Barefoot or Minimalist Shoe Treatment for Plantar Fasciitis.. Does it Work??
A lot of websites on the internet have been talking a lot about "barefoot" and "minimalist shoes" as a treatment method for plantar fasciitis. They stress the importance of muscular strength of the feet and calf muscles relating to fixing plantar fasciitis. Strong muscles in the foot and calf = no pain.
First, the websites promoting this treatment are half right. They are right in respect to the fact that plantar fasciitis is usually caused by wearing shoes (learn about this by clicking here). Over time, shoes make the feet muscles weak and unable to support the arch of the foot, ultimately leading to degeneration and pain from over-stressed structures in and around the plantar fascia.
Also, the arch of the foot is supported by the muscles of the calf as well, and if these muscles are not firing properly or are weak, they will cause structural support problems with the plantar fascia, and ultimately pain and weakness in and around the plantar fascia.
If you have never worn shoes your whole life (every day, all day), the chances of getting plantar fasciitis are extremely slim (practically impossible). Countries that have populations without shoes usually do not have plantar fasciitis, it is practically unheard of.
So, not wearing shoes helps PREVENT plantar fasciitis. But when you have worn shoes your whole life, and all the muscles in your feet/calf are extremely weak, then later you get plantar fasciitis, it can then be dangerous to be barefoot. The reason why is that the structures in the foot can not handle the sudden stress of walking barefoot if you are not used to it (especially if you have chronic inflammation/ degeneration in the heel). The stress is far too great for your plantar fascia to handle being barefoot at this point.
The reason these websites online are wrong is because: The amount of damage in the plantar fascia is different in every individual that suffers from heel pain. Some people having more damage/degeneration than others will not see any improvement from walking barefoot.
Some people who have a small amount of damage in the plantar fascia may respond extremely well to walking barefoot. There are other factors listed below.
When you walk barefoot with pre-existing weak feet (if you have worn shoes your entire life, your feet are weak), you are going to be using muscles in the foot and calf that are probably not used to being used in that way. This can set you up for more injury (of uninjured but weak structures around the plantar fascia) or "re-injury" to your plantar fasciitis (very easy to do, and hard to fix).
Some people will respond well to barefoot treatment if:
Barefoot treatment is VERY BAD for people who are:
There is a time and place for everything with plantar fasciitis recovery. If your pain is extreme, and walking barefoot hurts, do not continue doing that, regardless of what you read. Everyone has different amounts of damage to the plantar fascia, and in different areas of the plantar fascia. This is why there is no "one treatment that fixes everyone".
Barefoot walking, for most people with plantar fasciitis, is an activity that is "too fast, too soon". Wait till the pain is gone.. then work on it.
If you have gotten rid of the pain for a few months, and want to make sure it does not come back, give barefoot/minimal shoes a try. If you have never had plantar fasciitis, slowly easing into walking barefoot can assure that you will not have plantar fasciitis later (ease into this really slowly, your feet are not used to walking barefoot if you have worn shoes your whole life).
Also, if you have active trigger points in the feet or calf muscle, the muscles are weaker than if they did not have the trigger points. You have to get rid of the trigger points first so that the muscles are firing properly, then break up the scar tissue second (with scraping techniques), then work on the other methods in my book etc (lots of different options after this).
Remember this: You cannot strengthen a muscle that has a trigger point, it is impossible. The body has one response to this method, and it is to make the trigger point worst and more sensitive (more pain). Also, a muscle with a trigger point is EXTREMELY weak compared to a muscle without trigger points!! If you want strong muscles, focus on fixing the trigger points first.
First, the websites promoting this treatment are half right. They are right in respect to the fact that plantar fasciitis is usually caused by wearing shoes (learn about this by clicking here). Over time, shoes make the feet muscles weak and unable to support the arch of the foot, ultimately leading to degeneration and pain from over-stressed structures in and around the plantar fascia.
Also, the arch of the foot is supported by the muscles of the calf as well, and if these muscles are not firing properly or are weak, they will cause structural support problems with the plantar fascia, and ultimately pain and weakness in and around the plantar fascia.
If you have never worn shoes your whole life (every day, all day), the chances of getting plantar fasciitis are extremely slim (practically impossible). Countries that have populations without shoes usually do not have plantar fasciitis, it is practically unheard of.
So, not wearing shoes helps PREVENT plantar fasciitis. But when you have worn shoes your whole life, and all the muscles in your feet/calf are extremely weak, then later you get plantar fasciitis, it can then be dangerous to be barefoot. The reason why is that the structures in the foot can not handle the sudden stress of walking barefoot if you are not used to it (especially if you have chronic inflammation/ degeneration in the heel). The stress is far too great for your plantar fascia to handle being barefoot at this point.
The reason these websites online are wrong is because: The amount of damage in the plantar fascia is different in every individual that suffers from heel pain. Some people having more damage/degeneration than others will not see any improvement from walking barefoot.
Some people who have a small amount of damage in the plantar fascia may respond extremely well to walking barefoot. There are other factors listed below.
When you walk barefoot with pre-existing weak feet (if you have worn shoes your entire life, your feet are weak), you are going to be using muscles in the foot and calf that are probably not used to being used in that way. This can set you up for more injury (of uninjured but weak structures around the plantar fascia) or "re-injury" to your plantar fasciitis (very easy to do, and hard to fix).
Some people will respond well to barefoot treatment if:
- They are athletes and have not had the pain for long (unless they partially tore the plantar fascia, then active rest will be required followed by mobilization of the soft tissues in the foot and calf to prevent degeneration from setting in)
- They have walked barefoot for most of their life (not very common in most "first world countries")
- They have released all the muscles in the foot and calf with soft tissue mobilization, have fixed the "pain" and now want to use barefoot walking as a means to strengthen the foot muscles so that the pain does not come back later.
Barefoot treatment is VERY BAD for people who are:
- Have had plantar fasciitis for more than six weeks!
- Lacking circulation in the lower extremities for whatever reason, or has pre-existing neurovascular disorders
- Have pre-existing conditions that cause perpetuation of trigger points such as fibromyalgia/arthritis/myofascial pain syndrome etc
- Is overweight
- Has a bad diet
- Is older in age
- Inactive/sedentary in nature people who have never worked out and have a "sit down all day" kind of job
There is a time and place for everything with plantar fasciitis recovery. If your pain is extreme, and walking barefoot hurts, do not continue doing that, regardless of what you read. Everyone has different amounts of damage to the plantar fascia, and in different areas of the plantar fascia. This is why there is no "one treatment that fixes everyone".
Barefoot walking, for most people with plantar fasciitis, is an activity that is "too fast, too soon". Wait till the pain is gone.. then work on it.
If you have gotten rid of the pain for a few months, and want to make sure it does not come back, give barefoot/minimal shoes a try. If you have never had plantar fasciitis, slowly easing into walking barefoot can assure that you will not have plantar fasciitis later (ease into this really slowly, your feet are not used to walking barefoot if you have worn shoes your whole life).
Also, if you have active trigger points in the feet or calf muscle, the muscles are weaker than if they did not have the trigger points. You have to get rid of the trigger points first so that the muscles are firing properly, then break up the scar tissue second (with scraping techniques), then work on the other methods in my book etc (lots of different options after this).
Remember this: You cannot strengthen a muscle that has a trigger point, it is impossible. The body has one response to this method, and it is to make the trigger point worst and more sensitive (more pain). Also, a muscle with a trigger point is EXTREMELY weak compared to a muscle without trigger points!! If you want strong muscles, focus on fixing the trigger points first.