[pct-l] Plantar fascitis

[Kevin Taylor]

Landy,

I had plantar fascitis last year, from running and it went away with foot massage (using a hard rubber lacrosse ball)and calf massage (by hand and with a stiff foam roller).  Tight calf muscles definitely contribute.  The problem came back a couple of months ago with the long training hikes and new shoes.  I went back to the same treatment, and also had to change shoes.  Now it is mostly ok.  I talked with a 2013 thru hiker (Journal) from my town, and he said it was a common problem and he needed to stretch and work on his calf muscles every day.  For me, the Brooks Cascadia 9 is too soft in the heel and made the problem worse. It helped a lot to get a professional massage (foot and calf).  If your calf muscles are stiff and knotted, massage was painful but worked well for me. You definitely need to get it under control before you start the PCT.  

Kevin


>On Feb 24, 2014, at 4:11 PM, "Landy Figueroa" <landykf at gmail.com> wrote: >>Hey all, >Anyone deal with plantar fascitis on the trail?  I was given the gift of PF >this summer while stupidly hiking with stiff hiking boots and a heavy pack >for work.  It's the devil.  My foot is painfully bothersome today after a >training hike.  I look forward in dread at the possibility of this plague >on the trail. >>Also, anyone ever try those yoga-toe things to spread your toes out?  I >notice the PF is worse when my toes are squished together in the front of >my shoe.  Probable solutions are wide toe-box shoes like Altra shoes, >possibly hiking some small time a day with something like yoga-toes in the >shoes to spread my toes and exercise my arches in that position, bringing a >golf ball and some sort of foam roller on the trail (high maintenance, >geez).  Discuss please. >>Landy