Hiking with Plantar Fasciitis

Hiking is a wonderful and rewarding activity. Every new hike is a transformative experience that makes you stronger both physically and spiritually. Even some difficulties that might seem to be able to ruin the hike, eventually turn out to be milestones to becoming a better person.

Hiking, challenging as it is, becomes even more difficult if you suffer from health issues. Even if you are fit and healthy, there are still some problems that can be a bother on your way to the destination point. Hiking-related foot pain is one of them.

The list of the most common hiking-related foot and leg health issues includes neuroma, shin splits, ankle sprains, metatarsalgia, and Achilles tendonitis. But the main bother of hikers is plantar fasciitis.

What is plantar fasciitis? If you do not know the answer to this question, you are a happy person. Plantar fasciitis is rather an unpleasant ailment that always reminds of itself when you start walking a lot.

Plantar fasciitis is the most common reason of heel pain for most hikers. If you do not know (and most people probably don’t), plantar fascia is a ligament that is a part of your foot. It connects your toes to the heel bone.

When the plantar fascia is strained, it causes a lot of discomfort. It gets weak, swelling and inflaming with each step you take. As a result, your feet start to ache a lot. How do you protect your plantar fascia from straining? When hiking, your feet are under constant pressure and strain. The only way to avoid acquiring plantar fasciitis is getting comfortable hiking footwear.

If you already have plantar fasciitis, it does not mean that hiking is unavailable to you. It only means that you need to be even more careful choosing your hiking footwear. Thankfully, you can easily find the best hiking boots for plantar fasciitis available in almost any sportswear store. In addition to that, there are a lot of orthotics that can ease different hiking-related foot conditions, including plantar fasciitis.

What else can help you ease the symptoms of plantar fasciitis when on a long-distance hike?

• Preparation for the hike is the key element. You need to take a break from hiking for at least three months. This time should be enough for your plantar fascia to get back to normal, especially if you take proper treatment.

• Try to make your feet as flexible as possible. You need to stretch your heels so that the ligaments become longer and less prone to straining. Stretching exercises can help you a lot.

• Get hiking boots or shoes that offer good arch and heel support. Good support is a guarantee that your plantar fascia will stay relaxed and well.

• Choose a comfortable pair of socks to complement your hiking boots. Good socks made of true merino wool will prevent your feet from slipping back and forth inside the boots, making you feel stable and helping you relax your feet.

• Massage your feet every evening, when the hiking day is over and you are resting in the campsite. You can do it with your hands or use a special foot massager.

• Start every new day of hiking with stretching exercises mentioned above. Stretching your feet and warming the muscles before starting walking is the key element to alleviating plantar fasciitis pain.

• During the hike, take small breaks to give your feet some TLC.

• If you are suffering from plantar fasciitis, do not walk more than you physically can. Some hikers boast that they can hike twenty miles a day. That’s a great achievement, no doubt. Yet, trying to reach such heights when suffering from foot pain is unreasonable, to say the very least. Estimate your abilities and do not try to do more than you can. If you are able to hike tree miles a day, that’s great. With time, you’ll be able to do more. Day after day, the muscles of your feet will get stronger. As a result, your plantar fasciitis will get much better and you will be able to walk more. Who knows, perhaps, one day, you’ll even hike those twenty miles?