[pct-l] Plantar fascitis

[Jim & Jane Moody]

Landy, 
You've started another chapter of one of the most frequent thread topics on the list.  Get ready for a lot of opinions. 
  
I tried a variety of therapies when my pf flared up, just before I started a thru attempt in 2010.  My phys. therapist suggested a stretching regimen before getting out of bed in the morning.  With a rolled up towel, a belt, or similar long, flexible fabric, sit up and put the towel behind the ball of your foot, holding an end of the towel in each hand.  With your leg straight, pull back on the towel to stretch your foot, for ten seconds.  Do ten reps.  Then slightly bend your knee to raise your leg and repeat.  According to her, there are two muscles that support the fasciitis tendon, and both need to be stretched. 
  
Other therapies include kinesio tape (google it for youtube demos), vitamin I, a boot-type brace to prevent you from pointing your toe while you sleep, et al.  Some seem to work better than others for different people.  Based on responses to previous discussions on the list, there is no ONE BEST WAY that works for everyone.  Good luck. 
  
Mango 

----- Original Message -----

From: "Landy Figueroa" <landykf at gmail.com> 
To: Pct-L at backcountry.net 
Sent: Monday, February 24, 2014 7:11:03 PM 
Subject: [pct-l] Plantar fascitis 

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 
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