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Mandy T.
Mandy T. Sendmail

I think I have Plantar fasciitis! Can I still run?

asked almost 8 years ago | Report

Its been a week since I first noticed the pain in my heel of my right foot. I thought it was because I was wearing my "CUTE" flip flops that have a heel! I continued to run but then my legs (calve and hamstring) started to get very tight/sore and also accompanied by the heel pain. I must be running differently to compensate for the slight pain and making other muscles sore!
I took two days off, stayed out of the CUTE flip flops, and felt 90% better. Then last night, I ran (on the track) just 3 miles (they were fast miles though). The pain immediately came back. I have acsics and have worn them for the last two years! LOVE THEM! The pair I have are about 6-8weeks used! I went to RUN ON and they said it sounded like I had Plantar fasciitis. YIKES! I did get new shoes (sauconys). And ran/walked lightly tonight to get a feel for them! But my heel is in pain again tonight! SOOOO FRUSTRATING! PLEASE tell me I can continue running! Any suggestions? Advice? Thanks in advance!

5 answers

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  • Nick C.
    Nick C. Sendmail

    I had plantar fasciitis and trained through it, but it took me almost 2 years to get rid of it. This was mostly because of mistakes I made, so hopefully I can provide some insights. I had it bad for about 6 months, then off and on for a year and a half.

    When it was bad, my first approach was to tape it. This stopped it from getting worse but made my foot muscles atrophy so that when I stopped taping, it took a while for my feet to strengthen again. I would not recommend taping with any regularity.

    Plantar fasciitis occurs when the plantar fascia starts to rip away from the heel bone, usually because of some trauma or if the foot is not strong enough to handle the stress we put on it. The key is to find a balance between running enough to strengthen your feet but not running so much that you re-tear the plantar fascia, all while encouraging the plantar fascia to heal.

    I would recommend cutting out speed work for a while, it was the number one trigger for my PF to get worse. Slow running won't hurt it much if you're gentle, and will help keep your feet strong. As for healing the plantar fascia, I found that several techniques together encouraged it to heal quickly. Massaging the plantar fascia at the point of pain where it meets the heel will help break up the scar tissue. This is important because the scar tissue will prevent it from healing fully. Icing can decrease inflammation which also encourages healing. Another important piece of the healing is to release stress on the plantar fascia. The plantar fascia is interconnected with a whole system that makes your foot and leg stretch. The calf is an important part of this, and if your calves are tight then you will have high stress on the fascia. Stretching the calf gently several times a day will help relieve tension. You can also make the plantar fascia itself more elastic by gently stretching your toes up towards your knee, or rolling your foot on a tennis/golf ball.

    One last option that may help is the Strassburg sock or a night splint. Most of us sleep with our feet pointed, which gives the plantar fascia a lot of slack and it shrinks overnight. We take our first step with the foot cold, and it puts enough stress on the fascia to cause more micro-tears. These devices keep the foot flexed which prevents this situation.

    I found that combining all of these, my plantar fascia went away for good, and rather quickly. But while I was ignoring one or two of them, my PF would return every month or so when I did speed work and stressed it too much. Hopefully yours isn't as bad as mine, but I know people who have had it for far longer than I did, so don't underestimate it.

    answered almost 8 years ago |Report

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  • Mike D.
    Mike D. Sendmail

    Here are a few things that helped me:
    1. Ice after all runs until pain disappears.
    2. Take anti-inflammatory medications like Advil.
    3. Wear motion-control running shoes.
    4. Wear footwear with proper arch-supoort at all times, even when just walking around the house. No flimsy slippers or flip-flops.
    5. Wrap arch with ace bandage during the day for a few days and as needed. It takes the pressure off.
    6. Avoid speed training and hill training.

    answered almost 8 years ago |edited almost 8 years ago |Report

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  • Ez
    Ez Sendmail

    Hi
    First I think you should find yourself a professional diagnosis!
    Next if you do have plantar fasciitis you should read my story.
    For me it all started with plantar fasciitis. The best cardio exercise for someone with plantar fasciitis is swimming and riding a bicycle. I used to run and I got plantar fasciitis so I started to swim and cycle. Today (after more than two years) I’m better with my PF so I ended up as a triathlete. I have finished my first olympic triathlon race last summer.
    There are many things you can do to treat your PF although I understood that treatment efficiency is very individual. If something works for one it will not necessarily work for the other.
    I have found taping very useful. Taping will keep your foot from getting injured again and will help you get through your daily routine and exercises.
    I found a very informative website in:
    http://www.plantar-fasciitis-elrofeet.com
    Take care & Good luck

    answered almost 8 years ago |Report

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  • Karrie S.
    Karrie S. Sendmail

    I have it now. I have had it since July of last year. I am still running. I run about 35 miles a week. Go to the DR. I get therapy and it helps abit but still there. People are right everyones is different....take all the advise try them and see what makes you feel better! The sock thing did not work for me at all...however might for you.

    answered almost 8 years ago |Report

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  • Darren V.
    Darren V. Sendmail

    The shocking thing that I learned about PF was that I was re-injuring myself every morning when I got out of bed. The key for me was to rub my arches for a few seconds before getting out of bed in the morning (or when you get up at night). I've written an article about my personal journey with PF here: http://darren.vansoye.com/fitness/tricks-of-the-trade-plantar-fasciitis. This article includes a schedule that starts with a cessation of running and gradually builds back to active running. I've been posting a lot of miles lately with no symptoms whatsoever. Hope it helps!

    answered almost 6 years ago |Report

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