Plantar fasciitis next steps - custom insoles? special shoes?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Tons and tons of calf stretching (downward dog, all the time)

+1 yes, to the point that you are gaining inch(es) to your ability to stretch the back of your legs/glutes/lower back.

[Anonymous]

Good luck to everyone suffering from PF. When I was running a lot, I would get occasional flare ups…mid arch and medial. A couple times a flare up was bad enough that I went to the podiatrist and each time I went through a regimen of three cortisone shots two weeks apart. These were very effective for me. Other times I self treated using a night splint and stretches as listed in The 5-Minute Plantar Fasciitis Solution by Jim Johnson. These were both helpful.

A couple times when running I felt like my foot was telling me that it was getting ready to lay the smack down. I’m a heavier heel-striker, and I sensed that my foot was tensed up during heel striking. It was like my foot/ankle was trying to fight the natural direction it need to go during that part of my stride. I then developed the habit of concentrating on relaxing my foot while running so that my foot was not tense when subjected to shocks. It’s difficult to explain…but this too was very effective.

[Anonymous]

Wooden Clogs
If you need an example: Sven Brand, non-bendable, Austrian base, 2 " which is considered a low-heel. Each detail, mentioned above, matters.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would respectfully disagree with those saying not to go barefoot. You need to get your feet healthier and stronger. Supportive shoes and inserts do the opposite of that. They exacerbate weakness.

You do realize some peoples feet are just structured in away that predisposed them to PF? It’s not about making them stronger. I have very high, fallen arches so now I have completely flat feet. That is not going to change.

This is what the shoe companies and podiatrists want us to believe. Because if it is not true, then why do we need them?

I on the other hand believe that the human foot is a brilliantly designed instrument for locomotion, adapted over thousands of years.

Feet work if you let them.

PP you responded to. AGAIN you are not accounting for a physical deformity such as mine. I grew up running around barefoot and refused to wear orthotics even though I technically was prescribed them at age 16. I switched to my "winter shoes" last fall and within a week had the PF back. Realized that I just need to go with sneakers 100% of the time, so I bought Hokas which eliminated the PF pain. I was told the alignment of the heel to toe is most important in PF and you need to pay close attention. With my flat foot, I DO need more support.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would respectfully disagree with those saying not to go barefoot. You need to get your feet healthier and stronger. Supportive shoes and inserts do the opposite of that. They exacerbate weakness.

You do realize some peoples feet are just structured in away that predisposed them to PF? It’s not about making them stronger. I have very high, fallen arches so now I have completely flat feet. That is not going to change.

This is what the shoe companies and podiatrists want us to believe. Because if it is not true, then why do we need them?

I on the other hand believe that the human foot is a brilliantly designed instrument for locomotion, adapted over thousands of years.

Feet work if you let them.

PP you responded to. AGAIN you are not accounting for a physical deformity such as mine. I grew up running around barefoot and refused to wear orthotics even though I technically was prescribed them at age 16. I switched to my "winter shoes" last fall and within a week had the PF back. Realized that I just need to go with sneakers 100% of the time, so I bought Hokas which eliminated the PF pain. I was told the alignment of the heel to toe is most important in PF and you need to pay close attention. With my flat foot, I DO need more support.

I don't dispute that foot deformities occur. You may have one and if so I'm sorry to hear it and you should do the needful to stay healthy.

My comments were not really directed at you in particular but more generally. My guess is that very few people have genuine foot deformities. The situation is more that many people have feet that have become messed up from excessive reliance on modern footwear. Those issues can be addressed and in many cases reversed by escaping modern footwear and getting back to basics.

But instead people are told by the shoe companies and the medical community that their feet cannot work without "supportive" shoes, orthotics, etc. Those solutions only exacerbate and reinforce weakness.

Feet were made to be used. And they are capable of quite a bit more than people commonly think.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would respectfully disagree with those saying not to go barefoot. You need to get your feet healthier and stronger. Supportive shoes and inserts do the opposite of that. They exacerbate weakness.

You do realize some peoples feet are just structured in away that predisposed them to PF? It’s not about making them stronger. I have very high, fallen arches so now I have completely flat feet. That is not going to change.

This is what the shoe companies and podiatrists want us to believe. Because if it is not true, then why do we need them?

I on the other hand believe that the human foot is a brilliantly designed instrument for locomotion, adapted over thousands of years.

Feet work if you let them.

PP you responded to. AGAIN you are not accounting for a physical deformity such as mine. I grew up running around barefoot and refused to wear orthotics even though I technically was prescribed them at age 16. I switched to my "winter shoes" last fall and within a week had the PF back. Realized that I just need to go with sneakers 100% of the time, so I bought Hokas which eliminated the PF pain. I was told the alignment of the heel to toe is most important in PF and you need to pay close attention. With my flat foot, I DO need more support.

I don't dispute that foot deformities occur. You may have one and if so I'm sorry to hear it and you should do the needful to stay healthy.

My comments were not really directed at you in particular but more generally. My guess is that very few people have genuine foot deformities. The situation is more that many people have feet that have become messed up from excessive reliance on modern footwear. Those issues can be addressed and in many cases reversed by escaping modern footwear and getting back to basics.

But instead people are told by the shoe companies and the medical community that their feet cannot work without "supportive" shoes, orthotics, etc. Those solutions only exacerbate and reinforce weakness.

Feet were made to be used. And they are capable of quite a bit more than people commonly think.

Cool story, bro. The barefoot running thing has been pretty discredited at this point. Glad that you found something that works for you. Doesn't work for lots of other people. Stop being a mansplaining ass who refuses to accept that they just might be wrong.

PS - anyone who resorts to the greedy medical community wants you to believe X trope only discredits themselves.

[Anonymous]

I had such terrible PF I couldn’t really walk anymore by the end of the day. It had been painful for months (been around for years) and it was caused by pregnancy. I have high arches and pronate. I lost all the baby weight but no dice.

I got steroid shots and it was nothing short of miraculous. The steroid shots allowed the swelling to go down and my feet to heal.

It’s been several years now. I still can feel the PF and I don’t think it ever goes away. In the summer I feel it the worst because I walk barefoot at home (slippers in winter). Never goes above 5% though.