The best advice anyone can give you is to go to a woman podiatrist and take her advice. Someone else mentioned that there's NO one answer for PF--everyone's feet are built differently, so it's impossible for anyone not familiar with your feet to be able to 'prescribe' the perfect shoe. Your podiatrist should be able to. But this is the one field of medicine where I truly believe it makes a difference whether you go to a man or woman. My pod. is a woman and she understands not only feet, but women's fashion issues, and her recommendations have been life (or foot-) savers for me. I will say this--I know New Balance is often recommended for those who suffer PF. I bought 2 expensive pairs of them and cannot wear them for more than about an hour at a time. Another difference? I've seen a lot of PF sufferers recommend Birkenstocks--a shoe my pod. says NEVER to wear. So as you can see, your best bet is to follow your own dr's advice. HOpe you get relief soon. The excercises and meds your dr. will prescribe are probably the best thing you can do for the condition. Really helps me.

Bigbaby, this is just my opinion, but I would like to suggest that you do wear your Birkies to get to the bathroom from the bed and perhaps buy some crocs to wear to the pool. Water can't hurt them. About the exercises: Before you get out of bed every morning, sit on the side of the bed and move your feet in circles, then write the alphabet with your toes. The doctor didn't tell me this, but before doing that while I was sitting up in the bed I bent my leg so I could easily reach my foot. I massaged the arch of my feet ( I had it in both feet )with my thumb and then just gave my feet a general all over massage. Once I got out of bed or when I stood up after sitting in a chair I stood about two feet from a wall. I put both hands on the wall. I can't remember if you have it in one foot or both. If it is one foot, put that leg behind you. Keep it straight and stretch til you can feel the back of your calf stretching. While doing this you will need to slightly bend the knee on the leg in front. You don't want to stretch that one. I cannot remember how long to hold that stretch, but I would say maybe 20 to 30 seconds. Do not bounce while stretching. Just do it slowlly. It will help alleviate some of the pain you normally feel when you first get up. You can do that stretch several times a day. I still do it occasionally. When I had PF I found a message board , but that was a few years ago and I have no idea what it was or where it was.Sorry I can't help you there. Linda

I have been icing and doing exercises. A friend gave me a "boot" he had with PF. I cannot wear this thing to bed - it is huge! - but I have been wearing it at home when I am sitting. It is still extremely painful, but not as bad as it was a week ago. I am going to just keep up with what I am doing - and see what happens. I have not ruled out seeing a podiatrist or a cortisone shot if needed. I am awaiting the Sketchers Shape-ups I ordered. I have a pair now, but they are shot. They seem to take pressure off the heel as you rock more toward the ball of your foot. They may help as well. I just came in, having been gone a good part of the day, and while painful, I can still walk!! Tib, from what I read on that website, the insole is something you can buy to replace one in the shoes. If the one you have wears out, you can remove it and buy a replacement. I did not get the idea that you could buy the insoles and use in other shoes - but I might be wrong.

I've had it twice -- once from training for a half-marathon in worn out shoes, the last time from walking and working (standing all day) on a foot with 2 broken toes. It isn't a heel problem at all and has nothing to do with heel or bone "spurs". It is an inflammation of the tough connective tissue on the bottom of the foot, and the inflammation sets it up to be tight and painful. Here is what I learned to not do: don't let a chiropractor take a hard instrument to it -- yes it will produce a temporary relief of pain, but also perpetuates the injury leading to longer recovery if not permanent damage to the supporting structure. I went to a PT the first time, got it taped, exercises, orthotics. Minimal help. What did help the first time was buying those gel heel pads and placing them under the arch of the foot (not the heel!); getting a tennis ball and standing on it several times a day (yes that hurts but it is effective) then rolling it front and back; doing heel & calf stretches either on the stairs and/or with a towel; and taking the maximum safe dose of ibuprofen for the maximum recommended number of days -- I could do this because I was on no other meds, and had no other health issues. Don't do that without your MD's supervision and approval! And, I went to a running store, had my foot scanned, and got shoes that were correct for my stride and arch. The second time was when I made the chiropractor mistake, because it wasn't clearing up with the methods from the first time (probably because the aggravating cause had gone on for much longer, foolish me). Shoe inserts helped, but it just wouldn't go away. I would be okay at work, but as soon as I sat for a few minutes (like at lunch, or driving home) the foot would seize up and I would be limping. What finally worked then, besides the other methods, was borrowing an immobilizer boot from a co-worker and wearing that whenever I wasn't at work -- even at night. That works because it keeps the connective tissues stretched into proper position. The socks and splints that you can buy over the internet or in a drugstore all work on the same principal. And it helped within just a few days!