Frequently Asked Questions and Answers

Plantar fasciitis is a common, complicated and misunderstood foot ailment. It can also be poorly treated.

With over 20 years and 15,000 patients worth of experience we have summarised the most common questions and issues that arise from Plantar fasciitis below.

For more specific personal concerns and questions, please get in touch with our Helpline for immediate advice.

  • This a method of Insole/Orthotic manufacture created by an American professor Dr Richard Blake. “Inverted” is not to be confused with Inversion (medical term for inward foot position). “Invert” is to reverse. Calcaneus is the heel bone. Design is the overall product description.

    40 years ago Professor Blake challenged the standard thinking of arch lift orthotic design. He proved efficient bio-mechanical foot control commences at the Calcaneus (heel). In 95% of people, their heels strike the ground first.

    In 2009 we modified this theory specifically to treat Plantar fasciitis by creating a soft parabolic curve on the inside heel cup. This creates a more self-supporting foot taking strain off of the Plantar Fascia and allowing it to heal.

  • No, the ICD and Kraedl Treatment Plan is exclusive to plantarfasciitisonline.com. As covered on our Home page it took many years to fully understand and resolve all the complexities of plantar fascia pain. This specialised treatment plan is now accessible to everyone, regardless of their circumstances or location.

  • Shoes are a base or platform to protect and assist your foot’s function whilst walking, running or working on rough, hard surfaces. The modern trend towards soft, flat, spongy, cushioning shoes are the enemies of plantar fasciitis. Bare feet are worse.

    Our Kraedl (ICD) inserts aim to fix the cause of Plantar Fasciitis by correcting the foot structure. If the structure is sound, simple supportive shoes will assist the healing process.

    Our Helpline is available for any specific footwear questions you may have. Our CEO has over 40 years of footwear experience.

  • It is not possible to 100% guarantee medical treatment for any ailment. But, yes! We do have a 90-day Refund Policy. If you have followed the Kraedl Treatment Plan provided for 90 days or more without any signs of improvement, please contact us.

    If you are complying with instructions with no results, we will happily provide a full refund.

  • Some people are more susceptible to Plantar Fasciitis if there is a natural hereditary bio-mechanical defect in the foot structure. However, it can be easily kept under control with our Kraedl Treatment Plan and (ICD’s). Understanding the ailment, it’s causes and how your lifestyle can affect it helps a lot. Many people find it never returns.

  • Orthotics (prescription or off-the-shelf) are primarily arch supports designed to lift the foot arch and help support body weight. They mostly only do well for simple problems. However, plantar fascia tears are under the arch. Hence lifting into this inflamed in-elastic tissue will logically have an adverse effect. Lifting the arch of a patient with Plantar fasciitis pain can increase pain.

    The Kraedl ICD method controls your heel allowing the arch to support itself.

  • Unfortunately there are no fixed timeframes when it comes to treating Plantar Fasciitis. However, after 15,000 plus patients, our knowledge and data-base indicate that the longer you have had pain the greater the time it will take to repair. This process can range from weeks to months. No one should offer precise healing times. This ailment does not tend to follow accepted rules of soft tissue repair.

  • Plantar fascial pain is a micro-fibre tear of in-elastic tissue (fascia). During the night the fascia cools and contracts. When you take your first steps in the morning the fascia bears weight again and it has no give. As we stand and step forward we further tear the fascia tissue. After a short time the tissue warms and the pain eases, but later in the day repetitive or excessive strain builds pain and inflammation. Creating a repetitive cycle of pain.

    The Kraedl Treatment Plan will provide a guide on how to best manage your morning starts.

  • Plantar fasciitis is aggravated by the amount of time spent on our feet. This combined with a lack of structural support in the feet can cause extreme plantar fascia pain. Footwear can ease the problem, but not the source of the pain. Millions of people all over the world are standing all day, but do not have plantar fasciitis.

    People with plantar fasciitis tend to have a functional abnormality in the heel position. Therefore greater pressure is passed down onto their fascia.

