Plantar Fasciitis in Remission?

October 20th, 2010 2:47pm - Posted By: Kara

Plantar Fantasia, Plants Fastis, PF Pain...

Probably the number one foot pain complaint we hear at The Good Sole is “I have Plantar Fasciitis.” It is an unusual sounding ailment so I hear all variations of it – Plantar Fantasia, Plants Fastis, PF Pain…the pronunciations go on and on. But the symptoms are pretty consistent and the pain is very real.

The causes of Plantar Fasciitis are variable but are related to any condition that creates an abnormal force pulling upon the plantar fascia and medial intrinsic foot muscles attached to the calcaneus. In English, it means that your arch is craving support and we need to provide that support by bringing the ground up to your foot.

Supportive shoes with a definite arch can help, as well as either custom orthotics or over-the-counter orthotics. However, the reason I am writing this blog today is in the last week I have had several PF sufferers tell me their Plantar Fasciitis is in remission and they can go back to wearing non-supportive shoes or not using their orthotics.

WRONG! Just because a person isn’t experiencing the intense pain as when they first heard the word Plantar Fasciitis doesn’t mean it has gone away. Doing strong Achilles tendon stretches, not going barefoot (sorry – but hard tile floors don’t help) and wearing the correct shoes and orthotics are what will keep your Plantar Fasciitis from flaring up. I have had some folks think their PF symptoms flair up in the winter due to wearing winter boots. And, that might be true.

Winter boots are designed to keep our feet warm and to allow air to circulate. Therefore, many are bulkier than ordinary shoes and don’t offer the arch support our feet need. However, depending on your foot and the boot, we have many premade orthotics that can be placed in your footwear to help support the arch. If you are wearing dress boots – which are popular for fall and winter styles, Superfeet has a great dress orthotic that slips into the boot offering arch support without taking away the needed toe room that make boots comfortable.

Everyone needs a support system. And don’t forget that our feet need support as well.
Stop by The Good Sole and we can answer your foot pain questions.
 

Posted in: Foot Health

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Clog Blog

October 5th, 2010 4:58pm - Posted By: Kara

Its time for a new blog – and I couldn’t wait to do a blog on clogs!

Today's clogs are fashionable and convenient – not like the one’s my parents gave me when they came back from their trip to Holland in the early 80s. Clogs are the perfect fit for the on-the-go-lifestyle. They offer support for your feet and body.

That is why so many health care professionals, bank tellers, teachers, retail associates, and hospitality and restaurant servers that stand or walk on the job wear them. Clogs offer a firm foundation for weak and fallen arches, plantar fasciitis, and for tired and aching legs. The heel height of many clogs makes you stand straighter, thus taking pressure off the lower back and hips.

Deciding on going with open vs. closed back is primarily a fashion decision. Closed-back clogs may give the feeling of a little more security; but remember these are clogs -- not shoes. Your heels will move up and down. Also if you have very wide feet or a high instep, the open-back styles will fit more comfortably.

I absolutely love my Dansko Pro Clogs.  I have them in black, purple, red patent, and green – one for every color mood!  I prefer the closed back and when I sell Dansko Pro Clogs I also tell people you should have a pinky finger’s width between your heel and the shoe back to fit comfortably.    

I find that with Dansko my feet bend less which takes the pressure off toes and joints. This helps relieve bunions, hammer toes, metatarsal problem, and aching toe joints.  I also love the rocker sole for taking pressure off the lower back.

Come check out our clog promotion at The Good Sole. 

Posted in: Clogs

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