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Question:

After talking to a Podiatrist who X-rayed my foot, diagnosed PF, and recommended custom othotics (~ $550) I finally tried the Spenco shoe inserts (~$14).  These were full length inserts with arch supports.  You can take out your running shoe’s built in supports and insert these.  I used these for 2 weeks both for regular daily use and running. The mild pain which I was having has gone away.  I also re-started up running from a very low base and am ramping up slowly so I can back off if necessary.   Les Brodie

Response:

I caught an article which apparently was one of a group about a foot problem called "planter f??????" which sounded just like what I’ve developed in the last few months.  Can anyone elaborate on what it is, what causes it, how to treat it?  I’m a low-mileage type (3-5 mi. a day, occasional stadium stairs thrown in) with no other history of foot problems.  Should I change shoes (currently using Nike Air Stab but they’re approaching discard mileage; I got them long before this problem cropped up). Thanks in advance for any info/useful advice. KCB

CAUTION:  The following is not qualified medical advice.  All or parts of it may be incredibly wrong and obviously the opinions of a confused and misguided individual. Okay, now that’s out of the way….. I had a problem when I first started running that sounds like what you may have.  It’s medical term is Plantar Fascitis (remember the disclaimer), and is basically an irritation or injury to the Plantar Fascia.  The Plantar Fascia is the tendon which runs along the bottom of your foot, from the heel to the knuckles of the toes (or metatarsals…there goes more terminology). I found this to be very painful, especially in the morning when I first got up or when I first started to run.  After a short while, the pain would subside and it wouldn’t hurt so bad.  This went on for at least 6 weeks before I decided to do something about it. The hopefully qualified medical advice that I recieved requested that I stop running for at least two weeks and then start up slowly.  Since the Plantar Fascia is a tendon, it can take a while for it to mend, sometimes up to 8 weeks (of almost no activity).   The M.D. also said that the P.F. becomes injured usually in one of two ways: either overuse, as was my case being a beginner trying to do too much, or trauma, which can be a serious bruise or if you suddenly pulled it.  Either way, it will mend with some care.  In my case, I never laid off running entirely, but took it real easy for about 6 weeks.  Eventually, it went away. One disturbing sidenote:  It was relayed to me why the pain is so much more intense in the morning or at the beginning of a run.  Apparently, the P.F. builds new tissue and re-attaches itself to either the heel or the metatarsal (the damage is usually in one of these two areas).  This mending activity takes place when you’re inactive, i.e. sleeping.  So when you first get up in the morning and take the first step, you tear away all the new tissue that was built over night.  This causes pain and a long time for the tendon to heal.  This gives me the heebee jeebees (more medical terminology). Hope this helps out. Brad — | Brad Leland                                       | | UUCP: {microsoft,allegra,uw-beaver}!fluke!leland  |

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