its tracks and be difficult to manage – particularly when it’s something like plantar fasciitis, which can make even walking a struggle.
The condition is one of the most common running injuries and can also be one of the most difficult to overcome – often taking months to heal, even with an intensive recovery plan.
Regularly seen in runners who have overloaded their training, plantar fasciitis is associated with repetitive strain and overuse. But you can develop it even if you haven’t done too much, too soon, with footwear, the shape of your foot and biomechanics all playing their part.
How do I know if I have plantar fasciitis?
If you have a sharp pain at the bottom of your heel, there’s a chance it could be plantar fasciitis. Although the jury is still out amongst sports scientists over whether it’s an inflammatory or degenerative condition, the pain will be due to discomfort in the plantar fascia tissue – the band of tissue that links the heel bone to the toes on the underside of your foot. You can find out more about the condition in our explainer.
Can plantar fasciitis hurt so much that I can’t walk?
How much plantar fasciitis hurts will depend on the individual. For some, though, it can be so bad that walking even short distances is painful, with symptoms including a constant sharp or stabbing pain in the heel or arch of the foot.
'You can often feel a sudden pain when you get up in the morning or if you've been resting for a while,’ explains foot health specialist Bente Smith-Rewse, founder of Enertor. 'The pain can get better if you're doing exercises, but then it will return after you have rested.’
If the condition is severe, walking can exacerbate rather than improve symptoms, while in some extreme cases, patients can undergo an operation to decrease the stress on the plantar fascia.
How can you manage plantar fasciitis when you are unable to walk?
Like with all running injuries, the earlier you can address the symptoms, the better. But if your plantar fasciitis has got so bad that it is painful to walk, there are several short-term steps that can help your feet recover without putting too much load through them before moving onto foot-strengthening exercises that will hopefully keep it at bay:
Stop the activity: It might sound obvious, but minimising the action that is causing the issue will help to give your feet a chance to rest. If walking is the problem, try to ease back until symptoms improve.
Pain relief: Pain relief such as paracetamol or ibuprofen can be good short-term options while icing the area can reduce inflammation. And if you’re unsure what to ice with, a frozen water bottle works wonders and can be rolled under the arch of the foot. If this pain relief doesn’t improve symptoms, a physio may recommend a cortisone injection to ease pain and swelling. While it won’t cure your plantar fasciitis, it will mask the pain for six months and allow you to rehabilitate your plantar fascia pain-free.
Footwear: Ensuring you have supportive footwear is key to getting you walking without pain again. 'Improve the footwear so that you have support in the arches,' says Smith-Rewse. 'Don't wear anything with a heel or without support. Get really good insoles inside that footwear and it will do wonders.'
Taping and splints: Pressure can be alleviated using tape, a splint or brace, but it’s best to seek a professional’s advice before using. However, these should only be used following advice from a medical professional. 'Tape, provided it's done correctly, often works extremely well,' says Smith-Rewse. 'It does mean you have to learn how to do it and be shown by a physio. But tape stabilises the foot so there's slightly less movement.'
Cross training: It’s important to keep moving to aid your recovery, but how do you do it if walking is a struggle? Enter cross training. A non-weight-bearing activity such as swimming can be a great alternative but beware of cycling, which can aggravate the condition. Take a look at our guide to cross training while injured or our round-up of the best cross trainers for your home.
Stretching: A hard hockey ball or water bottle can be rolled under your foot and will help to stretch and release the plantar fascia tissue. Initially, these can help relieve pain before you build in some foot-specific strength exercises long-term.
Shock wave therapy: This non-invasive treatment claims to be able to cure the symptoms of chronic plantar fasciitis, although the NHS says that there are uncertainties around how well it works. Speak to a physiotherapist to see if this is an appropriate option for your condition and will help to reduce pain.
What can make plantar fasciitis more painful?
Exercise: If running or walking has caused your plantar fasciitis, then continuing to do the same activities is likely to increase the pain and ultimately make things worse. Ease off any aggravating exercise and cross train instead.
High heels: 'Whatever you do, don't wear high heels,' says Smith-Rewse. 'If you have plantar fasciitis, high heels will make it worse.' This is because the constricted nature of high heels sees you squeeze your feet into an unnatural position, forcing more pressure onto your foot and increasing the pain.
Weight: As the body’s sole load-bearing location, symptoms of plantar fasciitis can be worse the heavier you are – the condition is more common in those who are overweight. Maintaining a healthy weight will therefore help symptoms.
Bare feet: 'If you are in pain and then walking barefoot, that is an absolute no-no,' says Smith-Rewse. 'You have to wear footwear to control movement and to give your arch support.' This is particularly the case if you are walking on hard surfaces like stone floors which will worsen the irritation.
Should you seek medical help if you have plantar fasciitis so bad you are unable to walk?
If you think that you might have plantar fasciitis, it’s important to seek medical help as soon as possible to get the correct diagnosis and prevent the condition from getting any worse. A GP should be able to confirm if it is plantar fasciitis, while a physiotherapist may be able to stretch the fascia without causing any more damage as well as suggest specific exercises. If you are unable to walk, then medical advice is a must.
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