Author Topic: Plantar Faciitis Problems from SUPing?  (Read 6687 times)

Bulky

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Plantar Faciitis Problems from SUPing?
« on: March 30, 2015, 11:38:30 AM »
I've been on a really good regimen since January and have been logging major miles almost every morning.  That is, until the last couple of weeks when I've been stricken with some pretty intense Plantar Faciitis.  Really bad in one foot but also present in the other.  I can't really see any other major behavior than would have caused this other than being barefoot on a board for 75min 5x a week.  Admittedly, when I'm on an open ocean paddle I'm probably tending to be flat-footed and straining foot muscles when I balance.  Been icing every night and taking ibuprofen but still hurts incredibly when I get up in the morning.  Had to take a few days off due to business travel so it's eased off a bit, but still very present.  I know one of the remedies is to make sure one has on good shoes with arch support, etc, but I'm really hoping I can get around that when it comes to being on the board.  I really prefer being barefoot.

Anyone else had issues with this?  Any helpful remedies and advice?
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PonoBill

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Re: Plantar Faciitis Problems from SUPing?
« Reply #1 on: March 30, 2015, 12:49:31 PM »
Yes, but it's a complex problem that isn't solved by one-size-fits-all. In my case rolling a hard ball under my arch helped enough for me to ignore the problem, but I have weird feet (yeah, yeah, I know...). Try some of these and just keep trying stuff until you find something that works. http://running.competitor.com/2013/03/injury-prevention/five-do-it-yourself-remedies-for-plantar-fasciitis_50264

Custom or semi-custom arch supports in your current shoes may help also. I'm a supinator--which is much too rare a condition for anyone to make an arch support for, never mind a corrective shoe. Last year I 3D printed my own arch support, but they finally broke, so I need to get back to Hood River and make a bunch of them. Any arch support that properly distributes your weight across your toes and heel will help. There's a school of thought that says you may have pain when you're barefoot because your body is not used to you foot being "right" when your shoes hold it wrong. I subscribe somewhat to that just from anecdotal evidence. I bought some neutral shoes that caused my feet to go into spasms that lasted months. But when I walk in shoes that don't hurt, my knees point outwards and I roll off the soles to the inside, putting all my weight on my little toes and the outside edge of my foot.
Foote 10'4X34", SIC 17.5 V1 hollow and an EPS one in Hood River. Foote 9'0" x 31", L41 8'8", 18' Speedboard, etc. etc.

TallDude

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Re: Plantar Faciitis Problems from SUPing?
« Reply #2 on: March 30, 2015, 02:38:34 PM »
Bulky,
You and me bro. I dealing with it right now. Mine started around new years. I had been getting some cramping in my calf on long paddles in rougher water, or chopped up lineup's. I started showing itself in the form of a feeling of bruised heels on a long dive to Park City to ski. I don't think skiing in -20deg conditions helped. The drive home to SoCal was brutal. At first it was both heels, then pretty much just the left. A friend of mine went through it a couple of years ago, and has been free of pain since. They say it's from a tightening of a ligament that runs across the bottom of your foot, under your heal and up the calf due to injury or irritation. As we get older and sometimes heavier, our arches flatten out. This stretches that ligament causing it to get inflamed and tighten across the bottom of the heal.
 As Pono said, arch supports or orthotics are recommended. Part of the problem is when we sit at a desk, on a couch, sleep in bed, or in our car, our toes are in a pointed down position. This  just allows that injured (torn or stretched) and now inflamed ligament to tighten up more. They sell socks to wear while you sleep that have a Velcro strap that connects from your toes to your calf. These keep your calf and that ligament in a stretched position. A few good stretches to do is the 'child's pose' with your toes tucked under, or a runner's calf stretch. When I do the runner's calf stretch, I really feel the pain the entire length of the ligament. I bought the plastic / Velcro boots at CVS. Save your money, they hurt after a while, and you can't sleep with them on. My friend said the sock ones are the most comfortable and you can sleep with them on.
The good news is, standing on firm surfaces are better than soft surfaces. I have less pain in my thin flip flops than my running shoes. I see it as one of the over 50 gravitational adjustments we can expect. The inverse of growing pains. I put a briefcase on the floor under my desk to put my feet on while keeping my calfs stretched. Additionally, I found a spot to put the ball of my foot on so I can stretch my calf while I drive. Now when I get out of bed, I sit with my heels flat on the floor for a minute or so. A preemptive stretch, which takes the edge off those first painful steps. I also sit sometimes with my feet back under my office chair which stretches it.
I feel I'm on the mend. I did notice that while I was laid up on the couch following recent hernia surgery, the pain was completely gone. Now that I'm up and walking around, the pain has return, but less than it was a few months ago.
So far I haven't purchased arch supports or othetics. Because of my surgery I haven't been paddling or exercising at all.  Just stretching and letting it heal. It's improving. Hang in there dude. 

http://www.healthline.com/health/plantar-fasciitis#Overview1   
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goodfornothin

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Re: Plantar Faciitis Problems from SUPing?
« Reply #3 on: March 30, 2015, 03:19:13 PM »
5 finger shoes may help. They helped me. Bucket of ice and a bucket of hot water will help.  It hurts as you switch back and forth but that helped me as well.  Nightly soak of Epsom salt will help as well.  Cramping could be low mag.  The Epsom salt will address tightness and mag.

