October 20th, 2013

PF does not go away quickly.  It takes a consistent effort and weeks and months of rest/therapy to get rid of.  Below are a few suggestions/recommendations learned from 40 years of running and 20 years of working with runners and selling running/walking shoes.

• Make sure you are wearing the correct size and type (stability, neutral etc.) of shoe for YOU/your gait.  Too big, too small, too wide, too narrow, too soft, too firm…try on the shoe and take it for a run up and down the sidewalk before you buy it!  Goldilocks did not order her porridge on the Internet!  She found the bowl that was just right by trying them all in-person!
• Do not continue running in broken down, worn out shoes!  Get new/the right shoes with the proper support and/or insert a new insole (firmer, not softer) for better/more support.
• Consider taking a few days/weeks off to give your feet a break.  The pain may or may not subside.
• Ice your feet.  This helps reduce inflammation.  I am a believer in ice water instead of an ice cup.
• Massage your arch/heel with your thumb until tears are running down your face.
• Roll your arch/heel on something to massage/stimulate your foot.  Golf balls, Foot Wheels, knobby balls work great.   Also do this until tears are running down your face.  While I can’t tell you the physiological mechanism that explains why this works (deliberately aggravating an area that already hurts), numerous conversations with customers and much personal experience suggests it does.
• Stretch your calves and Achilles tendons.  This is always vague advice.  Experience has shown me that the following/above stretch works better than others I’ve tried.  Stand facing the wall (wearing shoes) and put the toe of your shoe on the wall so your calf/Achilles is stretching (see photo).  Lean in to the wall from your hips (I go up on to my toes with the other foot to get the maximum stretch).  Count to 30.  Do not bounce or get too aggressive.  Just enough stretch to feel how tight your calf is.  Do this stretch multiple times per day and for weeks and months on end.  And . . . if you really want to score brownie points, wash the footprint off the wall when you are done!
• Exercise your foot.   Pick up marbles with your toes.  Or, try the following exercise which has worked great for me over the years.  Sit barefoot in a chair on a non-carpeted floor.  Spread a very light dish towel out on the floor.  Start at one end of the towel and scrunch it up with your toes until as much of the towel is under your foot as possible.  Now use your toes and push the towel back out and away from you.  Do this five times then switch to the other foot.  Do three sets of five with each foot.  Do this twice per day.  You are strengthening your foot by doing this.
• Do a small amount of running in a minimal shoe or barefoot.  The idea here is to change your gait by landing on your mid-foot instead of your heel.  This reduces the impact from a heel strike and promotes foot/leg strength.  While this has been a hot trend over the past couple of years and has been touted as a way to decrease injuries, it is not for everyone.  But again, personal experience and customer feedback suggests landing on your mid-foot can help.  Do not run more than a mile for the first couple of weeks.  Your calves will be sore but they and your feet will be getting stronger.
• Wear a “night splint”.  This keeps your calf and arch stretched out while you sleep, easing the infamous morning limp to the bathroom.  There are several night splint options.  The Orthlab Night Splint Sock works great . . . and conveniently, we have them @ BANDANNA!