Foot Arch Pain

Pain & Rehab Forum [Moderated]
1

Hi Doctors,

I am experiencing some pain in the arch of my right foot, which began after I went on a walk that is somewhat outside my normal pattern of activity. I frequently walk distances of 1-2 miles, and the walk in this case was only about 3-4 miles. The pain has persisted for over a month, and it bothers me at least 50% of the time that I go for a walk. Do you have any idea what might be causing this, and how I can address it?

Thanks!

2

Hey, sorry to hear about the recent foot issue. It’s probable that you exceeded your prior adaptation levels to walking and got some symptoms out of it (example: plantar fasciopathy). We did a podcast on this topic with the umbrella title of tendionpathy (https://soundcloud.com/user-34431316…7-tendinopathy) that outlines how we’d approach such issues. You may also find this article of use: https://www.barbellmedicine.com/blog…ining-what-do/

3

Hi Dr. Ray,

Thank you; I listened to the podcast last night and it was helpful in understanding the general approach, but I’m not really sure how to apply that to this situation. I have a few specific questions, since I have no experience at all with foot issues: 1. Is there a resource where I can find specific exercises to include during the recovery period for this issue? The podcast suggested that some form of isolation training would be useful, but I have no idea what kind of movements would be applicable here.
2. For this specific issue, should I alter the programming of movements other than walking? I typically perform squats, deadlifts, and calf raises twice a week, as well as doing some light bike riding. I don’t think any of these really contributed to the initial issue, but is it possible that they would need to be changed during the recovery period?
3. When I am walking, are there any footwear considerations to keep in mind? I typically alternate between a pair of traditional running shoes and a pair of fairly minimalist shoes, on the theory that it would slightly vary the stress on my feet. Thanks for any advice you can offer!

4

@ShemTealeaf you’d likely benefit from a consult so we can walk you through this process but I’ll give your questions a shot:

  1. I’m a fan of calf raises in this scenario and/or weighted farmer carries (sometimes on balls of feet).
  2. Difficult to state but if you aren’t experiencing a spike in symptoms during or after those activities then I’d be less likely to make modifications to them.
  3. My broad recommendation on shoes is find a pair you find comfortable to do the activities you want to do in.

If you’d like a consult with us, please complete this form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F…ilUWA/viewform

5

Hi Dr. Ray,

Thanks for the info. I will see what I can do on my own for now, but I’ll keep the consult in mind if I’m not able to resolve the issue.