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Can I Run If I Have Plantar Fasciitis?
One of the most common questions I receive from my patients, especially the running community is, can I still exercise if I have plantar fasciitis?
Continuing your exercise or running routine while dealing with plantar fasciitis is possible. It depends on the severity of your condition. I monitor my patients using a pain scale and advise them based on the following:
1 to 2 pain levels: Generally OK to continue to train
3 to 6 pain levels: Consider shifting gears to cross-training
7 and above pain levels: Rest and allow time to heal
Does Running With Plantar Fasciitis Make It Worse?
If you’re training for a race or just cant live without your daily exercise, plantar fasciitis can greatly impact your exercise regimen and your mental health. Knowing when to rest is the key.
If you’re mostly pain free at rest and can exercise without pain, it’s probably ok to keep doing that, but sometimes listening to your body is the best recommendation.
However, if your pain intensity is between a 3 and 6, I recommend shifting to cross-training until the pain diminishes. Try weight training, aqua jogging, cycling, or just walking.
If you are in pain the entire time you’re exercising or running, that is a sign to pull back and rest for a week or so. Focus on strengthening your foot core, the intrinsic muscles of your feet, and calf muscles (see exercises below).
If you continue with high-impact activity you will likely make your symptoms worse, more difficult to treat, and prolong healing.
Also, evaluating your footwear to ensure they are foot-positive running shoes is a game changer.
Can I Walk If I Have Plantar Fasciitis?
Complete rest is not advisable, but it is important that you prevent putting the plantar fascia under strain in the early stages of healing.
Depending on your specific circumstances, walking may help your heel pain, or make it worse. If you experience excruciating pain while walking, try to rest until the pain diminishes.
Wear natural, functional footwear with a wide toe box and no elevation of the heel. Avoid orthotic inserts as they further weaken your feet.
Practice walking barefoot each day. Begin with 20 minutes and increase each week.
Does Rest Help Plantar Fasciitis?
The acute phase of healing of plantar fasciitis is when there is extreme pain and inflammation. This phase typically last for 3-5 days. During this phase of healing, I recommend rest and limited movement.
After this initial inflammatory phase, rest will only hinder rehabilitation. Refer to the exercises later in the article to strengthen the feet.
How Much Rest Do You Need For Plantar Fasciitis?
Ultimately, plantar fasciitis recovery time is significantly reduced when you apply the recommendations I offer in my Plantar Fasciitis Home Recovery Guide. Average recovery time of 5-7 weeks is the most common.
What Are The Best Foot Exercises For Plantar Fasciitis?
Plantar fasciitis can be one of the most difficult conditions to rehabilitate. Many of my patients have had foot and heel pain for years with no real correction.
As a sports chiropractor who specializes in foot and gait analysis, I have seen hundreds of cases of plantar fasciitis.
I believe that the reason so many people suffer for so long is because most rehab efforts are too basic and include endless calf stretches and icing with a frozen water bottle. These techniques are not targeting the underlying cause of most foot conditions.
These (3) exercises target the most common causes of plantar fasciitis. (1) A weakened foot core, (2) Limited calf flexibility and weakness, and (3) Decreased dorsiflexion of the ankle.
Short Foot Exercises
Calf Raises with a Ball
Kneeling Ankle Rocks
1. Short Foot Exercises:
SFE/foot doming is one of most effectively ways to increase the strength of our intrinsic foot muscles:
Spread your toes, make sure all toes are in touch with the ground, lift your arch without lifting your toes or heel, hold for 5 seconds and perform 10 repetitions.
2. Calf raises with a ball between the heels:
One of the most common causes of plantar fasciitis is calf inflexibility. Strengthening the calf muscle also increasing mobility.
Using a ball isolates the tibialis posterior, a muscle most important for arch stability. Squeeze the ball and perform 3 sets of 15 repetitions daily.
3. Kneeling ankle rocks:
Ankle immobility and decreased dorsiflexion is one of the contributing factors in plantar fasciitis.
Kneel and shift your weight to your front foot. Attempt to touch the wall without lifting your heel. Hold for 2 seconds and repeat 15 repetitions.
Perform each of these 3 exercises twice daily!
Can I Treat Plantar Fasciitis At Home?
As a sports chiropractor and foot specialist, I often see patients with plantar fasciitis after they’ve tried everything. Cortisone shots, night splints, ineffective stretching, and rolling on a frozen water bottle are a few of their failed remedies.
If you’re wondering how to treat plantar fasciitis at home, I want to share a few insights that have worked for my patients. The solution for most of my patients is through addressing multiple factors.
Improving limited ankle mobility and dorsiflexion
Strengthening weak intrinsic foot muscles
Strengthening weak calf, soleus, and peroneal muscles
Transitioning to natural, functional footwear
Wearing toe separators
Rarely is there a quick fix for PF. Identifying areas of weakness in the foot and ankle and restoring proper foot function is the most important piece of the puzzle. I have created a step-by-step comprehensive guide on how to resolve Plantar Fasciitis at Home. Take a look at my FREE GUIDE here.
Summary
Whether you are new to exercise or and experienced runner, proper foot care can help you exercise safely, avoid exacerbating your plantar fasciitis, and avoid other injuries like stress fractures, sprains, shin splints, or back pain.
Dealing with the pain of plantar fasciitis can be life changing--but it doesn’t have to be a life sentence. By arming yourself with knowledge and taking charge of your healing, you can get back to the activities you love and feel like yourself again.
If you have additional questions about heel pain and plantar fasciitis, don’t hesitate to reach out. I'm here to help get you back on your feet--literally.
One of the most IMPORTANT things you can do to fix your feet is to educate yourself about the condition and how to prevent recurrence.
Follow my social media pages for daily tips on footwear, exercises, and prevention on Facebook & Instagram!
Best of Health,
🦶 Dr. Angela
I have also written extensively on the topic of Plantar Fasciitis. Take a look at these other related blog posts:
Hi, I'm Dr. Angela Walk
I have been involved in the health and wellness industry for over 20 years as a wellness physician, sports chiropractor, and foot health coach.
I have written extensively for health publications and I am keenly aware of trends and new developments.
I embrace an active lifestyle combining diet, exercise and healthy choices. By working to inform readers of the options available to them, I hope to improve your health and quality of life.
