Beth

I think dealing with chronic pf is like a peeling an onion. Something works for a while, it peels back a layer, then it stops working, and you have to try something else (not necessarily something new) to get to the next layer. I was surprised, but homeopathy worked for a while. I couldn't do even basic stretches until recently -- 7 months after diagnosis of pf (the pf had actually been festering for many years before diagnosis). But now I can stretch and do PT exercises in a warm water pool, let the jets of a hot tub massage my foot, achilles and calves (heat used to kill me), and gently use exercise equipment like the cross trainer, leg press and leg curls. It's all low key, but it increases circulation, strength, and flexibility, and that helps with healing pf.

I have been using the FootFlex too and it helps. For me, it is a much more effective stretch to bend the toes up while doing the basic runners stretches. Also, it keeps my knee on the pf foot straight, which it tends to not want to do, while I stretch. The FootFlex is a very simple device; therefore, I think it is overpriced. But if you feel better when you use it, well, that says a lot. Best of luck to all.

Question: the low-carb diet has been recommended by a number of PF followers of this site; are there any vegetarians or vegans out there? Or are they not PF sufferers?

I stand on the Prostretch and rock back to stretch my calf muscles. It is like the feeling you get when you stretch standing on a step, but I find it more effective. I do it with my shoes on. I got the device many years ago after I broke my foot (same foot as pf foot).

The FootFlex bends the toes up while doing the runners stretch and that is a very good combination for stretching the fascia gently. When I massage my own foot, I also bend my toes back and simultaneously stroke the arch with two knuckles or my thumb. Holding for 30 seconds on the FootFlex is all you have to do, but it is best to do it as many times a day a possible. A few days, I have been disciplined enough to do it once an hour. The more frequently I do it the better I feel. But even once a day helps.

I have prostretch and FootFlex now. Though I don't know that they will help, I can tell right away what GREAT flexibility tools they are. If anyone is into stretching for its own sake, I say don't hesitate. As therapy, I can't say.

I am so smitten by this pilates thing that I was actually contemplating the $899 machine, and pining over 2-3000 dollar machines. I've been silly that way, ever since the pf.

Luckily, I don't have that kind of money. I'm hoping to come up with the 300+ soon, and then after it gets here I can get started. Also, I have a break in my schedule coming up so I know I'll be able to stick with it for a month.

I will definitely announce my results, and thank you for your generosity and interest.

alan k

You didn't mention birkenstocks, which are a sight cheaper than orthotics. You can get $40 birks from germany, as opposed to the $400 I spent on orthotics which made my feet worse. Birks are the only definite thing that has helped me.

Your foot night wrap looks interesting. I'll try to puzzle my way through it. I tried to make my own once and failed. One caution: be very CAREFUL about overstretching the big toe. If most of the pull is coming from pulling back the big toe, this could be a problem in the long term, and easy to miss. I hurt this spot using the FootFlex, but luckily I found posts on the board about this big toe problem and was not confused, as other people were, that the soreness on the ball of my foot under the big toe was "just my pf." So do be careful with that. It's too early in the morning for me to read your wrapping instructions carefully enough to tell if the bend is coming only from pulling on the end of the feet, or also from the arch (the latter of which would be good). Pulling only on the toes as in the Strassburg sock could lead to this over stretching like in the FootFlex.

Thanks for mentioning the Anderson stretching book. I have it but I completely forgot about it this whole painful time.

Your foot strengthening exersizes sound like they are working for you. Be gentle, and write back again about how you are doing with them. Also, there are some other exersizes you should do also, to balance the muscle formation: 1) toe curls where you snatch a towel and pull it closer to you with your heels on the floor, and 2) writing the alphabet on the floor or in the air with your feet, and 3) sitting with legs out straight, point toes together, and make arched soles face eachothe as much as possible, which may cramp at which time you flex your feet for relief (and repeat).

It is important in exersize to do many different kinds to stress opposing muscles, thus avoiding imbalance. Your stair exersize is a lot like the use of pilates performer which some people have been healed by.

good luck, and let me know how the exersize goes....

alan k

I practiced yoga diligently until this knowcked me out. I would take it easy on the standing poses, and certainly not hold them as is usually practiced. Take them for a moment and then kneel down.

Otherwise, the yoga can be helpful for healing blood and energy flow, positive outlook, and maybe mechanical therapy involving the whole body (a posture problem anywhere will "ripple" down the body into the feet, so yoga on the rest of the body can help the feet).

About the cramp, which I got sometimes and now I have feet problems get often, this can be treated several ways:

One, do the counter-stretch:

(THIS FASCIA STRETCH I HAVE NEVER SEEN POSTED BEFORE)

On knees, with feet together, toes curled under feet, so butt is on heels and body touches ground at knees and ball/toes of feet. Inch the kness forward to a mild stretch, relaxing the weight into the heels, and lifting the chest upward, with steady, smooth long breathing.

My modification of this yoga stretch eases up on the big toe area, which I hurt using the FootFlex linked on this board (see other posts about this danger): with toes together, arc heels outward and let wieght fall between them (gently). Now the stretch is in the other toes and big toe is not invloved.

One can do it both ways for different emphasis.

TWO: definitely do toe crunches and towel curls to strengthen this area. These might lead to cramping, but it is something to work through.

Three: with legs out straight, point big toes together and try to make soles face eachother and little toes touch (porbably not possible with legs out straight). This should lead to cramping which you then ease off, concentrate the mind on relaxation of that area, and then repeat. You need to work on controlling a relaxation response in this area, as well as stretch and strengthen it.

These exersizes in conjunction with regular calf stretching should help alot with the problem you describe and keep you going with yoga and further healing, so long as there are no other complications to your foot problem.

Remember not to hold standing poses, and also never do balance poses at all: just kneel down and do the kneeling stretch gently until the class moves on to the next thing.

good luck, alan k

I used my FootFlex a few minutes today. I have been having extremely good days lately-started a real diary so that one bad day doesn't lead me to my deep depression about the whole thing. I have been biking, wearing Birks, not walking anymore than necessary, taking Bromlein, stretching before I get out of bed and a few other times. I also started the alphabet exercises today while I was in the sauna. My right heel is hurting a bit-feels like glass shards are in it. My feet (in sneaks with orthotics) didn't hurt at all while I worked out today. I did do some new stuff though today-the stairmaster instead of the bike and the alphabet with my feet. I like the FootFlex and use it in it's hightest position now. Don't be scared to start. Also, like you I didn't get the early morning, first step pain. I have found the Birks to be much better than my orthotics. I'm still searching for a lightweight hiking shoe.

Beth

alan k

I have both FootFlex and prostretch and find the prostretch superior.
I, like some others, find the FootFlex strains the muscle running from the big toe under the ball of the foot(fdb). This can be relieved by peeking your big toe out to the side so that it is not stretched as agressively as the other toes (fdl). Others do not report this problem and are happy with it. In my opinion, if you wear shoes which flex at the toes (as you should!) then you can just put your toes on a book or something and it will do the same as the FootFlex.

The prostretch gives a great calf stretch with controlled resistance superior to a stair-stretch and is worth the money in my opinion. While the prostretch works with some weight bearing, it is controllable with your other planted foot. weight bearing is part of life and so every pf sufferer should go to weight bearing stretches eventually. Depending on the case, it might not be advisable to do much or any weight bearing stretches in the early stages, but this is a minority opinion voiced only by me and other inventors who have developed non-weight bearing stretching devices, so a grain of salt is in order.

alan k

alan k