While waiting to use the airplane restroom, I was stopped by a curious gentleman.
Flight guy: Are those shoes comfortable?
Dooley: Vibrams? Unbelievably so, yes.
Flight guy: I can’t wear anything that flat – it will flare up my plantar fasciitis.
Dooley: Actually sir, wearing those tennis shoes with a full inch lift in the back are making your plantar fasciitis worse in the long run.
Little did the curious flight guy know his quick question would turn into an hour-long discussion that included flat footwear, proprioception, back pain, distance running versus sprinting, the changing paradigms of physical rehabilitation, and the SFMA and FMS.
The point? People are curious.
They crave education. They may not even know what questions to ask. So, you start simple, and you find all the questions have the same goal.
People want to know what is the best thing. Yet, they don’t care about research (mostly since they can’t discern solid from bunk research).
So, the last time I checked, the word “doctor” is actually Latin for “teacher.” I will share what I’ve learned and let people make their decisions from a more educated standpoint.
The flight guy now knows flat footwear doesn’t exacerbate plantar fasciitis when proper training is coupled with the footwear. In fact, flat footwear and appropriate training eliminated my plantar fasciitis, knee pain and low back pain while improving the sensory input for my hips.
– Dr. Kathy Dooley