Worried about getting around parks

[jonimce]

We are getting ready for a wonderful ten night stay at the Wilderness Lodge. I have been diagonsed with Plantar Fasciitis, a very painful foot problem. Tried the cortisone but it didn't work. Have any of you experenced this? I would feel really weird getting a wheelchair, but don't know how I will get through a whole day.

 

[Lynne M]

Oh, I've been there. I've had a couple of nasty bouts of plantar fascitis brought on by all the walking at WDW.

First, get yourself a pair of Crocs . I was having pain after the first morning of my trip (was wearing sneakers), put on the Crocs and walked all over DD for hours with no pain. Honestly, they saved my trip. Wear them around before your trip, and see if they help.

If they don't, Walker Mobility rents ECVs. They'll deliver to your hotel, and pick it up when you're done. At least that way you won't need anyone to push you in a wheelchair.

I know you'd rather not use the ECV or the wheelchair, but believe me, you're going to be in utter misery with all that walking. After all the planning and anticipation (and the cost), why be miserable if don't have to?

Hope your feet are better soon, and that you have a great trip!

 

[donac]

I know what you are going through. I have been to DW twice with the same condidtion. My husband threaten to rent a wheelchair for me but I refused. Take it slow. Stretch whenever you are in line waiting for something.(Ask your doctor for some if you don't have any already). If you are just sitting tap your foot up and and down to keep the tendons moving and stretching. Make sure you take some inflamitories (ask your doct about the best one. Ice it when you get back to the room. Take it slow but it is better to keep moving. ALso expect a great deal pain when you get back. If you have access to a freezer, freeze a water bottle so when you get back to the room you can roll it under your foot.

ALso ask your doctor about orthodics. If you can't get them in time then get a heel cup (ask your doctor about the best one that you can buy over the counter).

Good luck it will be painful but these are some of the hints that have worked for me(I have had two sets of them)

 

[Pixiedust34]

I was recently diagnosed with PF and I have the same worries.

I ordered a pair of Crocs called Crocs Reliefs that are made specifically for PF. I did not get them yet, but I'm hoping they'll help. You can find them on the Crocs website.

Take time to stretch your foot muscles when you can. As another poster said, take a frozen water bottle or small ball and rub it under your feet at night. That is supposed to help. If possible, have a day in the middle of your trip when you're not on your feet all day. Maybe you can do some special resort dinners and hang out at the pool.

I hope that the right shoes and the stretching exercises will help with the walking. Have a good trip!

 

[disnut8]

Please don't feel weird about renting a wheelchair. You can get the manual ones at the parks and they are fairly easy for someone to push around. I managed to wheel my husband around all weekend a few years ago. I'm five foot nothing and weigh 100 pounds soaking wet. My father had both knees replaced a few years ago and it's tough for him to get around. Otherwise, he's perfectly healthy. He refused to get a wheelchair at Disney World. It was only when he was all the way in the back of Animal Kingdom and couldn't move that he finally got one. Once he had one, it was so easy to get around. In fact, he wanted to race another guy in a scooter.

You don't get special treatment since most of the queues are wheelchair friendly. And no one looks at you strangely if you can still get out and walk for short distances.

 

[GinaGrumpyDwarf]

I have PF also...Crocs were making me worse!! I had a pair at work (I'm a nurse) and a pair at home, and now i cant even wear any of them! My Sketchers are really helping. Also i try to stretch the tendon whenever i can. THat has seemed to help with the pain the most. Last month I couldnt even get out of bed without almost falling to the floor or limping for the first 20 min. before I worke up in the morning. The waterbottle really works well at the end of a long 16 hr. day!

I dont know anything about the special crocs, but i bought the other 2 pairs thinking that it would help and it made it worse, so i'm done buying crocs!

 

[fizz13]

can't offer help I'm afraid but wanted to send to all suffering with this condition. I think if you get there and you can't cope, the best thing might be the ECV that you can hire. heres hoping you don't need it though,

 

[jonimce]

Thank you so much for all the incouragement. I do have the orthodics and the all terraine running shoes, but what are crocs? Are they those plastic slip-ons that Mario (the chef) wears? I better look them up.

 

[Feralpeg]

I also suffer from PF. I walk the parks on a regular basis. The best thing I can recommend is to get a pair of tennis shoes with the best arch you can find. It is hard to do that any more. None of them seem to have good arches. I also switch shoes each day. I don't know why, but it seems to help. As others have said, do not feel bad if you need to rent a wheelchair. Unless you've dealt with PF, you can't understand how painful it can be.

 

[Bev J]

Here is a link for the crocs relief, perhaps ask your foot doc about them.
http://www.crocsrx.com/patientLanding/relief.jsp

Also here is a link for a thread on this site about foot pain. I have learned so much here on how to make the pain not so bad or suggestions on how to manage it. I am going to try the frozen water bottle. The thought of walking for 6 days in the parks is stressing me out since I can't walk 30 min without alot of pain the next day. Off to the foot doc in 2 weeks so hopefully I can get it managed by September and enjoy the parks. I have already told my family if I have to I will rent a wheel chair- better than pain or not going!

http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1163665&page=1&pp=10

Bev

 

[TheZeppo]

I think your options are fairly limited. You've chosen to go to WDW with your condition, where you know a lot of foot travel is required. You should try Crocs out. They'll probably do the trick. Although as GinaGrumpyDwark said they were making it worse for her, so you never know. Or you'll have to get a ECV. What else can you do?

