Running into June - May 30-June 5

[OakLeaf]

Does anyone use trigger point? A gal in my office swears by it.

Oh definitely. All the stretching in the world won't keep a muscle and fascia from knotting back up unless you release the trigger points.

The reason for rolling your feet on a spiky ball/spiky stick or walking on pebbles is to work out the trigger points in the foot muscles. My feet were FULL of them when I started. Deep trigger points in the calves can be responsible for Achilles pain, something I'm still working at as well.

Remember that it's just as important to address the cause of the trigger points as it is to work out the ones that are there. Mostly they're biomechanical - shoe fit and/or running form.

Anyone use Superfeet? Coach is recommending I get some for all my shoes. Likes or dislikes?

I've used the green ones in the past, and they gave more support than anything other than custom orthotics.

Now.

I'm one of the ones who is SLOWLY transitioning to less shoe, and although it will take me a very, very long time, if ever, to be fully ready for barefoot, I'm a HUGE believer based both on my history and on the problems that have disappeared as soon as I started strengthening my feet and hips, and removed the orthotics.

Strengthening your feet can help prevent plantar fasciitis. Although this doesn't necessarily mean going barefoot all the time, it does mean making time for barefoot exercise - running, walking, yoga and/or targeted foot exercises.

ETA:

Here's what the Chi Running site has to say about PF.

Here's a recent piece from Running Times, suggesting that diminished blood flow from - you guessed it - wearing shoes, contributes to PF.

Also, a few weeks ago I invested in one of those ProStretch blocks, on the recommendation of a PT. You can get just as effective a stretch without one, but you do have to be more conscious of doing it safely and effectively. It's true $30 is way too much for a louzy piece of plastic , but just putting that thing behind my couch means that I get on it two or three times a day, which is a lot more stretching than I was doing before.

Good luck - and heal up fast.