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From Fasciitis to 5Ks: How Our Client Mary Overcame Foot & Ankle Problems Without Surgery or Meds

Updated: May 17, 2022

Hello, I’m Nate. I’m a personal trainer and nutrition coach. I love to help middle-aged and older adults regain strength and mobility.


As we age, culture tells us that we’re supposed to lose balance, strength, and flexibility. This eventually makes us unable to do things we used to, like climbing the stairs, lifting up our grandchildren, or tending the garden… WITHOUT PAIN. Now obviously, that’s one of the sad-but-true realities of getting older, right?


I disagree.


I believe it’s not supposed to be that way. A typical adult should retain their power and freedom as they grow older so they can fully enjoy their later years. I’m passionate about helping people like Mary regain the abilities they once had… or go even further than they could when they were younger.


Mary struggled off and on with foot and ankle issues throughout her adult life. At age 48, Plantar Fasciitis threatened to derail her fitness completely. She would often notice her foot hurting her when she exercised, to the point where she’d have to stop.


Mary is not alone. When I surveyed my clients and followers about the biggest areas, they need help with, foot and ankle concerns ranked near the top of the list, especially for ladies.


Mary wanted to regain her mobility and run long distances, pain-free. Her ultimate goal is to be able to run a 5K anytime she wants, and play golf with her husband every week … WITHOUT PAIN.


By revamping her training, we took pain out of the equation and helped her run longer distances than she ever had before.


Prior to meeting me, Mary worked with a different trainer and in groups. That was all well and good, but sometimes she would feel something wrong in her foot ... and not say anything because she felt social pressure to keep going. When she started working with me, I decided to take her through the basics of Optimum Performance Training (OPT) to relearn some of the movements that used to come naturally.


At Age 48, Mary Starts Running 5Ks


After my time with Mary, she was able to run 5Ks without any pain in her foot. That’s amazing! If you or someone you know struggles with Plantar Fasciitis, then you know how big of a deal this is. It’s hard to understand the pain someone goes through unless you have encountered it yourself. People with this problem struggle to do common, everyday activities… or they turn to expensive medication, surgeries, and braces to try to fix it.


You don’t realize how much you use your feet until you experience debilitating pain in them. Almost every motion requires you to use your feet and heels to balance your body.


People often change their lifestyles dramatically because of Plantar Fasciitis. They stop running and avoid standing for any length of time. They change footwear. Their lives become uncomfortable, and everyday activities turn into huge challenges.


Before working with me, Mary's feet would quickly "turn heel" on her every time she went running. Either she had to stick it out through the pain… or end her run early. The former resulted in long-term damage, while the latter left her feeling discouraged.


Once we started working together, Mary reversed the trend. We went through the basics and worked our way up from there. Soon, pain in her foot went away, even during exercise. After a while, she could run 5Ks again. It was amazing to run two races by her side and see the joy she felt, able to perform distance runs without pain.


If you hear any of your own story in what you just read, take some time to read about my training model. You too can regain your FREEDOM, MOBILITY, and ENDURANCE, no matter your age.


How to Follow In Mary’s Footsteps


Here are a few basic rules to be kind to your feet. This is a practical, real-life method meant to help you age like fine wine.


  • You Don’t Always Have to be “Stage-Ready”


“Stage-Ready” is a bodybuilding term. For a bodybuilder, taking the stage during a competition is their “gameday.” They work incredibly hard to maintain a physique that wows the judges.


Sometimes, the thought that we always need to be “stage-ready” keeps us from starting at all. It’s a ton of pressure to maintain peak performance… not to mention exhausting. I typically tell clients to take up to two weeks off, unless there’s a life or medical issue and they need more than that. It’s totally fine to take a few steps forward, and then take one step back. All athletes have off-seasons, training, conditioning, then the competition. You should too. This doesn't mean not moving all together, there are many low stress activities, like walking, that provide lots of benefits without much physical tax. Benefits such as maintaining a healthy body weight, preventing to managing conditions such as heart disease, blood pressure, cancer, and type 2 diabetes. (Mayo Clinic)


This model doesn’t look for constant maximum performance. It asks for the optimum performance for your everyday life.


For Mary, it meant taking a break for a while. Over the last year, she relaxed on diet and exercise for several months. I’d call it taking four steps forward, and half a step back. When she decided to get back in the game, she was still pain-free thanks to the techniques she learned during her training. Now, she’s working toward another 5K run, when many people like her start to wind their physical activity down.


  • Everyone Has a Unique Footprint


The first step is assessment. We always look at every client’s one-of-a-kind background and history. We ask about their goals and prior experiences with fitness, to learn what works and what doesn’t.


The danger of working with a group is that you don’t get an experience tailored for your body. Everyone has unique goals and unique obstacles in front of them. For people like Mary, it’s plantar fasciitis. For others, it could be an old work or sports injury, or a health condition. We want to make sure the training is customized for the individual.


Next up are BASIC movements. I evaluate “normal” and “abnormal” motion. This is how we figure out what needs the most work, first.


  • Learn to Walk Before You Can Run


It's just like old times: learn to crawl, then walk, then run.. First we get you stable and balanced. THEN you learn to do it consistently over time. THEN - and ONLY then - do you learn to do it with more weight or perform the motion faster.


Our instinct is to start with power. We want to build strength as fast as we can, because that will help with our mobility, right? Not exactly.


Even with a supercharged engine, a car with a broken wheel or axle isn't going ANYWHERE. Your wheel and axle - or foot and ankle - are the touchpoint that translates the car’s power into movement. So, we start there, making sure the client knows how to move properly.


People move wrong for the most basic things... I know because I watch them all the time, and I know what to look for. Some muscles work too hard, and others don’t work at all. Even things like walking, sitting and squatting can contribute to foot and ankle problems. This gets reinforced over a lifetime of improper motion.


So, let's do this together, in the right order. Learn to use ALL the muscles you can, and let's reset your system. I strive to make sure the client is using the right muscles, sequences, and movement patterns.


Maybe this sounds silly, doing all these simple things repeatedly in order to move comfortably and efficiently. Maybe you think you're just not coordinated, but I'd tell you, coordination comes with practice. And it should be noted "developing better coordination can help to combat the risk of injury later in life and help improve mental health, too." (8fit Team) Pretty soon, you’ll be out running 5Ks without pain, like Mary and me.


Ready to get your life back? Click this link to download a free guide. You can also visit my website to learn more about what I do!


Disclaimer: The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.


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