Plantar problems + barefoot running

jrich1

I have had two trips to the podaitrist who suggested $600 insoles and pretty much told me that would be my only solution. Instructed me not to walk barefoot or in flip flops (which I love to do). I walked around today for a couple hours in my reef flip flops and didnt have any more than usual pain in my feet.

I was doing reasearch online for treatment for PF.

I am seeing numerous articles online from Dr's to marathon runners that say that if you run barefoot it can actually cure it. The basis is that running shoes with the increase support keep your foot at an angle which actually puts your foot at a weird angle which causes stress to the achilies and plantar tissue.. and running barefoot keeps you doing a forefoot/mid foot strike and actually keeps your foot working as designed and not overextending mucles.. it also builds muscles and your feet and when done properly can relieve pain on knees and joints because your foot is the best shock abosorber.

I was at the store earlier and found some new balance minimus shoes on sale and almost pulled the trigger to start incorporating them and see if it helps...

Anyone have any experience??

... I know you have to ease into it like running in the shoes for just a few minutes and working your way up.

INFJ

I saw these too and wondered if they were a fad or if they were beneficial.

scottb81

I got PF in April while wearing vibram five fingers. I don't think the PF was from the shoes but rather from adding speedwork to an already heavy training load. I mostly cured it within 4 weeks by just rolling it on a golfball, rolling it on an ice bottle, and wearing a night splint. I also started wearing Brooks Connect shoes that have a low, 4mm heel to toe drop to add a little cushion on the road but not interfere with my running form. I did not use any orthotic. I reduced my running to around 45 miles per week for four weeks but did not stop running. I also stopped doing speedwork during that time.

We have two podiatrists in our running club and that is what they informally recommended I do. They said the most important thing is catch it early and treat it aggressively. The longer you let it go the longer it takes to heal.

fteale

Barefoot shoes gave me plantar problems. Not fasciitis as most people seem to get, but a collapsed metatarsal. My osteopath (also a runner) recommended plenty of cushioning, and my physio said most injuries she sees are from minimalist shoes.

chuckyp

Never had PF but I was get bad IT Band Syndrome when trail running in normal shoes. Especially downhill. I switched to NB Minimus trail shoes (MT10) and they eliminated the problem. Since I have also switched to NB Minimus Road shoes (MR00) for my road runs. Haven't had any IT band issues at all. So it might be worth a try for you as well.

mikeyboy

I got PF in April while wearing vibram five fingers. I don't think the PF was from the shoes but rather from adding speedwork to an already heavy training load. I mostly cured it within 4 weeks by just rolling it on a golfball, rolling it on an ice bottle, and wearing a night splint. I also started wearing Brooks Connect shoes that have a low, 4mm heel to toe drop to add a little cushion on the road but not interfere with my running form. I did not use any orthotic. I reduced my running to around 45 miles per week for four weeks but did not stop running. I also stopped doing speedwork during that time.

We have two podiatrists in our running club and that is what they informally recommended I do. They said the most important thing is catch it early and treat it aggressively. The longer you let it go the longer it takes to heal.

All of the above, minus the night cast, did the trick for me. I still suffer once in awhile but very little and short stints..

Kara_xxx

I had custom made CAD/CAM orthotics made by a sports podiatrist and they were just about the most awful thing I've ever had in my shoes. Hated them Totally killed my love for running and gave me hip problems just to top it.

I read up on POSE running... http://posetech.com/ and changed my gait over time and used less and less structured shoes. From a highly structure shoe to a neutral shoe, to a minimalist shoe (Nike Free Run) and eventually to Vibrams. Never looked back.

shivaslives

It's not just the minimalist shoes that help alleviate the problem but the proper running technique (i.e., forefoot strike) to go along with them. I couldn't run unless it was for that technique and use both NB Minimus and Vibram FiveFinger Komodo LS and love them both. I have no PF problems or any joint issues but there are some trade offs with potential metatarsalgia and other minor issues.
The key is a move to a better running technique and a gradual transition in your shoe cushioning.



