# Dealing with plantar fasciitis for those of us with concrete floors.



## dbhost (Jul 20, 2009)

If you haven't experienced the joy that is plantar fasciitis, count your blessings. I can't go into details on it but basically, as I understand it, it is a sort of tendon overstress caused by age, weight, and overly hard surfaces such as concrete and tile flooring.

My shop floor is concrete, and I AM dealing with this issue. So I was wondering what other folks do to deal. I have good boots with orthodic inserts, but I need something more to make my feet happy, or at least tolerable…

I have added 3 24×36 diamond plate looking nice and thick anti fatigue mats in the most commonly used areas of my shop. I am considering adding more.

What else are folks using to make the hard surfaces tolerable? Other than facility, what else can I do to reduce the impact of being in the shop on my feet?


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## bandit571 (Jan 20, 2011)

I think Walmart and others sell those interlocking kids play mats? Lock a bunch together to make a board game sort of thing. Get a set, turn them over, lock enough together to cover the floor.

Yep, I have that foot thing too. And spurs on the heels. I work at a factory job ( my"Day Job") for 12 hour shiftd. Walking almost five MILES a shift. Yep, them doggies are BARKING all the way home. Most days, it is a soft pair of tennis shoes. Other day, it is the steel toed, gelling insert. Feet still hurt.


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## bigblockyeti (Sep 9, 2013)

I put down 5/8" x 2' x 2' interlocking foam tiles in my basement after deciding against carpet in the event of a plumbing failure. I thought of doing the same in my shop with a thin wood overlay to allow sliding and rolling for all but the heaviest (stationary) machines where the flooring would be placed around.


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## TedW (May 6, 2012)

The bottoms of my feet hurt if I'm on them all day, but I started wearing running shoes and it's makes a huge difference. Not sure if this is applicable to what you're talking about here, but just thought I should throw it in.


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## BillWhite (Jul 23, 2007)

Been there, done that. I started wearing Merrill shoes with adequate width (toe box), and the standard cushions for the shoes. These "sneaks" have made a big difference in my foot comfort.
Bill


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## jbertelson (Sep 26, 2009)

Running shoes should be tried, especially if you already have them. Also, make sure you have a chair the right height that can be used for those tasks that don't require standing. A high chair, like a bar chair, and a work surface to match will be used a lot more than one that requires you to get down low into a chair.

I work a lot on my RAS top doing things that don't require tools much, and kind of lean on it with my arms since it is quite high, and large. That takes some load of your feet, and varies the load.

I use a chair only when I have an extended period of time to work on detailed things, such as electrical stuff, plans etc. My chair is essentially a swiveling bar chair I bought cheaply unfinished decades ago. Sitting will help, but only if it is comfortable, and the work surface is the right height.


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## dbhost (Jul 20, 2009)

Yeah, since this flared up it would appear that my backside has been on the shop stools a LOT more than I had ever used them..

I typically wear very supportive, and comfortable hiking boots. Not sure how sneakers would be any better…

I have a pair of very, very cushy, and quiet soled hunting boots that I am tempted to start wearing regularly just to treat my feet nicely…


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## NoThanks (Mar 19, 2014)

I thought I read it here not to long ago that someone cut one of those foam mats to fit their shoe then contact cemented it to the bottom and kept them for just to wear when they are in the shop. I haven't tried it but was thinking about it. Cheaper than covering the whole floor.


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## Redoak49 (Dec 15, 2012)

Anyone who has or had plantar fasciitis will really sympathize with you.

The things that helped me the most were good shoes and some therapy. The therapy helped get rid of some of the symptoms and also provided me with some daily exercises which were mainly stretches. Over a period of time, the exercises really helped but you need to keep doing them.

Finding good shoes is not an easy thing to do and not cheap. Some running stores can have people who will help you find the right shoes with arch support. I probably make some of the people in the store unhappy as I have found that the younger people in the shoe store may no about running shoes but not about older peoples feet. I found the owner of a New Balance store to be very helpful for me finding good shoes with proper support.

Good luck and hope that it gets better soon.


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## Bonka (Apr 13, 2012)

http://www.plantar-fasciitis.org/
The above site has good info. If it were me, if you haven't already, I would see a Podiatrist. I am an RN and I do home health care and I have seen several patients that obtained relief by seeing a "Foot Doctor."


