[greg]

@martin There is some suggestion that tight hip flexors could exacerbate plantar fasciitis, it wouldn’t do any harm to stretch them too in case that helps?

The stretching exercises I was given by physio were to stretch the calf muscles and tendons to reduce over-tightness – this did help me but I have flat feet and collapsed arches from long ago (and heredity) so support essential and walking around in unsupportive footwear or with bare feet makes it worse for me.

The pain getting up out of bed I believe is the tearing of tissue that has “healed” while resting and these exercises help to stop the “healing” of overtight tissues so in my case at least it was OK to begin as early as possible, but the root of the treatment for me was the insoles.

[greg]

I bought some FootReviver insoles – expensive but as my GP told me (sadly I disbelieved him at first) they effected an immediate and huge improvement and the PF only returns now if I neglect wearing the insoles for a while. I do a lot of different outdoor activities and I wear them in ALL footwear for ALL shoed/booted activities, except rock climbing where I do without. Replace every couple of years, though I still have all my pairs and they have stood up to hard mountain days from the Lakes, the Alps, the Cuillin, including running down from the top of the Schilthorn to Murren in boots, running down the Sgurr Alastair Stone Chute, down the steep sides of Blencathra etc etc. Winter climbing, cycling etc.

Lots of people say Superfeet are the best brand for insoles. Superfeet did NOT work, only slightly alleviating the pain and I’m entirely pain free now, starting from a point where getting out of bed every morning was very painful and I was worrying about giving up walking and mountaineering as I got considerable pain after a few hours out.

Also, for the first time, it stopped me getting stubbed toes descending hills and helped my knees

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