Plantar Faciitis Roller

After three year of suffering from Plantar faciitis, and having used every medical aid to help alleviate the pain I decided to make something that would be easy to use and small enough to be hidden away when not used. Most of the items designed for foot pain relief are not of a fixed nature and are apt to "roll" away from you.

After searching Instructables and finding nothing of a similar nature I thought I would post this.

The purpose of this instructable is to show you the finished product with some basic measurements, this is a design that will need adjusting for individual needs.

Currently this is still a prototype so the next version will be more refined.

1 x sheet of 10mm plywood

2 x mini rolling pins with wooden fixed handles

tack pins

wood glue

Cutting list

base plate is 50cm long by 15cm wide

inner side plates are 15cm long x 8cm wide

Outer side plates are 15cm long by 9cm wide

after cutting all the pieces I taped all four side pieces together, marked the center of the piece and drilled a 20mm hole straight through.

The two outer pieces had a channel cut to meet the center hole so as to allow removal of the two rolling pins.

I then laid out the side pieces onto the bottom plate to roughly line up the rolling pins.

Once I was happy with the layout I marked the edges of the middle pieces, glued and tack nailed together.

I then fit the rolling pins added the outer pieces, lined up, marked attached with glue and nails.

once all four side pieces were attached I then cut a top piece to fit , it was then attached in the same way.

This prototype has need of outer side supports, it also needs the outer sides shortening in order for me to remove the rolling pins should I accidentally break the arms.

I would also finish boxing off the middle section for extra strength and aesthetics.

When I get time I will also give a really good sanding and possibly a coat of tung oil.

addendum

If required you could epoxy beads or cut channels within the rolling pins for a more specific type of massage.

Comments

[amwill]

You need to be permanently wearing inserts in your shoes or boots at all times.

I have had this disorder for many years and the inserts will keep the pain away as long as you wear them everyday....all the very best....xxx

[pik1973]

I've been wearing inserts for 3 years, when I was first diagnosed my doctor and physiotherapist told me to roll a frozen bottle or use a rolling pin to stretch the tendons. they always got away from me and I became so frustrated I gave up and started on cortizon injections. this idea while very basic doesn't seem to be available for sale so I took things into my hands so to speak.

[amwill]

Hi there,pik 1973,
Thanks for your reply but now I'm going to enlighten you are to why you are still in pain..and what I had to endure to be pain free..
First of all the tendons are already stretched and your arches will have fallen, next whilst you are asleep Mother Nature attempts to "repair" the damage within the tendons sheath (this happens every night) and when you get up in the morning and put your feet to the floor, the pai is excruciating because you have just "undone" Mother Nature's work to make the sheath better...
I had to have devices from the NHS which hold your feet in an upright position that would strap on from the knee and right down to the toes...I had to wear these devices for several months, plus I also had fibreglass ones made too..(none of these devices look particularly good but they cure the problem) then, everyday I had to wear inserts in my boots and still do to this day...you too will have to wear them forever if you want to be painfree...
I understand why you made your device nad I by the same token spent a fortune on chirpodists with out any luck...only what I've mentioned before works for you and for me and for everybody...
I wish you all the best...kindest regards...xxx

[Penolopy Bulnick]

Nice idea! So, do you just roll your feet on it?

[pik1973]

that the idea, you place it under your feet and slide (roll) them front to back. its designed to stretch the plantar ligament.

[Aussie58]

Great job - commercial solutions are not always the answer.

[BeachsideHank]

Excellent submittal, anything that is genuinely theraputic and inexpensive gets my vote, well done!