My last ditch effort is to try a different running shoe. I’ve been running in Hoka Claytons for over a year. I first noticed a mild case of PF last winter but it keeps coming and going. What running shoe should I try? I want something light and have a little cushion to it.
have a little cushion
I’d think for PF relief, you need something with BIG cushion, like running on a marshmallow. Hoka was my first thought, but since you’ve tried that route, maybe the new Nike Zoom Fly?
Have you seen a Podiatrist for the PF? If the cause is high or low arches (for example) then any shoe, by itself, will not solve the problem. A shoe with more cushioning may initially feel more comfortable but will not resolve the underlying issue. In my specific case, orthotics plus a shoe with motion control (Asics Kayano) resolved my PF. Your solution may be different, depending on your specific issues.
This is just horrible horrible advice.
You DONT need tonnes of cushion for PF, why would you say this?
You need the opposite, a shoe which is going to allow you to learn how to control your foot again after those awful Hokas have taken it all away.
Just DONT get orthotics or anything silly.
Walk around barefoot, practice going up and down on your tip toes.
Run in a comfortable and appropriate width shoe, WITHOUT arch support which will just make the issue worse and irritate the PF.
massage with your fingers lots, heat, NO golf balls, too brutal.
Shoe wise I’d go Altra Escalante
Now THAT is some horrible advice.
Why?
What will an orthotic do to help apart from act like a cast to stop the foot from moving properly?
What? This is contrary to EVERYTHING that I was told when trying to heal PF. NEVER walk on your tip toes! Makes it worse!!
Why?
What will an orthotic do to help apart from act like a cast to stop the foot from moving properly?
That’s such a tired and poorly informed understanding of what orthotics do. They don’t “act like a cast” or “prevent the foot from moving properly”. If the OP is already suffering from PF, walking around barefoot is about the dumbest thing they could do. PF can be caused by a number of issues, some of which can be helped with orthotics and some which don’t require orthotics (by orthotics I don’t necessarily mean custom $$$ orthotics- in my case Superfeet green insoles did the trick). Here’s what’s sure not to work… guessing at the answer and trying random shit which continues to make the PF worse.
It gets stuff moving which helps heal.
You don’t heal an ailing back by lying down do you.
Oh dear, I’d better return that biomechanics degree as I clearly have no idea. We used to joke in the office each time the studies on orthotics came out, they were always trying to outdo each other for the worst methodology.
If you think that a sore back is a correct analogy for PF then, yes, you should return that biomechanics degree.
I think it depends and that’s why people don’t agree. If your feet are just starting to hurt, then less control and protection might be what you need to strengthen them. But if your feet are really messed up with a nasty case of PF that’s been going on for a long time and has become unbearable, then very soft shoes with arch support will give them a break and let them start healing first. It’s like first you need a cast to protect to heal, then rehab work to strengthen.
I had PF really bad, and what finally worked was Adidas Boost Ultras (very soft) with stability control and running on very flat ground. That got me running at all for a couple miles or so. I improved gradually for months, but then plateaued at running about 5 miles on flat ground only, and still had slight pain waking and walking in the morning, but nothing like before. Then what worked next was running more on random surfaces, slightly off camber stuff, plenty of wide and swooping turns, and slight hills. That second part seemed to break apart the remaining adhesions and gradually strengthen the feet back to where they need to be. Now I can run 9 miles on rolling hills with no issues and no pain the next day. If I had tried the second part first, I’d be in major pain during that run and for the next few days.
Oh dang! I’ll get on it now, what would we do without people like you telling us we need to stifle the natural movements of the body!
Do you work for Asics? Or maybe you sell orthotics, or god forbid, Hokas!
Oh dang! I’ll get on it now, what would we do without people like you telling us we need to stifle the natural movements of the body!
Do you work for Asics? Or maybe you sell orthotics, or god forbid, Hokas!
Is that the best you’ve got? Personal attacks? I’d think someone with a degree in biomechanics could more eloquently explain how, if someone is suffering from an overuse injury, they would improve said issue by performing more of what is causing the problem. There surely is a time and a place for strengthening/rehab to prevent recurrence, but it’s certainly not the first thing you’d do while still suffering symptoms of PF.
I’ve had PF several times. I’m not sure if I would say it was chronic but very bad, nonetheless. Once it arrives, there is little that can be done in my experience to cure it quickly (did the boot and pretty much everything) so a few years back, I made sure that I made every effort to keep it at bay and prevent flare-ups. Seems that this may have set in from a few ankle rolls in the past, I’m told.
In addition to stretching, trigger ball and rollers,I see a Physio every two weeks for therapy on the leg that is affected. When my Physio ran out of things to be done, she suggested a Podiatrist to complement what we were doing. After some x-rays, the Podiatrist spotted a bone/heel spur that she indicated may be triggering this and made some orthotics for me. They are heels only and I only use them only for running, where I take the insole out of any given neutral running shoe, place in a thin/flat insole and then place the heels over that. Doc told me that while walking around with vibram soles may make your legs and muscles stronger, it was causing me harm and suggested I avoid them.
Since using orthotics and with continuation of the preventative methods mentioned above, I’ve had no further PF issues (knock on wood). Hope this helps.
