Plantar Fasciitis - An Uncomfortable Reality

     I met my friend Kathryn a little over a year ago.  In the course of our early conversations, she shared with me that she had been struggling with Plantar Fasciitis (severe pain in her foot).  It had come on slowly and she had tried to manage things the best she could - not knowing what to do to aleviate the problem.  After dealing with it for months, she had turned to expert advice to try and help her, but to little effect.  At night she was sleeping with a boot on her foot to try and manage the pain.  Going forward she was facing the prospect of either dealing with the problem for years to come or surgery.  

     Correcting a problem like Plantar Fasciitis involves looking at all the contributing factors and then doing the work that is necessary to make things better.  This is where most people struggle, because looking at problems can reveal certain uncomfortable truths.  On top of that, the work that is necessary to correct things is often brutally painful.  Moving forward can be difficult because it means letting go of ego, being honest about the cause of the problems, and being committed to the process.   
     Talking with Kathryn about her foot, I told her I could fix the problem, but that she had to be aware of what was involved.  I would pull no punches, either in what I saw the problem was or in the work that was necessary to correct it.  It would be a painful process.  This is where a lot of people are stopped cold.  They don't want to hear the truth of what's wrong or they think that they shouldn't have to do the work needed to move forward.  Often times, the only way they will finally address the problem is when the daily pain and hassle of dealing with it outweighs doing what is necessary to correct it.  

      Digging into things, I identified several factors that needed to be addressed.  The fascia in her foot needed to be worked on.  The calf needed to be loosened with heavy bodywork.  Her diet needed to be changed with a higher emphasis on protein and good fat for recovery.  Her spine needed to be aligned and her posture worked on.  Addressing these factors is difficult because it touches on sensitive issues of personal choices, body image, accountability and the like.  At one point or another every athlete I've ever worked with has expressed frustration with what I am telling them.  It's uncomfortable to be confronted with things that need to be worked through.  
       We started with heavy bodywork on the foot and calf.  This is an incredibly painful process.  It can feel like knives digging into the muscle.  Several people have commented to me that body work is the worst pain they've ever experienced.  After a session, there is a feeling of having been beaten up.  But, with rest and a good diet, the muscle can rebuild without the knots and tightness.  
     Everything is connected in the body, which is why it's important to address all the components of a problem.  In Kathryn's case that involved looking at the tightness in the calf, hip alignment, posture and weight in terms of how it affected her foot.  After months of working through the problem we were able to largely eliminate her Plantar Fasciitis.  I've explained to her that long term it's critical for her health to maintain good behaviors and continue improving her health habits.  That means rolling out her calves after working out and keeping them loose, keeping her spine aligned and her core strong, eating high quality food, and the like.   

 

     The truth of addressing serious problems or making fundamental changes in health is that you have to be committed to the process. Doing things only half way will only result in marginal outcomes. As the saying goes, "You can’t cross a chasm in two small jumps." That doesn't mean trying to change everything all at once - it's okay to do things little by little.  What's important is to do them all the way.  Every day focus on getting better.  

     The thing that is so damaging about dealing with chronic pain or body issues is that it has a debilitating effect on every aspect of life.  It limits what a person is capable of.  More than that, it affects beliefs about what is possible.  For example, it's hard to imagine doing something like running a marathon when it's painful just to walk to the kitchen.  As Kathryn's foot has healed and the constant pain has subsided she has been able to consider new possibilities.  She started riding her bike more regularly and completed her first 100 mile ride a month ago.  A few weeks ago she went for her first run in over a year.  With the understanding of how to deal with Plantar Fasciitis and avoid similar problems in the future, she can focus on moving forward and finding new goals and pursuits. Semper Porro.