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## intelligen (Dec 28, 2009)

Fortunately I don't suffer from plantar fasciitis, but in addition to the mats and shoes, you could try putting a cheap wood floor on top of the concrete.

A chapter near the end of Great Workshops by Fine Woodworking shows various types of floors. I checked the book out from my local library.

One of the cheaper options was a DIY wood floor made from 2×4 stretchers with foam between them and plywood/OSB on top. They also recommended putting a moisture barrier on top of the 2×4s to protect the plywood layer. Another idea was to use DRIcore panels, which are usually used for basement subfloor. In both cases they also recommended painting the floor. I'll probably go with one of these solutions in my garage, but they also mentioned various other flooring solutions, including a couple interlocking foam/rubber tile systems.


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## BJODay (Jan 29, 2013)

I also suffer from plantar fasciitis. See a podiatrist and have custom orthotics made. They are not cheap, ~$400. It takes a few months of consistent use to see improvement.

After 18 years, one of my dogs ate my orthotics. I thought I could go without them. Not so. It became irritated and painful. I had a new set made and I am now mobile and pain free.

BJ


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## jbertelson (Sep 26, 2009)

......and I think you are planning on a wooden floor, when able…..........right? Sooner might be better than later.


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## AandCstyle (Mar 21, 2012)

I experienced what I thought was plantar fasciitis and went to a massage therapist. She worked a bunch of knots out of my calves and had me stretch my legs 2-3 times daily. It worked. Now, I stretch once daily and have not had any further issues. The stretching was to put one leg well out behind me and slowly lean forward on the bathroom vanity and hold that for 30 seconds with 3-4 reps, then do the same with the other leg. FWIW


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## PLK (Feb 11, 2014)

I have anti-fatigue mats in any area I frequently use. A 6'x4' can be had at $10 bucks from sears. They come in 2'x2' interchangeable squares. For $20 I've covered every area in my shop I spend any amount of time on.










Paul


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## Underdog (Oct 29, 2012)

Been there, done that, got the T-shirt. No fun.

Best quick relief method? Ice in a styrofoam cup. Peel back the edges and ice your sole down. Gets the inflamation down.

Best long term relief? A pair of custom made orthotics perscribed by my Physical Therapist Sister in Law. Best $90 I ever spent. They're still in use. The last ones I got from a podiatrist weren't nearly as good, and yes, they were $400 easy.

My experience is that they MUST provide arch support and lot's of it. The more expensive orthotics didn't provide nearly enough arch support and aggravated my shin splints something fierce.

Good luck.


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## oldnovice (Mar 7, 2009)

Been there too and so has my wife. *It is not fun!*

Add in a little RA on top of that and you have some interesting times in the shop!


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## Dark_Lightning (Nov 20, 2009)

I was experiencing this about 6 years ago. My solution was to go to the Knapp shoe store for some work boots like I wore when I worked as a mechanic. At that particular location (a choice of pure genius, in terms of good will), Red Wing shoes had rented it. You can buy work shoes and what are called "moldable" insoles that can be made to conform to your feet. I bought work shoes and insoles, and within a week I was symptom-free. I used to lay there in bed in the morning with my feet hurting before I even got up to face the day. As a follow-on to that, I went to my podiatrist and got some cotton support pads to reduce stress in other places. An easy way to tell where your foot sits in your footwear is to put an insole of some sort in there and look for the wear spots. The unworn spots are where extra padding may be needed. Our ancestors wore no shoes at all. That is actually the best option, as your foot will work properly. There was no cement in those days, and they had serious callouses. Padding the shop floor is a good option, it will reduce the micro-flexing that goes on on a hard surface, reducing fatigue.


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## mrsdm (Apr 14, 2014)

I have had plantar fasciitis for 14 years. I went through therapy, foot taping, exercises and injections. The only thing that helped me and stopped the pain totally is Birkenstock shoes!! There used to be a website several years ago that was only about PF and what relieved pain and helped people continue life normally. There were so many people that recommended and swore by Birkenstock I decided to try them. I was shocked that from the minute I put them on the pain was gone…as long as I wore them!! Going barefoot, even to shower, was a thing of the past! I now wear Birkenstock sandals until winter and then I have bought the Birkenstock shoe inserts that fit in other shoes for cold weather. I will NEVER be without Birks, because they made me have a normal life again!! They even make cute ones now compared to what they had when I first had to start wearing them!! LOL People that have never had PF cannot imagine the pain that has to be endured when you do have PF.

