Dealing with Foot Pain: How I Keep Hiking with Plantar Fasciitis

[@BackcountryPilgrim]

All tips appreciated! How do you deal with foot pain?

[@DanielOutdoors]

But you deleted mine? Lol

[@BackcountryPilgrim]

I didn't mean to if I did! YT gets wonky sometimes, feel free to repost!

[@paulpeopleperson3594]

I used ibuprofen gel on my feet. I also use innnersoles designed for factory workers.

[@BackcountryPilgrim]

I didn't know that existed, thanks!

[@RC-qf3mp]

B Piddy, Glad you found some treatments to the plantar. Here’s what worked for me, and my speculation as to why, and it could help explain why some of your treatments worked, and in what directions you could go further. 1) minimalist shoes saved my plantar, by accident. I got the Xero Z-trek sandals as a camp/river crossing shoe. I figure i should try them out at home. Damn, they hurt. Each step was uncomfortable but read how i should change my walking form to use minimalist shoes. I did some research and changed my walking form. Could only wear these shoes for short 5 minute walks on concrete sidewalks and wore them on my hardwood floors for a few minutes a day. Long story short, i needed to strengthen my feet and improve my walking form. This changed my life. Got other minimalist shoes (throw out the insoles) and went walking on grass and hills and small boulders in my area. Then got minimalist shoes for all areas of life - nicer ones for going out, minimalist rain boots, super-light ones for casual wear and lifting weights at the gym. I’m a total convert. Almost as a big a life change as switching pronouns.

[@RC-qf3mp]

2) Feet got stronger and healthier. I thought i was training my feet to help me hiking and that I’d just go back to Lone Peaks or Topos. Nope - wearing medium cushion shoes felt horrible. Like walking on pillows or trying to move in sand. Took some time, but found the absolute best minimalist hiking shoes - and you probably never heard of them. Ahinsa Chitra trekking shoes. Handmade in the Czech Republic. Uses VIbram outsoles (way better than the Vibram on the Altra Olympus or on Topos). Similar to what you’d find in a Cairn sandal (and those are made for wet rocky rivers). I can roll these shoes up into a ball in one hand. Super light. Breathable. Allow for full ankle mobility and ‘groundfeel’. Yes, you feel the rocks and roots. And that’s a good thing. You know that rolling ball massage you do for your plantar? I get that just from walking. It’s a literal massage. But it takes time before your feet develop so that you get those benefits, and you have to work on walking form and strengthen your feet. But it’s a game changer. Now, i can walk on concrete with a backpack with minimalist shoes for miles and miles and feel 10x better than after 30 minutes wearing traditional low-heel business shoes. And also much better than ‘normal’ hiking trail runners. Shoes are way lighter and flexible. 3) No more ibuprofen for me. Before, it was Vitamin I, every night. You don’t need anti-inflammation meds, you need an anti-inflammatory diet. Best part is i don’t get up to ‘go’ 5x a night. I get up ZERO times a night. No meds. Look up the list of anti inflammatory foods - eat those, esp fish. Look up the top inflammatory foods. Don’t eat those. Ever. Poison. Foods not on either list…eat with caution and figure out what works. Also improved my hiker diet which is now anti-inflammatory/keto. The two best things i ever did for my health were to go minimalist and to eat better food. No more hikers trash food, not even snacks. I don’t get hungry easily. At most, it’s a mild sensation. So long as i have water and electrolytes, I’m good. Your foot exercises and massage all work b/c they are natural motions that you do BAREFOOT. Duh. The problem was never your feet. It was the shoes and your walking form which got distorted over the years from the shoes. Anyway, it’s easier to treat symptoms than to solve the underlying problem. Your foot exercises help, but aren’t the whole solution. The solution is to ditch cushioned shoes.

[@BackcountryPilgrim]

I've switched to minimalist shoes for work and yes it does feel better. I'll look into your other suggestions as well!

[@rachaelgarside6932]

Thanks for this great information. And for the positive story.

[@BackcountryPilgrim]

You're welcome! Thanks for watching!

[@jimwhalen4292]

Having dealt with PF in the past I can relate. You gave some great advice in this video which should be helpful to many. I'll add what has worked for me. Often the root cause of PF is tight calf muscles, once I started many of the calf stretches you show, the problem Slowly went away. Sometimes you need to give it a rest and let things calm down, this can eliminate the problem quicker than easing into activity too soon. I don't take vitamin(i) unless absolutely necessary. A quick fix to hold you over on the trail or if you must continue to punish your feet for work, etc... is to us leukotape. The tape is started just short of the big toe on the side of your foot then the same strip of tape is wrapped around the side of the heel. Leukotape is very strong so this helps take some of the work of the Plantar structure. I was amazed how well this worked for me, just remember that tape is going to be on there for a couple/few days. I also found the superfeet trailblazer inserts worked about as good as the superfeet green and they fit better in a wide toe box shoe like a boot or an Altra. The cushioning in the forefoot is better on the trailblazer. YMMV

[@BackcountryPilgrim]

Wow this is ALL good advice, thank you!!!

