How Walking Kickstarted My Plantar Fasciitis Recovery
Doctors said "don't exercise." But not exercising meant weight gain, and more weight meant more pain. Walking broke the vicious cycle.
The Vicious Cycle Created by Doctor's Advice
Every doctor said the same thing: "Don't exercise. Don't run. Just focus on recovery."
So I stopped. But without exercise, I started gaining weight. More weight meant more impact on my feet when walking. More pain. More pain meant less walking, less walking meant more weight gain...
Vicious cycle: No exercise → Weight gain → More impact → More pain → Less walking → More weight
Losing weight reduces force on your feet — why didn't doctors mention this? Walking puts 1.2x your body weight on your feet. Running puts 2-3x. Just 1kg less means 1.2kg less when walking, 2-3kg less when running.
The Exercises I Failed At First
When I first started exercising in 2022 (72-73kg), I was too eager. I pushed the pace based on memories of running in my twenties. No stretching.
Result: shin splints on top of plantar fasciitis. Quit after a month. Shin splint recovery took months.
Tried squats too, but without stretching — knees started hurting. Injury → quit → try → injury. Repeated this until summer 2023, then gave up entirely.
Rediscovering Walking
Here's an interesting thing about plantar fasciitis: only the first steps hurt. Keep walking and you barely notice the pain. The fascia gradually stretches as you walk.
I used this. After meals, I'd walk fast. The first steps hurt, but after 5 minutes it was fine. About 50 minutes a day, roughly 6,000-8,000 steps.
Unlike running, walking had low injury risk. No shin splints. No knee pain. Slow but safe.
The Positive Cycle Began
Positive cycle: Walking → Weight loss → Less impact → Less pain → More walking → More weight loss
In about 6 months, I went from 75kg to 68-70kg. The surprising part: the foot pain noticeably decreased after losing just the first 1-2kg, not the full 7kg.
Less weight meant less pain, less pain meant more walking, more walking meant more weight loss — this positive cycle was the key to recovery.
Maintaining the Habit Is the Hardest Part
Honestly, maintaining the habit was the hardest part. Winter came and I didn't want to go outside, less walking meant weight gain, which meant more pain...
Exercising while working was tough too. After work, only three hours until bed — going out exhausted was just too much. Had to eat dinner too.
Now I've progressed from walking to running. Running twice a week + diet (salads, protein, less carbs) for weight management. The most important thing is not breaking the habit.
If You Start Running — How to Run Without Injury
In 2023, I pushed the pace without stretching based on my twenties and got shin splints. Recovery took months. That painful lesson made me approach running completely differently in 2026.
Key Principles
- Minimize your stride
This is the most important thing. Longer strides make injury far too easy. Start as narrow as possible — almost jogging in place. - Run at walking speed
My first 3km was barely faster than fast walking. The goal isn't speed — it's the running motion itself. - Always: stretch → squat → run
Front kick stretches for Achilles-calf-thigh, then squats (hips back, very slowly, watching for knee pain), then run. - Give your body time to adapt
First 2 weeks: once a week (one run left my whole body sore for a week). Week 3: every 5 days. Then: every 4 days. Now: twice a week, 3 days recovery. Tried 3 times but recovery wasn't enough — staying at twice.
For Plantar Fasciitis Patients Starting to Walk
- Get good shoes first
I recommend New Balance 1080. Avoid arch-support shoes. - First steps will hurt, but keep walking
Pain fades after about 5 minutes as the fascia stretches. - Walk fast
Fast walking is more effective for weight loss than a leisurely stroll. - Running comes later
Build base fitness with walking, lose some weight, then start running. Always stretch first. - Even 1-2kg makes a difference
You don't need to hit your full target — the first 1-2kg already reduces foot pain.
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This is not medical advice. I'm sharing personal experience only. If your symptoms are severe, please consult a medical professional.