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[FormerRecruitingGuru]

How do I deal with chronic plantar fasciitis? Right now, plantar fasciitis is my biggest obstacle in preventing me from joining the military. I got it when I was 18 years old when I first started to run seriously. I quickly developed feet pain, and even though I quickly went to the doctor and physical therapy for help, it never healed. I have been through countless shoes, podiatrists, physical therapists, and more, and nothing helped. I am 24 now, and I still have this pain. I have lost hope in medicine ever fixing this injury, and I just don't know what to do. I never knew the human body was so fragile

You asked this question repeatedly

R

Thread 'Did I disqualify myself by working out incorrectly?'

Jun 27, 2025

I picked up running as a hobby six years ago only to get injured. The injury eventually turned into arthritis according to a MRI scan, and the doctor told me it’s my fault I caused my arthritis. I am in my mid 20s, and I still can’t even walk without pain. I am so mad how fragile the human body is and the fact I basically disqualified myself from the military

• Randomranger900
• Replies: 21
• Forum: Questions about becoming a Navy Officer

Sounds like the military isn’t for you.

 

[Randomranger900]

You asked this question repeatedly

R

Thread 'Did I disqualify myself by working out incorrectly?'

Jun 27, 2025

I picked up running as a hobby six years ago only to get injured. The injury eventually turned into arthritis according to a MRI scan, and the doctor told me it’s my fault I caused my arthritis. I am in my mid 20s, and I still can’t even walk without pain. I am so mad how fragile the human body is and the fact I basically disqualified myself from the military

• Randomranger900
• Replies: 21
• Forum: Questions about becoming a Navy Officer

Sounds like the military isn’t for you.

So how do I heal my condition? What options do I have?

 

[Mouselovr]

So how do I heal my condition? What options do I have?

None of us (as far as I know) are doctors here.

We’re people with first hand military medicine experiences and know where to find administrative standards for entry.
———
But as a fellow chronic pain sufferer, I’m sorry you’ve been in pain for so many years. Chronic pain is beast.

Dry needling is an option some PTs can do state by state. It’s not usually offered by default.
Acupuncture has some real merit.

And a pain management doctor isn’t on your list of people you’ve tried. They don’t typically send young people to them bc “you’re too young to be in chronic pain” is a common mentality in medicine. But these guys/gals are the pain experts.

 

[taxi1]

So how do I heal my condition? What options do I have?

What exactly is your condition? When did the pain start, what provokes it, where is it located, rate it on a scale of 1-10, what is the quality (burn, sting, etc.) does it radiate? Do you have full range of motion? What have you tried that your useless doctors and PTs suggested? What is your weight? Overweight? Diet? Eating well or junk? Exercise plan?

 

[Randomranger900]

What exactly is your condition? When did the pain start, what provokes it, where is it located, rate it on a scale of 1-10, what is the quality (burn, sting, etc.) does it radiate? Do you have full range of motion? What have you tried that your useless doctors and PTs suggested? What is your weight? Overweight? Diet? Eating well or junk? Exercise plan?

it’s plantar fasciitis. It started in 2020 when I first tried to seriously run. The pain is in the arches of both feet now, and it’s a brief sharp stabbing that occasionally occurs when my foot hits the ground (once every 5-10 minutes).

I am 6’0” and 150 pounds, so not remotely overweight. I eat healthy, and I haven’t ran in a year due to the pain

As for treatments, I tried calf raises, calf stretches, orthotics, steroid shots, icing, rolling a ball under the foot, picking up marbles with my foot, and scraping the plantar fascia. None of these helped in the long run

 

[taxi1]

it’s plantar fasciitis. It started in 2020 when I first tried to seriously run. The pain is in the arches of both feet now, and it’s a brief sharp stabbing that occasionally occurs when my foot hits the ground (once every 5-10 minutes).

I am 6’0” and 150 pounds, so not remotely overweight. I eat healthy, and I haven’t ran in a year due to the pain

As for treatments, I tried calf raises, calf stretches, orthotics, steroid shots, icing, rolling a ball under the foot, picking up marbles with my foot, and scraping the plantar fascia. None of these helped in the long run

Do you have pain getting up in the morning? Or is it really "a brief sharp stabbing that occasionally occurs when my foot hits the ground (once every 5-10 minutes)" i.e. not continuous?

Couple of ideas...

Have you done eccentric exercises for the plantar fascia and achilles tendon? Not calf raises, but calf lowers. Step onto the balls of your feet, hold some weight, then lower, stretching the tendons under load. Google on "eccentric loading plantar fasciitis".

Your mileage may vary on this one, and you have to get into it slowly because it stresses the foot in a way you are not used to at first, but I wear what are basically barefoot shoes all the time. Even my work shoes are thin soled. I like the Xeros shoes, for example. Even my trail hiking shoes have just enough thickness to avoid bone bruises from rocks, and no more.

I started switching over to barefoot shoe running after dealing with some knee and back pain aggravated by the jarring of heel striking. I switched over v e r y s l o w l y to barefoot style, which makes you run more on the balls of your feet and absorb the impact there. It helped. Now it is all the time. Zero drop thin-soled shoes.

You really have to acclimate to it, otherwise you will give yourself something like plantar fasciitis or achilles tendon problems (and certainly make them worse at first if you have them), but 22 years on and I have no feet or ankle problems.

If your pain is not continuous right now, maybe ease into them. Get a pair and walk short distances, shorter than you think you need to.

Biggest thing: you ultimately need to take charge of your own health. There's enough information out there for discerning consumers to build a plan. Don't blame it on the doctor, there is no magic cure and everyone is unique. Take charge.

 

[Randomranger900]

Do you have pain getting up in the morning? Or is it really "a brief sharp stabbing that occasionally occurs when my foot hits the ground (once every 5-10 minutes)" i.e. not continuous?

Couple of ideas...

Have you done eccentric exercises for the plantar fascia and achilles tendon? Not calf raises, but calf lowers. Step onto the balls of your feet, hold some weight, then lower, stretching the tendons under load. Google on "eccentric loading plantar fasciitis".

Your mileage may vary on this one, and you have to get into it slowly because it stresses the foot in a way you are not used to at first, but I wear what are basically barefoot shoes all the time. Even my work shoes are thin soled. I like the Xeros shoes, for example. Even my trail hiking shoes have just enough thickness to avoid bone bruises from rocks, and no more.

I started switching over to barefoot shoe running after dealing with some knee and back pain aggravated by the jarring of heel striking. I switched over v e r y s l o w l y to barefoot style, which makes you run more on the balls of your feet and absorb the impact there. It helped. Now it is all the time. Zero drop thin-soled shoes.

You really have to acclimate to it, otherwise you will give yourself something like plantar fasciitis or achilles tendon problems (and certainly make them worse at first if you have them), but 22 years on and I have no feet or ankle problems.

If your pain is not continuous right now, maybe ease into them. Get a pair and walk short distances, shorter than you think you need to.

Biggest thing: you ultimately need to take charge of your own health. There's enough information out there for discerning consumers to build a plan. Don't blame it on the doctor, there is no magic cure and everyone is unique. Take charge.

1. Thank you for being one of the few who actually try to help.

2. Yes, I do both calf raises and lowers. When I was running, I do focus on landing on my forefoot, so I don’t think that’s the issue. My pain is in the arch, so I do believe that pain came from forefoot striking

3. I don’t have the first step morning pain. I feel pain throughout the whole day whenever standing or walking, and the pain is discrete and not continuous