Day 60. Dude! It's Day 60!

Here is a definition of plantar fasciitis from a web site that sells orthodics:

Plantar Fasciitis is defined by various sources as irritation and swelling of the thick tissue on the bottom of the foot. Plantar fascia is the very thick band of tissue that holds up the bones on the bottom of the foot. This fascia can become inflammed, making walking difficult and very painful.

 

How to Recognize it:
A very common complaint is pain in the bottom of the heel. It is usually worse in the morning and may improve throughout the day. By the end of the day the pain may be replaced by a dull aching that improves with rest. Most people suffering from plantar fasciitis also complain of increased heel pain after walking for a long period of time.

So, you've got this pain, and you get insoles for "arch support", and you feel better, right?

Er, no. 

Here's what got me thinking about plantar fasciitis: yesterday afternoon, I took off for another walk, this one completely barefoot. The thunder clouds were rolling in, I'd made a berry pie for my clan, and I wanted some ozone threads brushing over my skin like walking through silken webs. It was lovely.

As I was walking, I was thinking about a time several years ago, when I suffered from severe plantar fasciitis. I could barely walk. It truly can be debilitating. 

After a visit to the doc, I was informed that I needed to buy insoles called "Super Feet", and could never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever go barefoot again---that ALL my shoes needed serious arch support. 

That was a sucky diagnosis. I didn't like it, but I took it. 

For about 6 months. 

And my feet didn't really feel better. 

In fact, I had started with PF in my left foot, but it spread to my right. WTH?

It then occurred to me, through some universal grace, that my feet were created to hold me up and not hurt. How could I make this happen?

Research, and my awesome best friend who introduced me to self-myofascial release techniques (thank you, Sara Hatfield, you saved me!), and the guts to defy my doctor's advice, and I cured my plantar fasciitis. Threw away the super feet, got some Earth Shoes for times when I needed to look semi-professional, got the best flip-flops known to humans--Montrail Molokinis--and began a regimen of stretching and self-myofascial release and I was healed! 

Which really made me appreciate padding through Fort Ward like this last evening:

Since then, in my studies at the Restorative Exercise Institute, I've learned even more ways to fix my feet and feel healthy. In my line of work, I see people in such incredible pain, and it's 98% self-inflicted. Learn to move better, and you can feel better. For reals. 

Best, 

Dani