So I started with Plantar Fasciitis in both feet earlier this year and used running and cycling to finally lose weight and get in shape…ish. My right foot is back to normal but still dealing with pain in my left foot.
While regular running seems to be helping me, I ran my second 5k race and had to limp for the next 12 hours in excruciating pain. It seems the intensity is what makes running go from helpful to counterproductive.
I’ve seen running shoes and fitting services advertise their consideration for plantar fasciitis and wondering what this exactly entails. As far as I know the issue is mostly connected to my calf and lower leg and I never have any discomfort while actually running. Do these shoes do anything besides having more cushioning for the heel? I’m in Hoka Clifton 8’s and can’t imagine any more cushioning.
Does anyone have experience with buying shoes that “address” this or have any other insights?
Obviously seeing a doctor is the most important factor but I’m curious what experiences people have outside of that.
Last year I had pretty extreme pain from PF. I went to a podiatrist and he gave me some lower leg (calf) stretches to do. That took care of the problem, and while it still occasionally flares up the stretching takes care of it. I continue to run in Altra and Topo shoes, nothing specific for PF. Highly recommend seeing a podiatrist.
They have more arch support. The real issue is the tendons and ligaments aren’t long enough. Stretching is the real cure. I get it from time to time, personally the inserts they told me to use made it worse. Also they said don’t go barefoot, sorry, I spend most of my time barefoot. When I stretched my lower legs more, went away.
So you’re saying don’t get PF specific footwear? I don’t run that often and most of my time is spent barefoot and in other types of shoes (we agree on cause and treatment I think). Just trying to see if there’s a way to avoid the day of limping after a 23 minute effort.
Just a quick update for anyone that finds this thread, I walked into a Fleet Feet to ask about shoes for PF. Was told it needed arch support and a stiffer heel and that they recommend the Hoka Clifton 8. I mumbled shit and walked out cause that’s the shoe I’m running in…guess it’s back to just strengthening my lower leg and being careful.
Two things worked for me (and it took AGES to be able to run again without pain). First, like everyone else said, big arch support in all my shoes, not just my runners. Also neutral running shoes with added arch support work better for me than the ones with a lot of control. YMMV
Second, seriously working on my calves and achilles. Stretching didn’t do anything at all for me, but using an R8 roller and really pressing it down on the muscle and tendon to stretch and loosen them made a real difference.
One last thought - are you maybe over-striding? Long strides tend to jackhammer your heel. Shorter strides help use your knees to cushion the impact.
Thanks for this. Yes, doing raises, stretches, losing 10 lbs, and making sure I don’t step on it first thing the morning without stretching definitely helped.
What’s weird is that it actually feels a bit better now than it did before the race; just wondering how to avoid that 24 hour period of excruciating pain.
I took my massage gun last night and for the first time really jammed it into my solus right where it meets the calf and it completely loosened my foot up without even touching it, so I think that’s the primary source of my issues. Will check out the r8 as well. As for striding, this was my first race where I actually focused on mid foot striking and increasing my cadence so I could have overloaded my lower leg muscles and created the temporary issue. On to more calf raises before the next effort!
Taping helps me a lot more than my fancy inserts. I tape before my run, use arch support socks, inserts, and shoes with a thick sole. Also, foam rolling is greatly preventative.
Do you have a YouTube video for reference? I’ve tried two methods but not sure what the best is
I don’t have PF myself but I own Oofos shoes and slides. They have very pronounced arch support and I’ve read they are good for PF. They are recovery footwear though, and not for actual running. I just like them because they are super plush, softer than any other shoes I’ve worn.
