When a runner is diagnosed with plantar fasciitis, often the first thing they hear is that they need to rest and stop running. Though this advice may work for someone whose plantar fasciitis is being caused by obesity, it puts the runner in an awkward situation. Runners often ignore the medical advice and “run through it” which ends up lengthening the time they suffer from the condition. Furthermore, this problem is compounded by the fact that studies have shown that the longer you wait to treat plantar fasciitis the harder it is to solve the problem.

“Healthcare professionals must take into consideration the importance of the daily run to the mental and physical wellbeing of the person.” says Daniel Marein-Efrón, founder of Heeling Solutions (heelingsolutions.com) a new company using videos to educate people about conservative treatments for plantar fasciitis. “I need my daily exercise high to keep me focused and full of energy, so stopping my running completely was not a possibility when I was diagnosed with plantar fasciitis.”

“With 5-10% of all running injuries being caused by plantar fasciitis it is very important that runners get the appropriate information to help them get better and keep them sane at the same time,” says Mr. Marein-Efrón. “Our videos offer runners in-depth information on the treatments for plantar fasciitis, which enables them to customize a treatment regiment with the help of their doctor. The Heeling Solutions R.E.S.C.U.E. program also includes a special section for runners in addition to a second video that has a strengthening and stretching program that will help prevent the recurrence of plantar fasciitis.”

Because of the unique issues confronting runners with plantar fasciitis many specialists are now recommending what has been termed “active rest.” This idea has arisen after careful consideration of the most common causes of plantar fasciitis in runners:

• Sudden changes in activity level. For example, increasing mileage while training for a marathon

• Wearing shoes that may appear to be in good shape, but have actually lost their shock absorbing abilities

• Running on high impact surfaces such as concrete

• Having tight hamstring and calf muscles

• Having high or low arches

Many specialists now recommend that runners switch to running in a pool or traditional swimming to maintain fitness, while at the same time reducing the amount of stress put on the plantar fascia. This active rest can also involve other activities such as biking, though it is recommended that runners first stop experiencing pain before switching to biking.

For those that just can’t stop running they can try reducing their mileage by 90% and slowly working back up over a period or weeks and months as long as the condition is improving and there is no pain. If pain increases, the pool is the best option.

For more information, go to www.aafp.org, www.heelingsolutions.com, www.apma.org