Plantar Fasciitis Prevention… a continuing story (Week 2)

[CBDB]

Just keeping track of my progress of my focus on my feet! I’m fast approaching the end of week 2 of this particular PF prevention plan, so here it goes:

My Morning 10 min Routine

☆ 1. PF stretch and massage combo: sitting, take one foot and massage foot arch whilst pulling up toes.

☆ 2. PF massage using tennis ball / spiky ball

Everyday: Throughout the day

☆ 1. Single leg calf raises, first left and then right. Repeat throughout the day to get to 30 in week 1 and building up to 50 / day.

I am still at 30 per day.

Twice a week: 30-min Foot and Ankle Strength session, Level 2!!!

☆ 1. Towel Scrunch. 10 - 20 scrunches each side. 6 sets. NEW FOR THIS WEEK: Added weight on towel.

☆ 2. Dorsiflexion using Resistance bands. NEW FOR THIS WEEK: increased resistance via stronger resistance band. 10 reps, 3 sets each side: secure one end of a resistance band and wrap the free end of the band around the front part of your foot. Place a foam roller under your calf to keep your ankle free to move. Pull your foot up against the resistance (dorsiflexion), then SLOWLY release and point it back down (plantarflexion).

☆ 3. Inversion with Resistance Band. NEW FOR THIS WEEK: Increased resistance. Alternate sides with 3 sets of 10 reps each side. Secure one end of resistance band and loop the around front of foot. Sit sideways perpendicular to band and Turn the sole of your foot towards the inside, against the resistance of the band. Hold 30 sec. 2 reps of 30 sec each side.

☆ 4. Resistance Band Plantar Flexion. NEW FOR THIS WEEK: Increased resistance. 3 sets of 10 reps each side. Alternate side after each set. Sit on mat/floor with legs straight and lower calves lying on foam roller. Wrap resistance band around front of the foot (toes/balls area) and hold bands to keep tension high. Slowly point and flex.

And lastly, a new one for this week!

NEW ☆ 5. Balance with support. Stand on one leg, keep in balance for 20 seconds. Switch sides. 10 each side.

Happy working out, everyone and that your feet stay PF-free!

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Some links to my past Plantar Fasciitis posts:

• This series. Week 1: healthunlocked.com/strength...

• My List of PF exercises from 2 month ago, both strengthening and flexibility: healthunlocked.com/strength... and how I fared: healthunlocked.com/strength... )

[Tessie66]

Thank you I've been doing all these, I'm finding a frozen bottle of water helps more than anything. Something I find hurts my pf is my steel toe cap boots

[CBDB Administrator Graduate Gold in reply to Tessie66]

Since I started running and using Altras (wide toe box) ive found that I cannot wear my normal shoes anymore. I recently put on a cheap old shoes, my first dedicated bought running shoe after graduating from my 10year old tennis shoes. And once the old, stiff, leather tennis shoes were thrown away, Aldi had an offer I couldn’t resist. But now the Aldi Running shoes feel weird and my toes gets squished inwards although they are big. But I think my toes have just been “rewilded” a bit.

Happy frozen bottle feet! (That came out wrong, somehow. No bottle-feet on these forums!)

[Tessie66 in reply to CBDB]

Lol thank you

[Run46 in reply to CBDB]

"Happy frozen bottle feet" 🤣

Not a sentence I've heard before, probably never will again 😆😉

[CBDB Administrator Graduate Gold in reply to Run46]

Lol only on S&F! 😂

[MintT]

Thank you for sharing. I suffer with this and have become increasingly aware that I need to put in the necessary preventative maintenance. Shoes are always problematic. I’ve not tried using a frozen bottle but have got a pair of toe socks, which, if I remember, wear around the house in the evening! NTS put them out ready to wear this evening!

[CBDB Administrator Graduate Gold in reply to MintT]

Yes. I started running in my 50s and did not have any issues until this year. But I think several things go on in the body that make us more vulnerable in older age:

1) as runners the weeks add up that we run regularly and I think of it as the body slowly adapting to various inbalances over time and this can overload other parts. I started off having some Morton Neuroma issues, which disappeared as I switched to 0-Drop shoes. Then I had a phase of calf niggles. My Calves are stronger now, but I think that has overloaded the ankles and plantar fasciitis. So good news is that any niggle might tell you that other body parts have become stronger. And now these parts have to catch up. At least that’s my way of thinking about it.

2) also post menopause I think we loose some joint mobility? I don’t know the science behind it , but I do think we change.

3) and lastly other age-related conditions might influence these niggles.

We’ll see if I can make my feet stronger, but at least my niggles still are only niggles and I can keep on running for now.

Hope you find a good way forward. Let us know how it goes.

[Run46]

Great info thanks CBDB...you're very dedicated 👍

For some reason my left leg is weaker than my left. Over the years when I've had FP issues, calf niggles or knee issues it's always on the left...whether it's a natural phenomenon, the way I walk or something else, who knows!

Handy to have so much help and advise on here for support when needed 😊

[CBDB Administrator Graduate Gold in reply to Run46]

Thank you. Yeah I’m the same, but it’s my right which is weaker. I believe I can trace this back to a sprained ankle 25 years ago, but who knows.