Cheers
My last ditch effort is to try a different running shoe. I’ve been running in Hoka Claytons for over a year. I first noticed a mild case of PF last winter but it keeps coming and going. What running shoe should I try? I want something light and have a little cushion to it.
My tip would be to pick the shoe that is most comfortable and gives you the best “feel”. Running shoes don’t cause or fix injuries. I just would stay away from making a drastic change in drop (for the sake of your Achilles).
Don’t get caught up in claims that “X shoe is best for PF”. It’s just not the case. People with flat feet, wide feet, narrow feet, “pronators” “supinators” “high arch” “flat arch”, etc. all get PF. The shoe doesn’t change that fact.
I don’t know the definitive cure for plantar fasciitis (nor do doctors), but if its limiting enough that your current standard running shoe footwear isn’t solving it, it is probably worth exploring minimalist (and even barefoot) running.
I def don’t think minimalist/barefoot solves all running problems, and for sure, at least in the short term it WILL present you with all sorts of new adaptation problems (sore achilles and sore feet being the biggest offendors) so if you think you’re going to be cured in a week, fuggetabout it.
However, having done the slow adaptation from normal running shoes to barefoot/minimalist over the past 6-7 months and ongoing now, I can say for sure that your footstrike will be changed to a heavily forefoot strike with the minimalist shoes. There is no way around it - I actually tried to run my old shoed way for the first few weeks and my heels took such a pounding that it was clear that there would be no more of that!
The upside for plantar fasciitis sufferers is that the altered load distribution with a lot less heel impact ‘may’ help you. Again, it’s no certain cure as nobody really knows precisely why some people get PF and some don’t ,but at the least, if your current running technique and shoes are simply making it worse, it is worth trying this change due to its reduced load on that sore spot on the heel.
If you do go this route though, be forewarned - it’s not easy and requires SLOW adaptation. You WILL be limited by the initial roadblocks ,which is actually a good thing in my opinion. A big problem with runners now is that everyone is impatient, and people look to motion control and other heavy cushioned shoes to allow them to ignore the body, bypass injuries and aches n pains so they can race triathlons and run marathons without the necessary running base (and then get more seriously injured down the road.) The minimalist/barefoot approach removes all shortcuts and forces you to build up slowly and properly if you pay attention to your body.
My last ditch effort is to try a different running shoe. I’ve been running in Hoka Claytons for over a year. I first noticed a mild case of PF last winter but it keeps coming and going. What running shoe should I try? I want something light and have a little cushion to it.
X2 on going the opposite direction. I have had PF a couple of times and it amazes me how different professional opinions can be. The best advice I got was at my PT but not from my PT but an aide there. He explained PF using the St Louis Arch as an example and made some sense. They key was learning to walk barefoot a lot, and run barefoot on the grass. Grass is soft to help with the acute healing and minimizing any pain, but also forces the foot to grow stronger. That in conjunction with stretching my calves fixed it.
Bingo!
My last ditch effort is to try a different running shoe. I’ve been running in Hoka Claytons for over a year. I first noticed a mild case of PF last winter but it keeps coming and going. What running shoe should I try? I want something light and have a little cushion to it.
I am not a doctor, or a medical professional. This is JUST my personal experience (extensive though it may be).
I’ve battled PF and related issues for a very long time. I’ve seen some of the best doctors (foot&ankle Orthopedists) in the country. I’ve seen Neurologists, Ortho (as mentioned above), podiatrists, and many others. I’ve had Xrays, MRIs, and nerve conductions studies. I’ve had casts made of my feet and had custom rigid orthotics which I wore for 2 years, and custom soft orthotics which I’ve worn for the last 13. I’ve done PT numerous times. I’ve had high-power ultrasound treatment. The only medically recognized treatment for PF that I have NOT had for my issues is surgery.
TryBrian is an idiot. Really—you should just stop talking. The BS you keep rambling on about goes against EVERY piece of medical advice offered by EVERYONE with a REAL medical degree and clinical background in the treatment of PF (and related disorders). For that matter, it goes against the treatment of ANY overuse soft tissue injury.
The fact that you equate lower-back pain, and any type of connective tissue overuse injury is enough to indicate that you CLEARLY don’t know what you are talking about. Low back pain is every bit as complex with just as many ultimate causes (and solutions) as PF…none of which are remotely in common with PF.
If you have not (from your description is sounds like you have not), go see a doctor. I prefer a foot&ankle ortho (particularly one that specializes in the treatment of SPORTS injuries…not the general population, yes it matters), but if you find a GOOD podiatrist that is a decent secondary option.
As with all overuse injuries, “pushing” through it is a BAD idea. If you’ve spent a season battling it as you say…its time to step it up a notch and get professional help.
In my case the custom SOFT orthotics were PART of the ultimate solution. In addition, I switched to a larger and wider shoe—same type of shoe…just a little bigger in the toe box, and laced a little looser. I also worked on loosening my anterior-chain (calves, hamstrings, lower back, etc) as part of a larger overall PT program. Finally, I returned to running by following a VERY conservative BarryP approach. That was MY solution…I’m not suggesting that it will be yours.
-tch