Can I Run with Plantar Fasciitis?

Dear MyRunningDoc,

I am a runner who has been suffering with plantar fasciitis for several months. I tried couple of different things myself to get the heel pain to go away but it still continue to bother me. When I went to see my doctor, she told me that I had to stop running.

Can I run with plantar fasciitis? Will my heel pain get worse if I keep running? Or can I run with plantar fasciitis and still heal.

John H. 
San Jose, CA

Hello John,

Heel pain can be frustrating when you are a runner. It isn't that the heel pain is so debilitating that it stops you from running, but that you are often distracted by it, and concern that the problem will get significantly worse or translate into other overuse injuries.

Plantar fasciitis of course is the most common form of heel pain. But it isn't the only type of heel pain that happens in runners. The short answer is that if it is only plantar fasciitis, you can probably keep running without the problem getting worse. It is also possible to continue running and still heal your heel pain.

This all assumes that you have been correctly diagnosed, and have not been mis-diagnosed. If your doctor mistakenly diagnoses you with plantar fasciitis, when in fact have a calcaneal stress fracture (crack in the heel bone), or a partial rupture of the plantar fascia (a small tear in the plantar fascia), you will have to stop running for some period of time, depending upon the severity of the condition.

It is important to note that stopping running alone will not cure any of the above mentioned causes of heel pain. conditions. Many runners can self-diagnose their heel pain without ever seeing a doctor. But if you have any doubt about the accuracy of your diagnosis, or specifics about how to continue running while you have plantar fasciitis, you should seek a second opinion from a sports medicine podiatrist who specializes in the treatment of runners.

Dr. Christopher Segler is a 14-time ironman triathlon finisher and sports medicine podiatrist who specializes in the rapid treatment of running injuries. He performs remote consultations via Skype for runners and triathletes overseas who do not have access to Western medical doctors and running experts. You can learn more about running with heel pain at DocOnTheRun.com or learn more about plantar fasciitis at AnkleCenter.com

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Achilles Tendonitis in a Runner...from dropping out to 4th place.

We recently received this inspiring patient testimonial from a runner who had been suffering with chronic Achilles Tendinitis that was so bad it actually forced him to drop out of a race. Dr. Segler saw him and helped him heal the Achilles tendon with some simple treatments..and NO surgery. He didn't even need a PRP injection to heal the Achilles tendon. He went on to run a half marathon, full marathon and compete with his team to win 4th place at the PA/USATF 2011 Cross Country Grand Prix.

"I'm a runner who competes in the PA/USATF. I injured my achilles (tendinitis) last summer and needed to recover before the start of the cross country season (1st week of Sept).

This injury had been bothering me chronically for the last year and a half, impairing my training and in some occasions, forcing me to drop out during races. I called Dr Segler following a drop out from a local race last July. My achilles was very painful and I had difficulty walking. I'm generally a point-scorer for the team (top 5 runners) so my return to competition was much anticipated by my teammates.

Dr Segler came to my house and assessed my injury, explained what type of tendinitis I had and gave me a number of options and treatments (I think 12 in total). Most importantly for me, Dr Segler understood my need to not become totally out of shape before the XC season. Since he is a triathlete himself, he knows what competition means, the efforts you've put into your training, and the satisfaction of a good race. For my type of injury, most doctors would simply recommend to (heavily) use NSAIDs, rest and not run at all for a number of weeks.

Dr Segler gave me additional options to maintain a minimum level of fitness while my tendon was recovering. I followed his advice to the letter and got better in a few weeks, while maintaining some training. I returned to competition on Aug 27th, ran many of this year's XC races, and contributed to my team achieving 4th place at the PA/USATF 2011 XC Grand Prix. More recently I completed a half and full marathon part of the PA/USATF road racing Grand Prix and was part of the "A" scoring team. A great feeling ! I think we will take 3rd place in the Grand Prix this season, the best the club has done in years ... Thanks Doc !"

- Patrick M., San Francisco, CA

Dr. Christopher Segler is a runner, triathlete and 6-time Ironman finisher. His practice focuses on rapid recovery of running injuries. He offers a range of services to help runners get back to running as quickly possible. He provides PRP injections for Achilles tendonitis and ESWT therapy for heel pain in San Francisco, Marin and Palo Alto. He also frequently provides second opinions for runners through remote consultations via web conferencing for complicated injuries world-wide. The best treatment is fast treatment! If you have a question about running injuries, you can reach Dr. Segler directly at 415-308-0833.