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Hi team! I’m relatively new to tri and have been experiencing plantar fasciitis when I run. It gets better throughout the day, but I’m trying to mitigate it before it gets worse. Does anyone have shoe / treatment recommendations so I can continue training? Thanks!
Plantar Fasciitis (PF) is typically a symptom of very tight calf muscles. Have you recently started running? Changed your running form (which can ask more of your calf muscles)? Taking on too much running too soon? Weak gluts muscles resulting in the calf muscles taking up the impact of running? Compensating for another nagging issue or injury? Little to no support in your cycling or running shoes?
There are a host of reasons why your calf muscles can tighten up and remain tight. When they do, they start pulling on the plantar fascia (and sometimes on the Achilles). Thus the first thing you must do is get in with a good sports minded physical therapy practice to have them:
1) release your deep calf muscles (typically with dry needling)
2) address/resolve the underlying issue
You have to address both of these concerns or the PF will return as soon as you start running again.
If you are looking for a good sports minded PT practice that accepts most insurances and has a very good history of resolving endurance sports-related injuries, as a triathlon/running coach, I send all of my athletes to Advanced Kinetics. They treat with a concept needed for endurance athletes and not found with most PT practices (which is fine for 99% of the population, of which endurance athletes are not).
Advanced Kinetics
(703) 988-4664
Good luck with your rehab! The best thing you can do is get on this early before it gets worse…just like you are doing.
Coach AJ
Stretching the Achilles can help particularly if coupled with the other recommendations. If you do stretch on a stair or firm incline, science has proven that you must hold the stretch for at least 3 minutes to get any value out of it. And then it’s minimal. The muscles that cause PF are so deep that seldom will stretching relieve and resolve it. So couple the stretching with the other recommendations and it can compliment the rehab process.
I had plantar several years ago, caused by ramping up my mileage too quickly. Superfeet insoles helped a lot; you can get them at REI or most running stores. I put them in all my shoes now. I also try to incorporate deep stretching/yoga the rest of the week and cutting my distance substantially and then rebuilding slowly.
