Plantar Faciitis

Hey everyone

i had plantar faciitis last year for 6 months and "cured" it with Hokas, more trail running (less road running), strapping, deep heat, and calf raises, and anything else i could think of.

i just read Eric's book and started the foot strength work, and working on my cadence, and the PF is coming back. admittedly i have been training for a marathon as well and my kms are up at the moment.

i wonder if the PF was never really healed, and all i have been doing this year is running flat footed so my arch doesnt have to engage. and now that i am trying to run faster to get my cadence up and move more to forefoot running the arch is now having to engage and i am realising how weak it is. my right foot is fine - very strong on my forefoot doing Eric's exercises. but i cant sustain them on my left foot for the same length of time.

any suggestions? maybe foot work or marathon training, but not both at the same time?

emily

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Permalink Reply by Eric Orton on October 29, 2017 at 8:21am

Hi Emily,
Sorry to hear about the dreaded PF. Typically PF originates in the calf, causing tightness and eventually reduced range of motion, placing stress at the heel.
Do some very deep tissue massage on your calf and see if you detect a very sore or tender spot there.
Let me know.

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Permalink Reply by Emily Canning on October 30, 2017 at 4:11am

thanks so much. i just massaged my calves myself and oh my goss they are so tender. no way i could cope with a deep tissue massage just yet.

thanks for the advice

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Permalink Reply by Eric Orton on October 30, 2017 at 7:25am

Ok, this is probably the source and the culprit. Start doing some self massage on them, as deep as you can handle and then lightly stretch the calves, holding for 1-2 min at a time. Eventually we need to break up the soreness and tightness, AND lack of mobility in the calf, to eventually feel a stretch in the heel - stretching the PF area. This will take some time but should really wipe it out.
So be consistent with above 2-3 times a day.
Keep me posted.