The best thing to do since Birkenstock shoes are so expensive, go to a store and try them on, find the size you need and go buy them on eBay!! Just make sure if you try on Birkenstock, buy Birkenstock, if you try on on Birki's, buy Birki's . There are different kinds Birkenstock make and some have a higher arch and some lower. "Birkenstock" are the ones I like best of all and I can buy my size in any style and know that they are going to fit the same every time I buy a pair. They also make some with a soft footbed, that are even more comfy!!

I know I sound like a commercial, but after the pain I suffered for over a year before finding something to get my life back to normal, I love my Birks and can't imagine ever having to go through that pain again!!

Good luck and I hope all of you that suffer with PF, find relief soon!!!


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## Whiskers (Nov 6, 2012)

LOL, I remember the post about glueing a piece of horse shoe mat to some boots, was hoping to see if anyone ever tried it and gave feedback. i do plan to buy a horse mat or two when they go on sale an setup a dedicated work station. All my tools roll and can be moved.


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## Magnum (Feb 5, 2010)

Hiking Boots Aren't gonna do it! As said above get the right kind of Footwear.

I switched to those Blue Rubber, (Forgot the name. You can bounce an egg off of it and it doesn't break) I think Dr. ScHoll's Stuff is all made with it. You can buy just the Heel Inserts if you want to.

They're Open Toed Clog type of Slip ons. Lee Valley use to carry them. Not sure if they still do.

They did the trick for me.

Found The Dr. Scholls Heel Pain relief Pads:


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## dbhost (Jul 20, 2009)

Jim. Yes wood flooring is in progress….

Birkenstocks are not my fave.

The podiatrist did the taping gave me anti inflammatory meds and stretches… between that and the Dr Scholls orthotics and the mats my feet aren't screaming. But they could be better… not thrilled seeing folks dealing with this for years… ugh.


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## Whiskers (Nov 6, 2012)

People been talking about a lot of valid things here, but a major issue has been missed and overlooked. i know a little about the foot comfort thing. Concrete floors are hell on them, as any hard floor. But is concrete any harder than tile? I don't think so.

When it comes to shoes I have 2 problems.

First you wear good heavy shoes that support well and your feet get hot and sweat and when your remove them your dog drops dead.

The second is your shoes are light and airy so your dog don't die but your feet do.

Dog or Feet.

Well the biggest issue is not padding it arch support even with padding arch support is paramount. Right now my favorite shoes are a pair of little canvas tennis shoes. But they have zero arch support and protection. But the dog won't die when I take them off. Unfortunately with the cheap ass crap we getting out of China now, and no quality reasonable alternatives, you have to choose which you need at the time. If I'm going to spend a long time in the shop on my feet I put on what are commonly referred to as walking or running shoes. Not sure why hey called running, They seem kind of heavy for running.

I only know of one way to know if you have adequate arch support in a shoe, and even than it may be a size thing an not work. If you have arch supports, and go the court house or airport, they going to jump your ass when you go thru the metal detector.


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## Grandpa (Jan 28, 2011)

I had this problem about 20 years ago. I thought I would die with the pain. I went to the shoe store and tried on shoes for a couple of hours. the soft cushy soles didn't cut it for me. I finally got a pair of Rockport ProWalkers. They have a solid platform to support your foot. I was looking for instant relief I suppose. I made an appointment and went to the foot doc. I told him I had to have a big bone spur and I was about to die with the pain. He x-rayed and came back with the film. My heel looked like a peeled onion. It was smooth. Nothing. He asked me to describe the symptoms again. I began and he finished the story. He told me what I had. He gave me a shot through the side of my foot. I didn't think I could do that but it really wasn't bad. I told him I had bought these shoes thinking it would help but NO. He said I looked at those when you walked in. Keep wearing them because they are the best shoe available. He told me some things to do to help my foot get well. 1. DON"T go barefoot. He said if you have to get up in the night to go to the bathroom, put a shoe on that foot. 2. Don't crawl. That stretches tendons and will irritate the foot. 3. Don't climb ladders. Seems like there was more but that is what I remember now. I was walking along one day about 6 weeks later and noticed my foot no longer hurt. (BTW the shot lasted about 2 weeks) I didn't know when the foot got better but it felt so good I was ready to go. I babied it along for a LONG time because I didn't want it to come back. I still wear the ProWalkers and I have had no more problems with that issue. My feet get tired when I stand but that is different. Good luck and take care of the problem.


