Plantar Fasciitis is more than just a pair of “tired dogs”.
If you have aching or painful arches you may have plantar fasciitis. The most common symptom would be painful feet when first getting out of bed until you “walk it off”. This comes from the muscles tightening on you as you sleep. It could be from aging, from an injury or from poorly fitted shoes, among other things. See a podiatrist to at least obtain a clear diagnosis. He/she will provide you with many options. Here are some of them:
Your first option would be to stretch your calf and feet muscles a few times a day, don’t overdo activities that aggravate your feet and apply ice after exercise. There are devices that you can attach to your feet that apply a gentle stretch as you sleep. They are called “night splints”. Though some people find it hard to fall asleep while wearing them.
A second option would be to buy a better pair of shoes. Buy shoes with good arches and stable support. Ladies, it’s time to give up those high heels that probably caused the problem in the first place. It would be no fun to wear that great pair of Farragamo’s if you’re sitting in a wheelchair. There are plenty of comfortable, fashionable and supportive shoes available these days, especially the ones from Europe where they believe in health and style.
Another option would be to use a high quality insole found in high-end shoe stores or outdoor stores. Better yet, a podiatrist can fit you for custom-made insoles. Expensive, yes, but so are motorized scooters. You need not purchase orthopedic shoes. The insoles are designed to fit into a variety of shoes from dress shoes to hiking boots.
The best thing you can do is to not walk barefoot even if you are at the beach. It just makes matters worse. So find a good pair of water shoes with built-in arch supports, not just a pair of flip-flops.
An option that makes me cringe would be foot surgery. Please make this your last option. It comes with many risks, which should be clearly discussed with your doctor.
Don’t ignore your feet, because if you do, the condition will worsen.