Plantar fasciitis and footwear

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If footwear that restricts the" initial windlass phase " of gait is a major cause of plantar fasciitis then how can this condition be treated without first resolving the footwear issue ?

 

It seems clear to me that there are two windlass phases during gait . The initial phases occurs during preparation for ground contact through weight acceptance and the second at heel off and through toe off . (see link to video 1)

In my opinion it is very likely that a properly functioning and unimpeded initial windlass phase will substantially reduce the stresses to which all of the plantar tissues are subjected during gait and most especially during running with a midfoot or forefoot ground strike .

In cases where footwear induced suppression of the initial windlass phase is the cause of plantar fasciitis then it stands to reason that resolution of the condition can never be achieved so long as the same footwear continues to be worn .

Video link
Haile Gebrselassie slowmotion left barefoot - YouTube

▶ 1:04

6 Oct 2014 - Uploaded by Light Feet Running / Le Guide du Crawl Moderne
Light Feet Running / Le Guide du Crawl Moderne 94,763 views · 5:23. Running Motivation 2015 with: Farah ...

 

By way of some background on the above , here is a link to material which explains my ideas on this subject ----
Windlass mechanisms - plural - and diabetes - Biomch-L

https://biomch-l.isbweb.org/threads/31054-Windlass-mechanisms-plural-and-diabetes
2 Mar 2018 - 7 posts - ‎1 author
Post 1 So during the gait cycle the windlass mechanism is engaged and reversed twice . Going from heel strike to heel strike we have windlass ...

 

Further to the above , and in my opinion , it seems quite possible that certain types of footwear may cause musculo skeletal problems if worn for long periods .

My understanding is that clogs are a common choice of footwear amongst nurses . I believe that shoes which require that the toes be pressed down against the sole of the shoe to hold the heel in place during the swing phase of gait , may habituate suppression of the initial windlass phase of gait ,causing unnecessary stresses on the plantar foot structures during gait , leading perhaps to plantar fasciitis .

The actual act of keeping the heel in place over the course of a long working day may also lead to muscle fatigue in the plantar intrinsics and in the shank of the lower leg .

The solution , subject to diagnosis and supervision by a qualified podiatric physician ( which I am not ) might include , amongst other measures -

1 switching from clogs to a training shoe type of footwear with a wide and deep toe box
2 re-establishment of the initial phase of gait via prescribed exercises


Any thoughts ?

 

So our nurse , male or female , gets home from a hard day around the hospital , performed wearing a clog type shoe with no heel restraint . The nurse's feet and legs are sore and they are glad to get in and put on their slippers ........which have no heel restraint!

. The feet are again obliged to planter flex the toes during the swing phase of gait to keep the slippers on , which in my opinion should not be encouraged as it suppresses the initial windlass phase of gait .

Ok , its a day off and our nurse goes for a run . No initial windlass phase , strain on the plantar fascia giving plantar pain , and 40 years of struggle begin .
And over all those years , in the corner of the room , sit the clogs and the backless slippers .