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## BigYin (Oct 14, 2011)

1. Arch support helped me. Merrell shoes extra wide so room for foot helped me. Wearing parachute boots to work instead of the companies cheapest possible boots fixed me.

2. Obtain a beer bottle, emptying if necessary, place on it side on floor, place the affected foot on bottle and role back & forwards betwen heel and ball of foot


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## oldnovice (Mar 7, 2009)

My wife got relief from her plantar fasciitis by wearing a special nylon boot. It was rather heavy so she couldn't turn over very easily and kick me with it.

I can tell when I have been on my concrete floor to long wearing the wrong shoes and I notice it more in the colder weather. I feel the most comfortable in my Hush Puppies with the Crepe soles since they seem to cushion more that my other shoes. My plantar fasciitis cleared up all by itself in about 6 weeks … knock on wood it won't come back.
I wish my RA would do that.


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## dbhost (Jul 20, 2009)

The doc is suposed to get me that boot but they didn't have one big enough for my feet when I went in, should be there today…

Since treatment started, on Friday, my foot feels WAY better, but that just means the stabbing ripping pain is gone. It is now just a dull pain.

Things I am doing so far that seem to help…

#1. Making sure I have the orthodic insoles in the boots I am wearing. LOTS of arch support!
#2. Anti fatigue mats in the shop, and utilizing my shop stools when I am in one place for long periods. I totally get the appeal of the interlocking pads, but I wanted more cushion than they offered. The pads I got were intended for I commercial kitchen use I think. They are thick and cushy, offering a softer impact to the foot. Can't roll anything over them, but I can move them easily if need be…
#3. Dr. prescribed foot and calf stretches. Kind of your normal runners stretches, but the positions differ slightly and improve the stretch without killing that foot tendon…
#4. More rest. I have been particularly bad about this for the last 2 months due to work… I am making sure I get 7 to 8 hrs a night, paying off with my weight too.
#5. Prescribed anti inflamatory medications. 
#6. Foot taping… Been fine so far, but the tape sticks to my socks and does not want to let go!


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## Vincent (Mar 10, 2009)

I surrounded my workbenches with the 2'x2" interlocking mats. The area covered is 10' x 10'. The mats came from Harbor Freight and with the super coupon, they were $7 per package. I use movable foam mats around my tablesaw and other tools. I wear crocs in the shop. I have a winter pair with flannel lining and regulars for the summer months.


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## Kyle47 (Apr 15, 2014)

The best thing I found for Plantar Fasciitis is a blood flow stimulator and cold compression packs from King Brand. I tried everything from orthotics to stretches to splints. The orthotics helped a little, the stretching made it worse but these products saved my life. Their site explains that PF is from overstretching the plantar and that you don't want to stretch it at all, the best way to recover is to rest the foot, keep inflammation down and stimulate blood flow to it… I wish I had thought of those cushion mats before I developed it, hindsight's 20/20.. I recommend checking out this link http://www.kingbrand.com/Plantar_Fasciitis_Treatment.php?REF=52PV1


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## dbhost (Jul 20, 2009)

Okay, I am looking at the HF interlocking foam mat sets. They seem to cover an area of 4'x4', I might add a couple of sets of these to cove the remaining areas. Specifically I want to better cover the space between miter saw / mortiser bench and the workbench…

So far I have the large Craftsman Red Anti Fatigue mat at the lathe. I would have LOVED to pad my whole shop floor with these, but they are pretty spendy… That mat is large enough, and the drill press is close enough that I sand it it when I use the drill press…

I have 3 of the Trafficmaster 24×36 anti fatigue mats, one at the table saw, one at the end of the router table wing end of the table saw, and one between work bench and miter saw bench. I could REALLY use to put this by the band saw…

Now assuming the HF foam mats are more comfortable than they seem in the plastic, I could use maybe 3 sets of these to cover the space between the workbench, and miter saw bench, move the traffic master pad to the band saw, and have enough extra to wrap around the end of the workbench.

