Plantar Fasciitis: A Hiker’s Guide to Heel Pain

Plantar Fasciitis is a very common and painful foot condition experienced by many hikers. I know; I’ve had it. It is an overuse injury often caused by hiking or running and presents as chronic heel pain. This pain is caused by inflammation of the ligament that connects the heel bone to the ball of the foot.

I’ve found that the best way to cure plantar fasciitis is to stop hiking for an extended period of time, like over the winter, and get a pair of boots or hiking shoes with better arch and heel support. While it is possible to reduce the pain temporarily through stretching, applying ice packs, and taking anti-inflammatory medications, you need to give your body time to heal and take steps to prevent a recurrence.

Step 1: You should stop hiking, possibly for a few months. If you have any questions, check with your doctor, but rest is best.

Step 2: Find someone at an outdoor retailer who knows how to fit a pair of hiking boots or trail shoes, including more advanced lacing techniques. REI provides select staff members with this training, so you might want to try there. Call first. These people are worth a drive. Next, get some new boots or trail shoes that cup your heel very snuggly and replace the factory footbed with an after-market one from Superfeet. Most factory footbeds that come with boots are a complete joke. Superfeet has different models with different degrees of firmness and arch support so you will need to experiment. It’s also possible that you may need custom orthotics, particularly if your arch has fallen. Next, go hike about 50 miles to break in your shoes and the footbeds.

Step 3: If you can, lose some weight: either body weight or pack weight. It will help reduce the stress on your feet.

See Also:

• Do You Need Insoles for Hiking Boots and Trail Runners?