Tearing arch pain

Almost certainly is PF. I got PF in my arches a few years ago and endured it for over a year until I finally learned hot to kick it. Everyone's road to recovery is different so take my advice with a grain of salt.

First off, what didn't work for me was arch support, orthodics, and boots to sleep in. All those things just tried to mask the source of the problem. After a year the PF was so bad I couldn't walk without pain and running was out of the question.

I was so discouraged, that I just went another direction entirely. First, I started doing yoga with my wife. The position downward facing dog provided the most relief. Second, I started taking walks around the neighborhood barefoot (yes, on the pavement). The pain started to subside within hours of these two things. Within weeks, I was running and I was back to normal mileage in a month or so. I have been PF free for over two years now. While I hate yoga to this day because I find it so boring, it definitely has provided value.

For reference, I have extremely high arches, I supinate while running, and run in minimal zero drop shoes.

I have the same problem. About seven years ago I started to run in XC flats w zero drop and no arch support. This solved it for me. I cannot wear any shoe with arch support. I'm not saying that this will solve it for everyone but its definitely what solved it for me. It's PF for sure, as I was diagnosed with it. What I initially did was change my form and get more up on forefoot and started wearing Nike free 5.0s, Eventually even their minimal arch support still bothered be. I switched to Saucony Kilkenny XC flats and have only run in them since and have had zero problems. I have done 100 mile weeks lots of times and I have put 1200 miles on one pair of shoes and they only cost $50. Maybe this would work for you maybe it won't. One caveat, anytime I get a new pair of shoes, on the first two or three runs I will get a pain in my arch during the run. I stop and stretch out my calf and it goes away. It only happens a few times on the first couple of runs with the new pair of shoes. Again, I don't know if this will work for you but it works for me. Running in those flats is about as close as you can get to barefoot without looking like some turd or some d bag in five fingers.

Interesting that flats helped out. I'm not sure if it's quite the path for me though because I have very low arches.

What you are describing sound like tibialis posterior tendinitis more than plantar fascitis to me. I stretched the muscle a lot and had deep friction massage over the tendon which was painful. And I started wearing orthotics to ultimately clear the problem up.

Runnerkid wrote:

Interesting that flats helped out. I'm not sure if it's quite the path for me though because I have very low arches.

My arches were low as well and close to flat in one foot. It seems counterintuitive that you would have low arches and not need arch support but for me arch support is the problem, The thought is that by having a support in your arch, it actually prevents the arch from doing what its designed to be doing. The arch stays more in flexion and is prevented from going into extension and that seems to cause serious problems for me regardless of how low my arches are.

To the guy who said it was posterior, maybe that's the case although I have had that before and it was nothing like this. When I had this problem I went to the podiatrist and was diagnosed w PF.

could be plantar fascitis or posterior tibial tendinitis.

footandanklesolution.com

that website should help differentiate between the two and has good treatment options.

UPDATE #2:

Everyday I'm finding out where the pain really is. Today I ran a workout with my team. Running felt fine as usual and I stopped for little bit; it didn't hurt like crazy. I finished the workout and went home without a problem. After resting for a while without stretching, I tried to walk in my shoes and it hurt like crazy. So I took off my shoes (which now have insoles) and I iced and rolled it out. I usually don't feel pain when I roll it out, so I thought I'd try and flex and my foot at 90 degrees and roll it. Boy did it hurt, but it wasn't on the inside of my arch, it was the upper middle of my arch. (Midsole I think) it's right between my 2nd and 3rd toy in the upper middle of my arch; it's almost at the ball of my foot. Is it still plantar fasciitis? I have yet to experience heel pain.

Thanks for all the insight so far.

I have had PF and never once had heel pain, just in my arch. Just out of curiosity, is your foot/feet ever sore in the morning when you wake up?

Nope, not yet. I only feel pain when I stretch it and after I run.

Runnerkid wrote:

Nope, not yet. I only feel pain when I stretch it and after I run.

I had PF but it didn't hurt in the mornings until I was running 80-100 mile weeks. If I wasn't running that much, I would feel no pain at all in the morning. It still could be either of the two. Just as an experiment can you try doing a run in flats? Just to see how it feels. If you start hurting like crazy immediately just shut it down. If it's a little uncomfortable at first just roll with it and see if it warms up a little on the run. Just give it a shot and see if there's any difference. I mean to run in flats with zero arch support. Just to be sure though, only do this is you're NOT a heel striker.

I have a race tomorrow I'm not sure if my coach will let me wear spikes. However, I could talk to her.

I'll keep updating this as the week goes on and if the pain continues. After the race tomorrow, I will be strictly biking the next week and may or may not race next week. Thank you all so far! This pain is just so foreign to me so I need as much help as I can get!