I should mention the stretches the Dr. recommended are not stretches for the foot, but rather for the Achilles heel tendon to get it to put less stress on the Plantar Fascia.


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## Underdog (Oct 29, 2012)

Right it's the fascia in the arch of your foot that's getting torn and inflamed. No arch support on concrete floors is a major factor. And hot weather just increases the inflammation. I found that heel cups just exacerbated the problem. 
You need arch support to keep the fascia from getting torn. You need icing and ibuprofen to keep the inflammation at bay, arch support to prevent more tearing, fatigue mats to help cushion, stretching for you calves.


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## exelectrician (Oct 3, 2011)

The cure for me was custom orthodic inserts. It took a while for them to finally give total relief. and Yes I feel your pain, every step hurts.


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## OldWrangler (Jan 13, 2014)

Several years ago I was on crutches from heel spurs. I tried orthotics, special shoes, exercises and they just wouldn't go away. I went to another Podiatrist and he tried a few things but it looked like surgery was the answer. Before we got to that point he told me in confidence, he would try horse linement as it sometimes worked. He said he couldn't prescribe the stuff he was suggesting but that I could buy it at most Feed Store. It is called DMSO and is extra strength since not intended for humans. It has to be rubbed into the bottom of your foot twice daily. Wear rubber gloves as to not get this on any part but the feet. Wash the feet thoroughly before applying, this is important because of how fast it penetrates the skin. Anyhow, in less than 2 weeks, the spurs had eased up, the inflammation was gone and I have never had any trouble since. It is not expensive and for me it worked after having been crippled for more than a year.

I have heard since then that a lot of pro athletes use this on sore and inflamed shoulders, knees, elbow and any other parts that get inflamed. It saved me from a painful surgery.

What do you have to lose. Costs less than $10 and can be applied at home. It really did the trick for me. It might take a month or work in a week. Let the forum know how it works for you. Horse strength DMSO.


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## EastLake (Mar 11, 2014)

Never had plantar fascitis Db, but if it's anything like gout, I feel your pain. I'm gonna back Paul on this one, and your original resolution, of putting down anti-fatigue mats in your most common work-spaces and traffic areas. I had some old scraps of felt padding for under carpets on a concrete floor and putting those down under the fatigue mats adds just that more cushion. Good shoes/insoles adds to the experience as well, and not only eases your foot pain, but lower and middle back pain from compromising posture as well.


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## dbhost (Jul 20, 2009)

Okay the approach thus far has been…

#1. Put my tail onto the shop stools more often than less. This is particularly helpful at the scroll saw, and even the lathe (I can at least lean on the stool while I turn…).
#2. Custom orthodic inserts in my boots. I am not getting rid of the hiking boots any time soon. I have had perpetual ankle rolling problems since I was a kid, high tops, and particularly boots help with that… I have a set of custom orthodic inserts that I am actually using right now that help support the arch, and cushion my feet..
#3. anti fatigue mats at my most common work stations. I am finding the Trafficmaster pads from Home Depot feel better under my feet than the Craftsman mat… No idea why.
#4. Plenty of rest, keeping off my feet when I need to. This is hard to accomplish. Life goes on, and home / vehicle repairs aren't going to magically do themselves…
#5. Prescription anti inflamatory medications. Seems to help somewhat.
#6. Taping the foot. I was supposed to get retaped Friday, but apparently I had some sort of misunderstanding on scheduling for my appointment. I went in at 2:45, and they had closed at 11… go figure… So I retaped my own foot following a youtube video that was pretty close to what the podiatrist did, and after discussing with my pharmacist… 
#7. Calf / achiles heel stretches…

I won't like, this thing still hurts, but at least I can walk without limping now… Not sure how long it takes for this thing to mend, but the sooner the better.

Horse linament? Interesting idea… Certainly a bit off label for sure…


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## WibblyPig (Jun 8, 2009)

Had if for quite a while in both feet. Orthotics, 3 or 4 different types of boots, anti fatigue mats, etc. None of it worked very well. Finally I found the solutions - Crocs. Those ugly colored plastic shoes. The only problem was that I'd go inside and my socks would be covered with sawdust where the little holes were located. I finally found some Croc loafers:









They look goofy but I can put them on and work all day long in the shop and my feet don't hurt one bit! I don't need the inserts and am constantly walking from machine to bench to machine, etc.


