How I Put Plantar Fasciitis Behind Me

Overview

Foot pain can be one of the most demoralizing running issues that you will face over your running life. I spent six months myself trying to figure out how to overcome it. I tried everything from rest to prescription orthotics to other random treatments. During this time, what I found was my own recipe for recovery and keeping my feet healthy. Disclaimer: I am not a doctor. You should have your feet examined by a medical professional for accurate diagnosis and treatment options.

What is Plantar Fasciitis

The plantar fascia is essentially tissue that runs lengthwise on the bottom of the foot, connecting the toes to the heal. So what is plantar fasciitis? Quite simply, it is the inflammation of this tissue. The issue tends to be more common in runners who are increasing mileage, have high arches, and/or tight calves.

What Didn’t Work For Me

The first thing I tried was rest. I didn’t run for two months. When I tried to start back up again, I still had pain. After two months off, I was pretty frustrated as you can imagine.

From there, I went to the doctor. The doctor agreed that I had plantar fasciitis. He proceeded to prescribe me custom orthotics. So, they made custom molds of my feet and after some additional $$$ out of my pocket, I had some fancy shoe inserts. I’m close to three months in to my injury at this point. Long story short, this didn’t offer me the relief I needed.

So I started my own research. This research led me down the path of creating the below recipe which treated my root cause. Rest and orthotics did not.

My Recipe

After a lot of research, I came to the conclusion that my feet were weak. Sure, I could try to baby them and pamper them. Or, I could strengthen them and toughen them up. I chose the latter and have not looked back since.

• The first thing I did was get a lacrosse ball to roll my feet on. Some people suggest a tennis ball as well, but the tennis ball had way too much give for me. Using pressure, I proceeded to use the lacrosse ball to roll my feet on while standing. If you don’t have good balance, you might want to hold on to something or even sit while rolling. I rolled parallel with the tissue as well as perpendicular. If I found any gnarly areas, I paid extra attention to them.
• The second thing I did was to start strengthening my tissue. I did this by trying to pick up random objects with my toes. Something like a golf ball works well.
• Stretching. I performed basic calf stretches while standing. I also stretched my plantar fascia after rolling on the lacrosse ball. To stretch my fascia, I would perform the yoga pose known as “screaming toes pose”.
• The final thing I did was chunk my orthotics and begin running with a more minimalist shoe. The theory here is that more minimalist shoes will strengthen your feet over time. You just have to ease into them.
• One thing that I have since added to me repertoire is a muscle scraper. I personally use the Sidekick Tool, but any scraper should work well.

Conclusion

After a few weeks, I was pain free and back to running. I follow this recipe to this day and it has made a mountain of difference in my training and the health of my feet.