top of page
AngryOrthopod

Do Something Different. Do Something That Works.




Some questions and answers just beg to reach out!


"Hello, I’ve been struggling with [plantar fasciitis] in both feet for at least 6 years, have done foot and calf massages, cortisone, tennis balls, laser, tens unit and have a Chiro running a vibrating ball over the bottom of my feet right now. I’m so tired of not being able to walk long walks.


So I’ve also found a website King brand BFST that swears they have a cold compress item to take the swelling down and then they have a hot wrap to apply heat to the PF. They have all good reviews and relief from people that have tried this.


They don’t recommend stretching. In fact, they have posted 10 PF “myths”. I’m so confused. What do you think of the cold/hot method?....Thank you for your advice..."


And here is my response....


Hi Pearl (name changed to protect the innocent),


You are a poster child for the plantar fasciitis herd mentality. If you have not read on my site at all, please do.


The total message for this the problem is that it is not your foot, it is your calf. The reason you have had plantar fasciitis for 6 years is that you have never treated it. Really!

You are confused because of the strong incorrect/false message all these mostly clueless medicals and non-medicals are feeding us. Just think for a second about cause and effect. The root cause is often not obvious or what you think.


In your case, as in the great majority of those out there suffering, looking beyond the obvious heel pain location in your foot is basically impossible. And I get that, but that is what guys like me are here for: to steer you in the right direction. Tell you the truth.


Just look at the star Mets outfielder Yoenis Cespedes. Even the pros have it wrong. This guy has been plagued with foot issues for a long time, and I can guarantee you they are related to one thing: equinus or calves too tight. And they have not focused on addressing the calf one bit. Now they are talking about a very unnecessary, in my opinion of course, potential surgery. You say they have the best medical care available being professional athletes, right? Wrong. The athletic trainers and the team doctors basically across the board do not have a clue about equinus and the incremental damage it can cause.

It is getting harder for me to believe how so many people can be so vehemently far off track. The scientific evidence of the calf being the source of the problem and that calf stretching almost always works is there for all to see.


Books and Lights Wide

Here is my suggestion.

Do something different, something that seems so counter-intuitive and stretch your calves. Look away from the obvious, your heel, and treat the problem, your calf.


There is a 95% chance you will be done, but be patient. "Undoing" tight calves will take time because they took years to get that way.


Break from the herd, Pearl!

I get comments all the time from folks how calf stretching has changed their world...but these comments are hidden in the blog comments section, where few will benefit from seeing.


Get out there on social media and spread the word about stretching and where you heard it! 


Stay healthy my friends,


AO Current Conversation


Add your questions, thoughts, and commentary to our current conversation below, I dare ya!

11 Comments


AngryOrthopod
Nov 14

Archived Comments

Below is a collection of comments from previous versions of the blog. They are preserved for historical context and the richness they add to our discussions. If I lost them I would be angry indeed.

See Comments Blog

Keep moving, my friends,

AO

Like

AngryOrthopod
Nov 14

Podiatrist on July 12, 2019 at 2:00 pm


Could not agree more. If more of my patients did their stretches as advised I would see far less chronic plantar fasciitis. Obviously you have those patients who have been wrongly diagnosed with plantar fasciitis but that’s another matter. The Rathleff paper on loading as opposed to stretching is interesting reading, but more evidence needed.


aoeditor on July 14, 2019 at 11:09 am


Dude! There are more out there like me? Podiatrists have the biomechanics down far in advance of orthopaedic surgeons. It goes from Root and Weed, to Hill and today, DeHeer. My soliloquy below is not for you because you get it, it is for all readers. To begin my rant, Rathleff’s…


Like

AngryOrthopod
Nov 14

Dennis Slavin on January 5, 2021 at 12:39 pm


Dear Angry Orthopod,Just wanted to send a quick note of thanks for your blog. Truly a blessing. I am a 56 yo male, a runner since the age of 16. Last August I presented with PF, my first experience with this injury. My guess is teleworking at home for six months due to Covid, and spending much of that time barefoot, had an impact on my calves. Ordinarily I work in an office, wear heeled shoes, and walk to many meetings during the day.In an effort to find the best way to quickly recover, I did all sorts of research and found a great deal of information (apparently everything but your fine blog).…


Like

AngryOrthopod
Nov 14

Amy on May 19, 2022 at 8:25 am


Dear Angry Orthopod,

Couldn’t find the way to comment so I’m doing so in a reply…YES YES YES! I am a dance teacher with fibromyalgia so I have been obsessed with natural pain relief as well as the best ways to help my students achieve max strength and flexibility. I have found that MOST if not all chronic pain issues such as PF, lower back, and knee pain are almost always due to tight muscles somewhere in the body. My adult students are always amazed when my stretching techniques fix a plethora of pain they have been to multiple doctors about and have even prevented several from having surgery. We need to care…


Like

AngryOrthopod
Nov 14

LF on November 9, 2019 at 6:31 pm


Hi AO,


I’m in a desperate situation with my MN. I’m wondering if you might weigh in, as I’ve found your prior posts and comments about it really informative.First, I am 99% certain that I do, in fact, have MN. I have a Mulder’s click (I know you have opinions about this!), and shoes are exponentially more painful than going barefoot or wearing Birkenstocks (which is still annoying and hurts, but it’s manageable). The pain is only when I am walking; never when I’m at rest. And the Mulder’s click never reproduced the level of pain I feel when I walk.So. I started with a course of anti-inflammatory meds, to no avail. I…


Like
image-1.png

Search Angry Orthopod . . . I dare ya!

Keywords for Dummies

bottom of page