How Runners Can Avoid Plantar Fasciitis (PF)
If you have plantar fasciitis and have been told by a doctor to wear a stability shoe,
orthotics, and never go barefoot, do yourself a favor and immediately switch to
another doctor, preferably one who has read about how the foot functions, and not
just knows all the names of the bones, tendons, muscles, and ligaments.
I speak from experience, since I was given this advice by a well-meaning podiatrist
when I had plantar fasciitis over a decade ago. After he finished telling me of the dire
consequences which would affect my feet if they were not externally stabilized, I
asked him how long I would have to follow his program. His answer was simple: for
ever!
I wisely didn’t follow his instructions, but I did do a little research about feet and the
maladies which affect them, and then I did some more fact-finding, and I never really
stopped my quest because what I discovered was fascinating: barefoot populations
do not have the foot problems that afflict people who wear supportive shoes. In fact,
the characteristics of traditional shoes are often the most harmful, but which sound
the most positive and comforting: supportive, stable, and cushioned. These features
are actually the ones that are the worst for the strength and health of your feet.
So much of what I was reading was different from what I had been taught that I had
to suspend my previous beliefs about shoes. So, although I knew that weak feet
were obviously more prone to dysfunction, I initially found it difficult that high-quality
shoes could be the major cause of this weakness. If I had been more systematic in
my thinking I would have realized that injuries associated with running had not
decreased, despite all the the technological advances advertised by the major shoe
companies.
One of the most common foot problems, both for runners and the general population,
is plantar fasciitis a (de)condition that seems to have reached almost epidemic
proportions, since it eventually affects one out of ten U.S. residents. Among certain
populations, including runners, those who stand for long periods of time, the
overweight, and sedentary, the rates are much higher.
Eventually I found the evidence overwhelming and was willing to enter a finding for
the prosecution: traditional shoes are the major source of maladies affecting the foot
and a significant contributing cause of other structural problems further up the chain
of movement. I was now able to ask one major question and give a simple and
accurate answer. But before we get there, let’s go into some detail about the exact
nature of plantar facsiitis.
The plantar fascia is a broad band of connective tissue stretching from the front of
the bottom of the calcaneus (heel) to the phalanges (toes). Its purpose is to transmit
stress through the foot by acting as a truss to help support the weight of the body
when standing and to stabilize the foot and improve its function as a lever as part of
the windlass mechanism while walking, running, and jumping.
Plantar fasciitis (PF) is an inflammation of the plantar fascia caused by excessive
stress. The major symptom is pain of varying intensities near the origin of the tissue,
right where it attaches to the calcaneus. The dysfunction or excessive stress is
caused by the foot being forced to operate in an unnatural way and without the full
muscular capacity that is often caused by the construction of traditional (rigid,
heeled) shoes, both running and casual. A shoe with a difference between the
height of the heel and forefoot immediately places the foot in a weaker mechanical
position by shortening the effective length of the plantar fascia and the Achilles
tendon which, in turn, forces both to become overworked. Depending upon the
frequency, duration, and intensity of the exercise, the plantar fascia can become
inflamed.
Q. What can you do to maintain or retain healthy feet and avoid plantar
fasciitis?
A. Be barefoot or wear minimal shoes for as many activities as possible.
Just like minimal running shoes minimal casual shoes should fit the anatomy and
function of your feet. With no restriction of its natural range of motion, the foot is able
to maintain its strength, balance, flexibility, and responsiveness. The truth is,
theoretically we should always be barefoot, but in today’s world that is not always
possible of feasible. Fortunately, by wearing minimal shoes, almost all of the
advantages of being barefoot are preserved.
Several companies (Vibram FiveFingers, Merrell, Altra, Skora, Xero Shoes) make
excellent minimal running and athletic shoes, but there are relatively few companies
that make true zero-drop minimal casual shoes. In addition to Merrell, two footwear
brands excel: The first is Vivo Barefoot. This company, which is part of a larger U.K.-
based corporation, Terra Plana, makes approximately ten models of minimal casual
shoes, half for men and half for women. Some have laces and others are slip-on
models, but all are lightweight, flexible, and very comfortable. The other is a fairly
new U.S.-based company called Lems, and their zero-drop casual shoes have
ample-sized area for your entire foot.