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## Finn (May 26, 2010)

I laid down some tongue and groove plywood on my concrete floor and it works well. I just nailed it down in a few places with "Hit Anchors"


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## dbhost (Jul 20, 2009)

Long term. I would love a level plywood floor…


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## Redoak49 (Dec 15, 2012)

There does not seem to be any quick cure for PF but it sounds like you are doing all the right things. I found that the exercises and especially rolling a bottle under the arch made a huge difference.

Getting older is a real bear and things like this are part of it…I WANT TO BE 20 YEARS OLD AGAIN


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## dbhost (Jul 20, 2009)

Not sure, 20 wasn't a great age for me… I was pretty stupid at that point in my life. I will take the aches and pains of being older over the sheet forehead slapping stupidity any day of the week!


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## Pimzedd (Jan 22, 2007)

Had plantar fasciitis about 10 years ago. It developed about 3 months after I bought some new Sketchers athletic shoes. Went to the doc. His questioning brought up the new shoes. He said buy new shoes. Bought some Rebocks with a gel pocket in the heel. Within 2 weeks, no pain.

Like lots of the posts here, try new shoes. My doc suggested New Balance.


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## JGM0658 (Aug 16, 2011)

You ever wonder why doctors and nurses started using Crocs? It is like having an anti fatigue mat under your feet all the time. It is what I use since my flooring is also concrete.


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## woodchuckerNJ (Dec 4, 2013)

I don't find the interlocking mats that comfortable. I found them too soft and my feet and ankles hurt after being on them long times. I reasoned that it was too soft and my muscles were constantly firing to keep balance.

I replaced them with the woodcraft mats, and that has helped tremendously. They are thinner, and firmer, but soft enough.

If I had to I would consider buying those basement OSB tiles. They are osb with a plastic bubble on the other side, those IMHO are a very good solution to doing an entire floor. The drawback is cost, but you can do an entire floor. You need a dry floor.


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## tnwood (Dec 13, 2009)

If someone hasn't already mentioned them, get a pair of PowerStep insoles at your nearest podiatrist office. I think they run about $30 but they help a lot by equalizing the pressure on the foot. There is another brand (SuperFeet?) or something like that but they are about double the cost and don't work as well in my opinion.


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## joeyinsouthaustin (Sep 22, 2012)

I had to get a pair of professionally made orthopedics to help mine. It took a good 11 months before the pain went away!!! It turned out not to me the job, or hard floors, but an old hip injury. I had changed my gait to make the hip feel better, and that 'broke' my arch.

One thing I don't think mentioned (sorry if it has, it was a long read) is diet. I ultimately had to eliminate all inflammatory foods for 3 months. For a large part this is ANYTHING that breaks down quickly into sugar. Lots of green things, but no Alcohol  no white bread, no sugar, sugary drinks, etc. etc. I even started taking a Fish Oil supplement daily. (I was having other inflammation problems besides my heel) But the diet is what really pushed things over the edge. Now I don't worry about it at all. I can Even skip my orthopedics for a day at the beach, without problems.


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## JoeinGa (Nov 26, 2012)

Grandpa did the same as me… Rockport ProWalkers are the best thing I've found. I usually buy 2 pair at a time (e-bay is my friend) and I switch them back & forth every day. That way, the pair that's "resting" get to dry out and 2 pair lasts me ALMOST a year. When I wore the same pair every day they only lasted about 4 months.

Dont remember who, but someone up above mentioned DMSO (Dimethyl Sulfoxide) My father-in-law owned race horses years ago and he got me started using this. I used it on my knees and elbows when I worked construction and as a mechanic. It works. One funny side effect, if you use your bare hand to rub it in, you mouth will taste GARLIC within seconds!

There's another "horse liniment" that also helped, Biegel Oil. Helps a lot also, but not quite as good as the DMSO. Both are available at PetSmart stores or on-line.


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## thetinman (Mar 10, 2014)

Hey db,

This may sound foolish on the surface but try some of the "nursing" shoes. There are many male nurses now and the Doc's wear them too (have for years). They are specially designed for hospital hard floors and for surgeons who have to stand in one place for hours. My wife works at a surgery center and she wears her old ones all the time around the house. Like the new scrubs, they come in more colors than white now.