 

[lovetoscrap]

I also have terrible PF. I had cortisone shots right before our last trip (including on the day before we left). I have Crocs and they are ok for everyday walking and are especially comfy for around the house--but I can't imagine wearing them all day for all the walking at Disney. Even wearing them for an extended Walmart or Mall trip leaves me in lots of pain, and they rub other parts of my feet and cause problems. I have prescriptions orthotics and good tennies for that. But even then I have a lot of pain.

Make sure you try out Crocs before you take them--they just don't work for everyone.

Some things that did help last trip. I bought ankle supports (over the counter at Walmart type) that adjust with velcro over the top of the foot and the ankle. I pulled them tight across the top of my foot so there was lots of support to my arch and the PF area. This helped some. Also volunteered to push my dd stroller at all times. Just having that little bit of support to hold onto and take the tiniest bit of weight off my feet helped--like using a walker!

The biggest thing though that I recommed for now is to get a night splint. Your podiatrist can get you one, or you can order it for yourself. It is really awkward to sleep in, but it really does help--A LOT!

The catalog www.footsmart.com has a lot of speciality products for PF--including night splints and PF support items. Night Splints aren't cheap, but they are well worth it. Over time it will help to heal PF and will make you more comfortable overall.

I am dreading my next trip because I will be by myself with my kids. They can't push me in a Wheelchair, and I think I would have problems using an ECV and keep up with them (DD always wants to hold my hand). Plus I am a go, go, go kind of person and and ECV would really cramp my style I am hoping for the best and planning to just take lots of breaks. The worst for me is just standing in line. I am just miserable when my feet hurt that bad and I have to just stand for ever. Since it will be Sept I am praying for the low crowds, and planning to take advantage of EMH and fastpass.

 

[jonimce]

I think your options are fairly limited. You've chosen to go to WDW with your condition, where you know a lot of foot travel is required. You should try Crocs out. They'll probably do the trick. Although as GinaGrumpyDwark said they were making it worse for her, so you never know. Or you'll have to get a ECV. What else can you do?

Not really. You see this trip was planned long before getting the PF. That I would never plan.LOL This trip is DS's graduation present, so it wouldn't be fair to cancel.

Thanks again for all the tips. I do roll my arch on the bottle in the morning, but never knew about the frozen one. I'll try it.

 

[Donald is #1]

I also have PF. For me, I buy good sneakers and wear them. But I always(!!!) put inserts in them. I buy the ones that go about 3/4 of the way down the shoe. I wear sneakers or wlaking shoes with inserts all the time including at work. I haven't tried this at Disney yet. But it worked well for me in Italy. We walked all over Rome and I didn't have that many problems.

Good Luck!

 

[ntsammy5]

We are getting ready for a wonderful ten night stay at the Wilderness Lodge. I have been diagonsed with Plantar Fasciitis, a very painful foot problem. Tried the cortisone but it didn't work. Have any of you experenced this? I would feel really weird getting a wheelchair, but don't know how I will get through a whole day.

This is not a laughing matter. If you don't already have orthotics, think about getting them. I've found that a arch support (sleeve) works well and hopefully would work for you too. Here's a link:

http://www.footsmart.com/Product.aspx?ProductId=83

Good luck.

 

[Donald is #1]

This is not a laughing matter. If you don't already have orthotics, think about getting them. I've found that a arch support (sleeve) works well and hopefully would work for you too. Here's a link:

http://www.footsmart.com/Product.aspx?ProductId=83

Good luck.

ntsammy, I was just looking at their website. Have you tried their socks with the arch support built in?

 

[ntsammy5]

ntsammy, I was just looking at their website. Have you tried their socks with the arch support built in?

Yes I have and they work too. Anything that supports the arch seems to work for me. I was at the WTC for a while in 2001 and I had to get medical attantion due to this. It can be debilitating. Thankfully it's much better now. Good luck! Have a great time on your trip!

 

[jonimce]

ntsammy, I was just looking at their website. Have you tried their socks with the arch support built in?

Is the sock something I would wear along with the orthotics? Or would this be inplace of them. I have the ones (orthotics) the doctor had me buy.

 

[mineeme22]

a wheelchair will help ur foot, and help u get to the front of the lines, not a bad deal at all.

 

[ntsammy5]

Is the sock something I would wear along with the orthotics? Or would this be inplace of them. I have the ones (orthotics) the doctor had me buy.

Yup, you can wear them with orthotics. The only reason I didn't like the socks is that I only needed it for my left foot and couldn't find another sock to match for right foot. They do work though. Good luck