How to Prevent Plantar Fasciitis When Starting a Fall Walking Program
Starting a Fall Walking Program?
Fall is one of the best times of year to become more active. I mean, it’s PSL (Pumpkin Spice Latte season)…
The temperatures are cooler, outdoor trails are more enjoyable, and walking can be an excellent way to improve cardiovascular health and overall fitness. This is also a great time to start your fitness journey.
But if you've spent much of the summer relatively inactive, suddenly walking several miles every day can create problems.
One of the most common?
Plantar fasciitis. We all have heard of this. Those of us who have experienced this before HATE this. But we can’t ignore it…
Why Walking Can Cause Foot Pain
Walking is low impact compared with running, but that doesn't mean it places no stress on your feet. We live on our feet. We do everything (almost) standing up.
Every step requires your foot and ankle to absorb and redistribute force.
If you suddenly go from:
2,000 steps/day → 8,000–10,000 steps/day
your feet may not have the capacity to tolerate that increase. We have this same discussion with runners when they increase mileage. The demand is significant
The problem is often the sudden change in workload, not walking itself.
Start Gradually
One of the simplest ways to reduce your risk is to gradually increase activity.
Instead of immediately committing to long daily walks, consider progressively increasing:
Duration
Distance
Frequency
Hills
Pace
You want your tissues to have time to adapt. This is really when you listen to your body…
Strength Matters
Walking requires repeated single-leg loading.
Important areas to evaluate include:
Calf Strength
The calf is responsible for producing and controlling significant force during walking. This will be very helpful when you start to walk on trails and start hiking and/or walking UP hills.
Foot Strength
The muscles of the foot help control the arch and stabilize the foot. This does require a bit of research and planning ahead…
Hip Strength
Hip strength contributes to control of the entire lower extremity during single-leg stance. That whole saying that “everything is connected” actually makes more sense when you learn how the hip works and functions.
Don't Ignore Your Ankles
Limited ankle mobility may alter how your foot and lower leg move during walking.
A physical therapist can evaluate:
Knee-to-wall dorsiflexion
Calf flexibility
Ankle joint mobility
Single-leg balance
Squat mechanics
Gait mechanics
What About Shoes?
Your footwear can influence comfort and loading.
When beginning a new walking program, avoid making several major changes at once.
For example, going from minimal walking to long-distance walking while simultaneously switching to a dramatically different shoe may make it difficult to determine what your body is responding to. Change one things at a time and then you can really determine which shoe is going to be the best for you.
Performance Testing Isn't Just for Athletes
At Carolina Movement Doc, objective testing isn't reserved for elite athletes.
DynaMo testing can help evaluate lower-extremity strength and identify meaningful asymmetries.
VALD ForceDecks can also provide objective information about force production and lower-extremity performance when appropriate.
This information can help create a more individualized exercise program.
Build Capacity Before Pain Becomes a Problem
A good walking program doesn't just increase the amount of walking you do.
It also improves your body's ability to handle walking.
That may involve:
Calf raises
Tibialis strengthening
Foot strengthening
Hip strengthening
Balance training
Step-ups
Progressive single-leg exercises
When Should You See a Physical Therapist?
If you're developing persistent heel or foot pain, don't simply push through it indefinitely. This is yoiur bodys way of saying “LISTEN TO ME”…so you should definitely listen!
A physical therapist can help determine whether your symptoms are related to:
Plantar fascia irritation
Calf weakness
Limited ankle mobility
Training-load changes
Footwear
Movement mechanics
Another underlying condition
Carolina Movement Doc helps active adults build the strength and capacity needed to stay active—not just treat pain after it occurs.
Book a free call with us today and we can talk about how we can best help you