I make a tincture that will help.as well. PM me and ill.get it to you.  I was ready to cut my leg off due to pain, the prosthetic would have been just fine. The tincture has me Thanking Jah I did not cut that leg off, hahaha

I fell off a 40' cliff and landed on my kneecap
I fell.off a roof and absolutely destroyed my foot
I tore my hamstring in half
I had half of my calf cut out due to melanoma

All on the  right leg, talk about atrophy,,please, I have skin and a chicken wing left, hahaha

The tincture I make allows me to surf pain free

I separated my shoulder 3 weeks ago and I was back in water today, already, sorta kinda pain free.  Some bombs rolling through HB today. Thank you green dragon (that's what I call it) haha

supsurf-tw

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Re: Plantar Faciitis Problems from SUPing?
« Reply #4 on: March 30, 2015, 05:50:49 PM »
Start rolling your foot on a tennis ball and graduate to a Lacrosse ball. Nasty stuff that PF! Good luck man
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Beasho

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Re: Plantar Faciitis Problems from SUPing?
« Reply #5 on: March 30, 2015, 06:02:21 PM »
Had PF terribly in my right foot.  I attributed it 100% to SUP, ~ 6 months after I started.  I would hobble out of bed and the kids would make fun of me.

Bought this boot and put orthotics in my shoes.  Just the simple ones that I could buy at CVS.  I even put orthotics in my surfing booties.   

Knock on wood but I kicked the problem entirely (for now). 

Took the orthotics out of my booties 18 months ago.  I realized I was surfing on what felt like high heels.  I still keep orthotics in my work shoes.  I do not want to risk going back to that place.

eastbound

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Re: Plantar Faciitis Problems from SUPing?
« Reply #6 on: March 31, 2015, 06:05:52 AM »
GTN--can you provide tincture recipe?--seems youve had a few painful rides, plenty of time to evolve a good product!
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goodfornothin

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Re: Plantar Faciitis Problems from SUPing?
« Reply #7 on: March 31, 2015, 08:16:56 AM »
I actually make a living off the stuff I make so I'm reluctant to give recipe out to the world. I will pm you and tell you how to.do it. It's a process ;D

If anybody wants some, I'm offering it free, way easier than making it 8)

SUPcheat

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Re: Plantar Faciitis Problems from SUPing?
« Reply #8 on: March 31, 2015, 10:04:36 AM »
I had plantar fasciitis in both feet several years ago, before SUP.  It lasted about six months or so.  It came out of the blue and more or less got better gradually. Hurt like a MF.  Never had it before, never had it since.

My feet are small for my body but generally very sturdy and problem free, they have been pretty good to me.

At that time, it seemed that all kinds of people  were also getting bilateral plantar woes for some reason.  I even heard of some guys going as far as submitting to surgery for it.

I came to the conclusion that my plantar fasciitis and maybe some of it in the other in people was a residue of some kind of viral illness lodging in the nerve or muscle and provoking a localized auto immune response. The combination of low grade epidemic dynamics and bilateral symmetry made me think this.  The condition just got better for me with modest physical therapy and patience. I couldn't jog for a while because of the pain.

I have absolutely no scientific proof or medical verification for this notion, except that it does follow some kinds of patterns for residual viral injuries.  Why a lot of people would get it, it would pass, and then you don't hear as much about it was also  mysterious.
« Last Edit: March 31, 2015, 10:23:17 AM by SUPcheat »
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PonoBill

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Re: Plantar Faciitis Problems from SUPing?
« Reply #9 on: March 31, 2015, 12:11:25 PM »
Also potential for a bacterial infection--they hurt the same way, but generally don't clear up by themselves. Covesurfer's injured ankle turned out to be another staph infection.
Foote 10'4X34", SIC 17.5 V1 hollow and an EPS one in Hood River. Foote 9'0" x 31", L41 8'8", 18' Speedboard, etc. etc.