Advice is worth exactly what you pay for it!
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Kara_xxx

Barefoot shoes gave me plantar problems. Not fasciitis as most people seem to get, but a collapsed metatarsal. My osteopath (also a runner) recommended plenty of cushioning, and my physio said most injuries she sees are from minimalist shoes.

And there will be an equal number of physios telling you that the majority of running injuries are the result of heavy heel striking. The jury is completely out on this.

theNurseNancy

KT TAPE KT TAPE KT TAPE KT TAPE

uk_ja

Anyone have any experience??

... I know you have to ease into it like running in the shoes for just a few minutes and working your way up.

Changing to Forefoot running is nothing like running in the shoes for a few minutes to work your way up. You need to correct your bad form, just buying a pair of shoes designed for minimalist running doesn't mean anything. I would actually go out on a limb and say that you'll hurt yourself even more.

Look into Chi Running, Pose Running for the form and correct techniques. I have spent 9 months transitioning from heel striking to forefoot running and I didn't even change my shoes.

jrich1

Anyone have any experience??

... I know you have to ease into it like running in the shoes for just a few minutes and working your way up.

Changing to Forefoot running is nothing like running in the shoes for a few minutes to work your way up. You need to correct your bad form, just buying a pair of shoes designed for minimalist running doesn't mean anything. I would actually go out on a limb and say that you'll hurt yourself even more.

Look into Chi Running, Pose Running for the form and correct techniques. I have spent 9 months transitioning from heel striking to forefoot running and I didn't even change my shoes.

I should mention the original injury was not due to running, but was doing a boot camp at the gym, trying to get relief since its been 8 weeks.

wendiford

I am sooooo glad I saw this! I suffered with plantar fasciitis for 3 YEARS! At first I went to a podiatrist after a year of trying to suffer through it and wear a birkenstock insert in my shoes. I literally had to wear New Balance shoes 24/7. I am not kidding. As soon as I woke up I slipped them on and they were the last things to come off at night, no joke. I burned through tennis shoes in 1 month doing that. Anyway, the podiatrist told me to buy the insert that you speak of (I was charged $400 and insurance did not cover it). I still wear them in my shoes but only because I'm going to wear them until they are nubs!

After 3 years and no relief, I just happened to be in a vitamin and supplement store that is locally owned in my town. My husband was getting treated for his chronic pancreatitis after medical docs nearly killed him (he's almost cured, BTW!) I asked them if they have anything for plantar fasciitis and they immediately gave me a product called Myo-Tone by Enzymatic Therapy. It's an all natural vitamin supplement. I am not kidding you when I say this, I can now walk barefoot with NO problems! I now wear sandals all the time and my feet don't hurt! I found this product on Amazon for a very reasonable price. The recommendation is 2 tablets 3 times daily. They are fairly big, kinda like multivitamins, but not hard to get down. I now only take 2 tabs a day and sometimes none if I forget! I've only been taking them for a few months. The relief is immediate! You can do some research on this on the internet for your own piece of mind (I always do this myself) but you'll find many others that will say the same thing. Good luck and let me know if it helps!

jrich1

Barefoot shoes gave me plantar problems. Not fasciitis as most people seem to get, but a collapsed metatarsal. My osteopath (also a runner) recommended plenty of cushioning, and my physio said most injuries she sees are from minimalist shoes.

Its just weird, everything I am reading seems to go opposite from what the Dr told me to do.. they said its really form and getting used to it, but seens lots of things saying barefoot allows your foot to work like it does so nothing gets overworked or over stretched with angles..

