Plantar fasciitis is an extremely painful condition for runners, but in many cases can be easily prevented by simply switching your shoelaces from cotton to elastic.
What is Plantar Fasciitis?
Plantar fasciitis is a series of tiny tears in your plantar fascia. This causes a sharp pain or deep ache along the arch of your foot or in the middle of your heel. The pain tends to be worse after a period of rest such as sitting or after a night of sleep.
What causes Plantar Fasciitis in runners?
Plantar fasciitis is often seen in runners who do a lot of speed work and or trail running. It is also often seen in flat-footed runners and people who run on hard surfaces like concrete and asphalt. Another big reason people can get this condition is not using the proper shoelaces.
How Switching to Elastic Shoelaces Can Reduce Your Risk Of Plantar Fasciitis
Runners who use cotton laces often strike the ground much harder than runners who use elastic laces. The reason for this is that cotton laces do not stretch making it impossible for your foot to strike the ground the way it was intended to and placing added stress on the heel and arch of the foot.
Unlike cotton, elastic laces stretch upon impact creating a softer landing for your foot and allowing the foot to bend and stretch in a natural motion. A simple switch to elastic shoelaces greatly reduces the risk of developing plantar fasciitis and makes for a much more comfortable run.