Each step you take with a minimal shoe, no matter what the activity, allows you to
strengthen your feet and reinforce proper patterns of movement
This essay originally appeared here: http://motioncenterstl.com/minimal-casualshoes-
plantar-fasciitis/
orthotics, and never go barefoot, do yourself a favor and immediately switch to
another doctor, preferably one who has read about how the foot functions, and not
just knows all the names of the bones, tendons, muscles, and ligaments.
I speak from experience, since I was given this advice by a well-meaning podiatrist
when I had plantar fasciitis over a decade ago. After he finished telling me of the dire
consequences which would affect my feet if they were not externally stabilized, I
asked him how long I would have to follow his program. His answer was simple: for
ever!
I wisely didn’t follow his instructions, but I did do a little research about feet and the
maladies which affect them, and then I did some more fact-finding, and I never really
stopped my quest because what I discovered was fascinating: barefoot populations
do not have the foot problems that afflict people who wear supportive shoes. In fact,
the characteristics of traditional shoes are often the most harmful, but which sound
the most positive and comforting: supportive, stable, and cushioned. These features
are actually the ones that are the worst for the strength and health of your feet.
So much of what I was reading was different from what I had been taught that I had
to suspend my previous beliefs about shoes. So, although I knew that weak feet
were obviously more prone to dysfunction, I initially found it difficult that high-quality
shoes could be the major cause of this weakness. If I had been more systematic in
my thinking I would have realized that injuries associated with running had not
decreased, despite all the the technological advances advertised by the major shoe
companies.
One of the most common foot problems, both for runners and the general population,
is plantar fasciitis a (de)condition that seems to have reached almost epidemic
proportions, since it eventually affects one out of ten U.S. residents. Among certain
populations, including runners, those who stand for long periods of time, the
overweight, and sedentary, the rates are much higher.
Eventually I found the evidence overwhelming and was willing to enter a finding for
the prosecution: traditional shoes are the major source of maladies affecting the foot
and a significant contributing cause of other structural problems further up the chain
of movement. I was now able to ask one major question and give a simple and
accurate answer. But before we get there, let’s go into some detail about the exact
nature of plantar facsiitis.
The plantar fascia is a broad band of connective tissue stretching from the front of
the bottom of the calcaneus (heel) to the phalanges (toes). Its purpose is to transmit
stress through the foot by acting as a truss to help support the weight of the body
when standing and to stabilize the foot and improve its function as a lever as part of
the windlass mechanism while walking, running, and jumping.
Plantar fasciitis (PF) is an inflammation of the plantar fascia caused by excessive
stress. The major symptom is pain of varying intensities near the origin of the tissue,
right where it attaches to the calcaneus. The dysfunction or excessive stress is
caused by the foot being forced to operate in an unnatural way and without the full
muscular capacity that is often caused by the construction of traditional (rigid,
heeled) shoes, both running and casual. A shoe with a difference between the
height of the heel and forefoot immediately places the foot in a weaker mechanical
position by shortening the effective length of the plantar fascia and the Achilles
tendon which, in turn, forces both to become overworked. Depending upon the
frequency, duration, and intensity of the exercise, the plantar fascia can become
inflamed.
Q. What can you do to maintain or retain healthy feet and avoid plantar
fasciitis?
A. Be barefoot or wear minimal shoes for as many activities as possible.
Just like minimal running shoes minimal casual shoes should fit the anatomy and
function of your feet. With no restriction of its natural range of motion, the foot is able
to maintain its strength, balance, flexibility, and responsiveness. The truth is,
theoretically we should always be barefoot, but in today’s world that is not always
possible of feasible. Fortunately, by wearing minimal shoes, almost all of the
advantages of being barefoot are preserved.
Several companies (Vibram FiveFingers, Merrell, Altra, Skora, Xero Shoes) make
excellent minimal running and athletic shoes, but there are relatively few companies
that make true zero-drop minimal casual shoes. In addition to Merrell, two footwear
brands excel: The first is Vivo Barefoot. This company, which is part of a larger U.K.-
based corporation, Terra Plana, makes approximately ten models of minimal casual
shoes, half for men and half for women. Some have laces and others are slip-on
models, but all are lightweight, flexible, and very comfortable. The other is a fairly
new U.S.-based company called Lems, and their zero-drop casual shoes have
ample-sized area for your entire foot.
Each step you take with a minimal shoe, no matter what the activity, allows you to
strengthen your feet and reinforce proper patterns of movement
This essay originally appeared here: http://motioncenterstl.com/minimal-casualshoes-
plantar-fasciitis/
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