TallDude

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Re: Plantar Faciitis Problems from SUPing?
« Reply #10 on: March 31, 2015, 01:07:22 PM »
From my discussions with others who've had it and the comments here, it appears to run it's course and not return. My friend had it for about a year. Others seem to say around 6 months. I'm a good 3 months into it, and I have noticed a change for the better. Maybe an infection (ocean water getting into cuts in my feet) could be it, or just a process of aging? I do see a direct correlation with age. Late 40's to mid 50's seems to be the most common age of occurrence.
It's not overhead to me!
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SlatchJim

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Re: Plantar Faciitis Problems from SUPing?
« Reply #11 on: March 31, 2015, 01:36:16 PM »
I do see a direct correlation with age. Late 40's to mid 50's seems to be the most common age of occurrence.

Aging sucks but the other option sucks more.  ;)

Hope it's better soon Bulky.  I've "got" to come up to drop my board off at Ray's for some love soon, and would be happy to give you some on-water moral support.

covesurfer

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Re: Plantar Faciitis Problems from SUPing?
« Reply #12 on: March 31, 2015, 01:43:27 PM »
What has happened to me, four times now, is pain that begins in the forefoot area, the ball of the foot, just behind the toes. It starts with swelling and stiffness - this last time following a grueling race in rough water that had me straining and gripping with my feet for almost 2 hours. So, it mimics expected foot strain. No big deal. Standup paddling puts a LOT of strain on your feet. All of the weight and power are transferred through the feet, sometimes for hours. You are gripping too, even if you try and relax, you are still putting your feet through a lot.

So, for me, my problem feels like overuse or even a spider bite. If I let it go, the pain intensifies and moves up into the joints behind my second and third toes. It generally gets so bad that even lowering my foot below the level of my heart is excruciating - think, your foot wanting to explode from pressure. Within 24 hours of oral antibiotics, it starts to mitigate. This time, I've been on the meds for several days and it feels 95% of ok. Still a little swelling but definitely on the way out. I can walk again with only a little, tiny limp. I could probably go paddling today, but I won't since there's only blown out, smaller surf and no good downwinding conditions. If it gets good though....

What I've had is cellulitis. Four times now within 3 years and 2x within the last 4 months. Unlucky. There are no cuts or wounds or awful weeping sores, thank god. But, they also can't really test to see what is causing things to go haywire. It's all inside the foot. Entry has been through cracks or small nicks in the skin, no big entry wounds.

I must have really opaque skin: It doesn't ever show bruising. It also doesn't present the redness that the doc's expect to see until the infection has had a nice, long, painful incubation period. After having this a couple of times, I can tell by the way it feels that something really bad is cooking. So now, I go right away. This last time, I went before it blew up and the PA I saw was sure there was no infection. I wanted to believe him and 3 days later I had a hot, red foot that was puffed up like Jiffy Pop. Next time, I'll be more certain of the feedback my body is providing.

So, as far as foot pain, keep your eyes on it. If you have a lot of swelling, any heat or redness, see a doctor ASAP. From the descriptions here, the problem doesn't sound like infection but anytime you have pain that isn't resolving, it's not a bad idea to have somebody look at it. Even the doc's don't always get it right though. 

Bulky

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Re: Plantar Faciitis Problems from SUPing?
« Reply #13 on: March 31, 2015, 01:54:23 PM »
Thanks all.

Funny, but a friend recommended rolling a ball under my foot a couple weeks ago.  Did I try it?  No.  Sounded crazy cuz my foot was so tender I couldn't imagine agitating it like that.  I'd rather ice it and sit on the couch in pain.  After Zoner recs last night I got a baseball and did it for 10min.  Ice and ibuprofen and there's a marked improvement today--both on this morning's paddle and since.

I hear what you're saying, Covesurfer--this morning was rough and I intentionally tried to distribute more weight to the ball of my foot instead of trying to cling like a cat where you try to get as much of the surface area in contact with the board.

I'll be interested in trying more of the exercises in the links provided, but encouraged.  I've had to deal with this on and off for several years, but can't recall it as bad as it was last week where I couldn't tough it out.

I'll keep paddling and wearing very sensible shoes (or as my kids say "Old Man Shoes")
Santa Barbara, CA

SIC RS 14x24.5
Infinity Blackfish 14'
Naish Glide 14' (2012)
SupSports Hammer 8'11
Starboard WidePoint 10'5
Ke Nalu Mana, Konihi, Maliko

eHuman

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Re: Plantar Faciitis Problems from SUPing?
« Reply #14 on: April 13, 2015, 10:59:38 AM »
When I had Plantar Faciitis I froze a water bottle and used it instead of a ball. 20 to 30 minutes in the morning while drinking your coffee or updating life on the computer, another round after your SUP session. It helps to break up the scar tissue ans reduce swelling at the same time. The last time I had it when I didn't know this technique it lasted months, especially bad in the mornings. The last time I had it and used this technique it was gone in less than a week.

 


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