SmallMimi

I tried everything - stretching, custom orthotics, braces at night, yadda, yadda, yadda. Nothing helped. My chiro noticed that I was walking funny and asked what was wrong, I explained and he just laughed and said he could help. Scheduled me for underwater ultrasound treatments to be done in his office. After two treatments in 2010 I had no more pain and have not suffered any since.

fitpilatesqueen

I feel your pain.
I have tried specially made insoles, didn´t do any good for me, have tried so many shoes that I have no count for how many. The "best" I found was Ecco and nike with air soles.
Wearing shoes for me is painful so I´m always glad when I get the chance to be barefoot, that is when my pain gets less.
I´m constantly doing exercises for my feet.
I so wish I had normal feet and that I could walk fast or run without every step to be screamingly painful.

skb12573

I am sooooo glad I saw this! I suffered with plantar fasciitis for 3 YEARS! At first I went to a podiatrist after a year of trying to suffer through it and wear a birkenstock insert in my shoes. I literally had to wear New Balance shoes 24/7. I am not kidding. As soon as I woke up I slipped them on and they were the last things to come off at night, no joke. I burned through tennis shoes in 1 month doing that. Anyway, the podiatrist told me to buy the insert that you speak of (I was charged $400 and insurance did not cover it). I still wear them in my shoes but only because I'm going to wear them until they are nubs!

After 3 years and no relief, I just happened to be in a vitamin and supplement store that is locally owned in my town. My husband was getting treated for his chronic pancreatitis after medical docs nearly killed him (he's almost cured, BTW!) I asked them if they have anything for plantar fasciitis and they immediately gave me a product called Myo-Tone by Enzymatic Therapy. It's an all natural vitamin supplement. I am not kidding you when I say this, I can now walk barefoot with NO problems! I now wear sandals all the time and my feet don't hurt! I found this product on Amazon for a very reasonable price. The recommendation is 2 tablets 3 times daily. They are fairly big, kinda like multivitamins, but not hard to get down. I now only take 2 tabs a day and sometimes none if I forget! I've only been taking them for a few months. The relief is immediate! You can do some research on this on the internet for your own piece of mind (I always do this myself) but you'll find many others that will say the same thing. Good luck and let me know if it helps!

I have had this same experience with PF! For years I have had it, sometimes it is fine for 9 or 10 months, other times, I have had it 4 months non-stop! I had injections, physical therapy, stretching, icing, taping, orthotic insert$ and expen$ive shoes (that only last me 3 months top) from sun up to sun down. I may have to look into this!

fteale

Barefoot shoes gave me plantar problems. Not fasciitis as most people seem to get, but a collapsed metatarsal. My osteopath (also a runner) recommended plenty of cushioning, and my physio said most injuries she sees are from minimalist shoes.

And there will be an equal number of physios telling you that the majority of running injuries are the result of heavy heel striking. The jury is completely out on this.

She said she didn't personally know anything about barefoot running, but that 75% of the injuries she personally sees are as a result of using minimalist shoes.
I mid foot strike, naturally, but in vibrams I have to toe strike, and that is not good for me with very very high arches. I do use inov8s for off road, but they hurt my arches on road.

fitpilatesqueen

It took me a long time to heal. almost two years because my feet took turns giving me pain.
I have been good for almost a year, now I started exercise and walking daily and just like that it comes back, both feet this time and with full force. But I have to agree with one answer here, rolling on a cold bottle helps or a ball.

jrich1

I went back and got the New balance Minimus's they were $99 I got them for $58 bucks, thought I would give them a try.

jrich1

KBGirts

Anyone can have a different, unique experience, but I have had a good one. I have been suffering from achilles tendonitis for a couple of years. I had physical therapy that didn't help. I did all the typical things like ice, rest, NSAIDs, etc to no avail. I bought some Vibrams and slowly added a couple of treadmill runs. I am to the point now where I can run a mile in them outside, but I took my time getting there. My calves hurt so bad when adjusting to them, but once I was adjusted, the AT was gone. I only incorporate them into my run once a week and have switched to a show that has a lower drop than my 12mm drop Asics. I believe they work if you adjust slowly and maintain proper running form.