Plantafasciitis 2

Question:

I have not been able to run since November as I have had plantafasciitis in both feet. I saw a physiotherapist when this happened and have since gone and got new shoes as it turns out the problem was with the shoes (I over pronate and the shoes I used to have were for neutral gait). The pain has almost entirely gone now and I wanted some advice on when I could start running again and what I could do in the meantime to begin to build some fitness back up again? I haven’t done much of anything since November so am feeling pretty unfit.

Answer:
Plantafasciitis is caused by excessive, repeated stress through the plantar fascia – a connective tissue that runs from the underside of the heel to the balls of the toes.
Running is often a cause of plantafasciitis; with poor foot biomechanics, inappropriate footwear, overtraining and lack of control of the “stabiliser” muscles around the hip and pelvis, particularly the gluteal or buttock muscles.

The fact that your symptoms have improved is great and it sounds like you now have the right shoes for your foot type, however I would advise you to have your physiotherapist assess your running gait or style to ensure that you are getting good alignment of your knee and foot, which will improve your ability to absorb shock through your plantar fascia. This will reduce the risk of recurrent problems.

Kind regards
Angela Benjamin MCSP MSc SRP
Chartered Physiotherapist