Good luck - that's got to be painful.

Terry


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## Dusty56 (Apr 20, 2008)

I wish that I could loan you my *LMT*(Licensed Massage Therapist). She has fixed so many pain issues for me in no time at all. I have wasted countless hours and money at Physical Therapy over the years with no good results from them.
The bottle rolling under the arch is also a good treatment as mentioned above : )
I wish that I could find some steel toed work boots (required) that were comfortable and also let my feet breathe. The arch supports from Red Wing Shoes are a real benefit, but my feet die from the heat inside of the boots : (
Best wishes and I hope you get some pain relief soon !


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## NormG (Mar 5, 2010)

My wife has this. Custom inserts may also assist


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## BeatFeat (Dec 2, 2021)

I am not a lumber jock-just a janitor with beat feet, or plantar fasciitis. I got it from decades of walking
fast on hard surfaces. I'm currently getting ESWT or EPAT for my condition. It seems to be helping more
than physical therapy and arch supports. The cost of this treatment will be $700 for me , and that's for
one foot. The $700 covers 5 treatments of 10 minutes each. There can be some pain associated with this
treatment, but it's tolerable and no big deal. You can return to work immediately after each treatment if you've
healed up well enough. Most podiatrists, unfortunately, don't offer this treatment because the EPAT or ESWT
machine runs around $35,000 USD. If you can get this treatment and can afford it, I would suggest you give it
a try. Do an internet search for your nearest ESWT or EPAT provider. Sometimes chiropractors offer this service.
You may have to drive a ways to get this treatment.


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## DevinT (Mar 25, 2021)

I have one of these and I highly recommend it:

Stanley Utility Mat


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## kelvancra (May 4, 2010)

I've spent a lot of money on shoes over the years. In my opinion, man has not invented a shoe concrete cannot overcome for the win.

My current shop has horse mats over the concrete floors. That puts me on them when in front of about ten pieces of equipment. If you're not familiar with them, they are 1" thick, 4' wide and 6' long.

I have at least seven and add a few more from time to time. When done, I'd need about 14 more for a total of 21. I like being able to roll things without jumping the 1" thickness of the mat. As such, my two bandsaws sit on them, for example.

SIDE NOTE: I had to go to larger wheels on the 17", because it's weight made it hard to move with stock mobile base wheels. Now, it rolls easily.

The mats make dropping things far less heart rending. They more than double the time I can spend in the shop. They work as insulation between the cold floor and the room. At $40.00 each, they are a good investment.


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## Dark_Lightning (Nov 20, 2009)

There are stretching exercises that will help with that tendon and reduce the pain. I went to Red Wing shoes and added orthotics, though I'm now just wearing Merrill's walking shoes. I haven't had a problem with PF since then. Now all I need is a medicine that at least reduces the rate of Rheumatoid Arthritis. I've had four foot surgeries for it, and it's creeping past my toes up further.


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## Chenier (Mar 15, 2019)

I've had plantar fascitis in both feet at different times. Ain't no cure but to go slow & take it easy walking with padded shoes for about six months. I still take it easy when a pedestrian (which drives SWMBO nuts as she now walks 2x faster than me) and always wear heavily padded boots/shoes for serious hiking.

In the shop (concrete floor) I wear slightly padded shoes - but then I'm mostly standing, not marching around. Has worked fine for three years. I would love to have rubber mats on the floor. However, I reconfigure my small shop (depending on the job at hand) so frequently the mats would be more of a PITA than helpful.


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## TopamaxSurvivor (May 2, 2008)

I wore Red Wing work boots for 45 years working construction. No problems. We spend all day on concrete or a ladder ;-)


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## therealSteveN (Oct 29, 2016)

Not sure if they are local only, or National.

"The Good Feet Store". If you have one, help is that far away. For all foot, leg, and low back issues.

Specifically for plantar fasciitis, when you are sitting in a chair, take off shoe, put foot on a tennis ball, and press down, roll foot, flex toes while rolling foot on the ball. Do that after standing. It was the biggest relief I got when I had it. That and those crazy feet straps, wore them to bed. Mine lasted about 6 weeks, 4 weeks of suffering, started doing all the above, and got some inserts at Good Feet, 2 weeks later it was gone, that was 25 years ago +-. Job I had then I walked about 25 to 30 miles a 12 hour shift, always on my feet, dogging it. I was as fit as I had been in years, but damn I had some aches/pains all the time.


