Plantar Fasciitis--Will Fish Oil Help?
From: bender645
Subject: Nutrition
Date/Time 2007-11-05 11:34:25
Remote IP: 71.242.92.112
Message
I can't say anything regarding fish oil, but I have way too much experience dealing with Plantar Fasciitis. It has been a long trip of trial and error so I will share what I know and hope that my experience can save you some time and money.
Plantar Faciitis is one of the most painful conditions imaginable. It is difficult to heal because there is no direct blood supply and it is about as far from your heart as it can get.
Calf stretching can help some people. I never tried the golf balls but I would have had they been suggested. I would have tried ANYTHING.
There are two things that I can personally vouch for as far as effectiveness.
The first is a "quick fix" that helped me. It is a contraption that you wear at night. It keeps the arch flexed and therefore the plantar fascia extended while sleeping. This interupts the daily cycle of reinjury that occurs as soon as your feet hit the floor in the morning. It is a piece of stiff fabric with two velcro straps. Cost is about $10 and it is widely available (feelgood catalog).
The long term solution is to strengthen the foot muscles in the arch so that it retains its natural shape during activities. Jumping rope bare-foot has all but cured me. Others swear by Barefoot Science (Joe Theisman info-mercial), but I haven't tried this product.
Two items of caution: I would advise you to avoid hard, orthotic type inserts. These take the place of the arch strength that needs to be developed. They may relieve the pain initially because they put your foot in the correct position, but they won't cure the problem and may make it worse because your arch will never be forced to work and develop the necessary strength.
The other piece of advice that I can offer is counter-intuitive. Follow the party line on foot wear. Soft sneakers and cross-trainers will aggravate the condtion.
Best of luck
[Top of List] [Previous Thread] [Next Thread]