[@devinvenables226]

For the support of a Superfeet Green but with better forefoot cushioning, try Superfeet orange, they have a cushioned forefoot.

[@BackcountryPilgrim]

Nice thanks! Green was all they had at the time. :)

[@devinvenables226]

@@BackcountryPilgrim I recently discovered that the Oranges were a thing,well worth the switch.

[@BackcountryPilgrim]

Great! I'll try them when my greens run out!

[@davidandmoose1499]

I had Plantar Fasciitis once. I had been wearing Merrell MOAB 2 Lows. They were good, but I decided to switch to the above ankle version, for a little extra support, but more for ankle protection from rocks. Within a couple, 10-mile hikes my feet were killing me. I knew what it was, but I just didn't know why, so I talked to a very experienced hiking friend. The way he explained it to me was this; MOAB 2 above ankle boots (and many others) supply only a little extra ankle support, they still allow the ankle to move, but in some people in an unnatural way, which can cause Plantar Fasciitis. He had me switch to a "real" boot, a full grain leather like I always wore in the 70's. For the past 3 years, I've been wearing Asolo TPS 520 EVO and love them.

[@BackcountryPilgrim]

Interesting! That might explain why my boots feel fine without the inserts. Hmmm... Thanks!

[@devinvenables226]

I also wear the Asolo 520s, fantastic boot,great support. I use Superfeet greens and now the Superfeet Orange in my new 2nd pair of Asolos!

[@MiscMitz]

Great tips! Thank you

[@BackcountryPilgrim]

Glad it was helpful!

[@mikeprice4103]

All the cures you have been doing I also do but the one that works the most is sleeping with my feet off the end of the bed pointed 90 degrees to my body. Took awhile to get used to but it worked for me.

[@BackcountryPilgrim]

Interesting! I'll have to give that a try, thanks!

[@davidson_oldbull_sectionhiker]

Great video Doug I have also used the "Sol" insoles.

[@BackcountryPilgrim]

Very good! Thanks!

[@ecttreker9816]

Great info.

[@klipitar2007]

My chiro told me about super feet soles, I bought them walk with them and hated them! I ditched them after 300km and put back the original ones and my life became heaven!

[@BackcountryPilgrim]

Haha, everyone's different I guess. :)

[@klipitar2007]

@@BackcountryPilgrim yes! And the good thing was adapting to another solution that helped me! What ever is good for you ❤️

[@pgreenx]

I never adapted to insoles either

[@BackcountryPilgrim]

Sorry! :(

[@devinvenables226]

Try recovery sandals after a hike. My goto are OOFOS slides, they're like walking on marshmallows.

[@BackcountryPilgrim]

Nice! I have Crocs. :)

[@devinvenables226]

@@BackcountryPilgrim I too have crocs,they are like tire rubber compared to the Oofos. If you see them,try them on to feel what I'm talking about. They're amazing.

[@BackcountryPilgrim]

I will!

[@stephaniemiller5165]

I did put a pain patch on my feet and ooooh baby the pain stopped.

[@BackcountryPilgrim]

Great! Which one did you use?

[@stephaniemiller5165]

@@BackcountryPilgrim it wasn't a popular brand as a matter of fact it was from Dollar general store. But the pain was gone all day. It wrapped perfectly around my foot and with the soft outer exterior it should help with blisters. If i go in a DG ill hit u back to let u know.

[@BackcountryPilgrim]

Even better! :)

[@stephaniemiller5165]

@@BackcountryPilgrim its called absorbine jr. Plus u can use it 3 times if u cut it in 3 piece's and place it on the arch of your foot.

[@BackcountryPilgrim]

Definitely going to try and find this, thanks!

[@stephaniemiller5165]

😭😭😭😭😭😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 its you not me!

[@BackcountryPilgrim]

Lol!

[@stuntmantravis84]

Lmfao this guy. "I don't want to spend $50-$60 dollars on insoles to put in those expensive shoes." So what's the very first thing he does, buys superfeet insoles 😅🤣😅🤣😅🤣😅🤣

[@BackcountryPilgrim]

As the next 4 seconds of the video made clear, not WANTING to do something and NEEDING to do it anyway are two different things. :)

[@stuntmantravis84]

@@BackcountryPilgrim I'm aware what the next 4 seconds was. You saying you don't want to buy insoles then leading your plan with buying insults was hilarious. Just not a well planned out video, you'll get there 🤣😅🤣😅

[@Declanito]

@@stuntmantravis84 I thought the video was very well-structured as it had a snappy beginning, middle and end

[@stuntmantravis84]

@@Declanito didn't ask, but ok