Tuesday Nov 05, 2024

145. Understanding Foot Type and Its Effect on Running Injuries | Dr. Emily Schilling

“The two different foot types that can both have plantar fasciitis are the low arch, or flatter foot, and the high arch, or more rounded foot. Both can present with plantar fasciitis, but each will require a very different treatment plan,” explains Dr. Emily Schilling, a chiropractor specializing in foot and lower leg health for runners.

Dr. Schilling joins Dr. Andrew Fix to talk about the link between foot mechanics, gait, and the unique demands of running. Dr. Schilling points out that understanding whether you have a low or high arch can be essential to keeping injuries like plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendonitis, and stress fractures at bay. For example, she shares that low-arched runners often benefit from specific muscle strengthening to support the plantar fascia, while high-arched runners may need a focus on shock absorption to prevent stress injuries.

They also discuss in this episode how choosing the right footwear makes a difference—stack height, heel-to-toe drop, and shoe shape all influence gait mechanics and injury risk. Whether you’re a runner looking to prevent injury or a health professional aiming to help others do the same, this episode offers practical, research-backed insights to keep your feet healthy and your running performance strong.

Quotes

“In our office, all of our appointments for new patients are an hour and a half. And so that’s where we want to know everything from biomechanics to how you’re running, how you’re loading, what range of motion looks like, history, all of that good stuff to form the background from that whole picture of what in fact we are dealing with… A huge part of it is education and not only what plantar fasciitis is, but how to go about rehabbing that so that then they have those tools.” (08:07 | Dr. Emily Schilling)
“The two different foot types that can both have plantar fasciitis are the low arch, or flatter foot, and the high arch, or more rounded foot. Both can present with plantar fasciitis, but each will require a very different treatment plan.” (10:12 | Dr. Emily Schilling)
“If we have a lower arch or flatter foot, I like to think of it as if we have a bed frame with a mattress on top. Our bed frame represents the plantar fascia, and the mattress is the flexor digitorum brevis muscle. If this muscle—the ‘mattress’—isn’t strong enough, and there’s extra load, like kids jumping on the bed, that bed frame is going to wear out. The plantar fascia, if that muscle isn’t doing its job, will take on a lot more stress and load.” (10:34 | Dr. Emily Schilling)
“If we’re landing really heavily on our foot, the brain will respond with, ‘No, I don’t like that. That’s uncomfortable, not good.’ It will then adjust, figuring out how to land more lightly. This adjustment happens because the brain can actually feel what’s going on. Typically, we don’t use low-cushion shoes for long distances or everyday runs. However, using them for shorter runs, maybe a mile or two each week, provides valuable feedback and encourages subtle improvements, making running more injury-free.” (21:30 | Dr. Emily Schilling)

Connect with Dr. Emily Schilling:

https://www.thsclinic.com/

https://gaithappens.com/

https://www.instagram.com/dremilyschilling/

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