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## Finn (May 26, 2010)

My small shop has a concrete floor with a very thin, glued down, rug. I covered it all with 3/4" T&G Plywood fastened down in a very few places. This floor has some give to it and is easy to sweep up and to roll around on the office chair I use in my shop. Been in place for about 10 years now.


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## Gene01 (Jan 5, 2009)

My feet are FLAT. No arch at all. My shop floor is concrete. Not a swell combination. My biggest PITA…well a little higher was/is the back. Red Wing boots, a Mueller back brace, horse stall mats at the bench and saws was my solution. Well, those things and chairs and, stools at work benches. At 80 years of age, this old body needs all the help it can get!


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## dbhost (Jul 20, 2009)

For those that do not believe in resurrection of the dead, this thread is prime evidence that it does indeed exist!

Seriously though the plantar fasciitis had cleared for me within about 4 months of diagnosis. Treatment was simple, predisone, time off of my feet, and moist heat. I have cushion mats similar to but larger than that Stanley one, I think they are "Trafficmaster". I got them at Home Depot and they have amazing cushioning, oil resistant etc…


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## rwe2156 (May 7, 2014)

I've been through it. The ultimate solution for me was orthotics.

Not Dr Scholls. Go to a podiatrist custom orthotics are best.

Stretching exercises and PF boots also help.

Shoes are very important.


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## controlfreak (Jun 29, 2019)

> Not sure if they are local only, or National.
> 
> "The Good Feet Store". If you have one, help is that far away. For all foot, leg, and low back issues.
> 
> ...


I used to run every morning until I developed Plantar Fasciitis in one foot. A customer suggested the good feet store so I went, big mistake. After spending $1400.00 on inserts and following their plan for two moths I was miserable. There is a reason they a no return policy. I didn't improve at all until I stopped wearing them. The only thing that has helped is to stretch my foot by pulling back my toes before getting out of bed and repeating throughout the day. Still hurts but it is manageable , I still can't run and wonder how I will do in ski boots.

I have wood floors in the shop and I don't seem to have trouble using hand planes & working. I will say this, standing in one place on concrete is awful. I can remember standing in a trade show both all weekend to the point the even my knees hurt. I found out later that the trade show veterans pay a little extra for carpet and a pad for their booths. To those needing a padded floor you may want to check out horsey mats at Tractor Supply.


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## splintergroup (Jan 20, 2015)

+1 on the Tractor Supply horse mats. I have them placed where I spend a lot of time standing (table saw/router table, DS). These are the 3/4" thick 4'x6' versions.

My initial worry was if they'd disintegrate, but after many years they are like new (just dusty).

Side benefit is you can run power cords along the floor and in between the gaps on adjacent mats.


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## bruc101 (Sep 13, 2008)

I think that was some of the most painful pain I had ever had. Did everything the doctors said do and still couldn't hardly walk.

I was in a shoe store with my wife and the young girl helping her asked me why I was limping so bad and I told her what the problem was. She said her husband had the same thing a few years ago and asked me to sit down and let her measure my right foot.

She measured my right foot and then my left foot. My right foot was much wider than my right foot. She went and got a pair of Skechers with memory foam in them that would fit my right foot. I put the shoes on and walked with a lot less pain. I also bought a pair of Skecher hiking boots with memory foam in them.

Within a week I had no more pain because of the plantar. I wear only Skechers with the memory foam in them now. I have a pair of their work shoes I wear in my shop. Bought those on Amazon for less that $50.00. My feet bother me no more now.


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## gbarnas (Sep 25, 2021)

Anyone in the North/Central Jersey or Eastern PA area, I found these on FB Marketplace. 4×6x0.75 for $60. Uline and others sell similar at 3/8 thick for $69.
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/4298218316920919/


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## splintergroup (Jan 20, 2015)

Yeah, those are the ticket! The things are very heavy!

I think I paid about $40 on sale when a Tractor Supply opened up locally a few years back. I brought a few tiedown straps so I could roll them up (and keep them rolled) for the trip home and unloading. Never could get them through the door otherwise.


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