    Kraedl ICD Insoles support the foot without lifting the arch. This combined with the personal daily treatment plan allows you to carry on working and gradually recover.

  • If resting doesn’t resolve your plantar fascia pain then the cause is almost certainly the foot structure’s inability to support the body sufficiently, placing undue stress on the plantar fascia. Current treatments (see Home page) and poor advice may be adding to the problem.

    The Kraedl Treatment Plan combined with our ICD insoles can help you overcome long term plantar fascia pain.

  • This form of icing advice is sadly misleading. Plantar fascia pain is a micro-tear of in-elastic tissue (cannot stretch). If you rest your arch on something hard with leg weight bearing down, it will just aggravate the tear even more.

    Our Kraedl Treatment Plan has a successful proven alternative for icing.

  • As we take each step upwards the foot goes into flexion (toes) to lift upwards. This puts a greater torsional pulling load on the in-elastic fascia.

    Our Kraedl Treatment Plan will include further advice in this area.

  • No, weight is not a cause. It only contributes once you have the ailment. Under-weight people and children can have plantar fasciitis. The main cause of Plantar Fasciitis is hereditary and covered on our Home page.

  • Assuming your shoes are ok. Whilst running, feet are warm and the weight transfer from heel to toe-off is rapid. Hence the plantar fascia is not under the same stress as walking slowly. But, as you cool down the tissue contracts again and pulls causing pain. This will delay the healing process. Running is another contributing factor, but not the cause.

    Explosive reaction sports eventually will cause the pain to become acute and impossible to tolerate. Unlike a muscle strain, you cannot run, train, sprint and get better at the same time with plantar fasciitis.

    The Kraedl team (contact us) have personal experience in this area and are happy to answer any further questions regarding running and exercise with Plantar Fasciitis.

  • As previously mentioned the plantar fascia is inelastic. Sand drives right up into the arch. This causes excess strain upwards like an arch based orthotic. 

    The water’s edge is an added stress. It is a camber (slope). Meaning, that the high foot rolls inwards increasing plantar facial strain.

  • Cortisone is a powerful steroid and pain blocker. Overuse can lead to fascia rupture. Cortisone does not treat the root cause. Internationally Cortisone has been rejected as a treatment for plantar fasciitis and Achilles tendinitis for many years.

  • Early in your game the foot is warm, so the fascia has some give. But over time all the walking (up to the tee, down and up out of bunkers, hills, undulating surfaces) puts excessive strain on the already torn and inflamed tissue. When you rest tissue contracts and medically cools down. That sharp pain is a micro fibre tear.

    Using our Kraedl ICD Insoles and daily treatment plan, pain will gradually start to decrease.

  • Shock-wave therapy was developed over 20 years ago to break up kidney stones and surgery scar tissue. There is no medical evidence anywhere proving the efficacy of treating torn, inflamed fascia tissue with shock waves. It can be painful, with skin reddening and swelling. Overuse may damage soft tissue and rupture the plantar fascia. It cannot address the source of the plantar fascia strain.

  • Yes, but rarely. Usually in an inherited foot type and through excessive sport. However, in recent times we have seen it in active teenagers 13-16. Often is associated with Severs (Achilles insertion pain).

    Kraedl Insoles and our simple daily programme will relieve pain and young soft tissue heals quite quickly.

    Note: Children cannot play running, stop-start sports and recover at the same time.

  • Relaxing calf muscles relieves general strain on a plantar fascia. But, step stretches are too aggressive. As the heel lowers down there is increased tension on the fascia. The plantar fascia is an in-elastic fibre, it cannot stretch and is aggravated.

    Contact us for gentle, passive alternatives.

  • Yes. Any exercise or equipment that presses downwards (squats, leg presses, steppers etc…). Treadmills and cross-trainers force pressure forward increasing strain on fascia. Zumba, lateral and medial high-impact exercise classes will aggravate the plantar fascia tears.

    For personal advice on safe gym programmes Contact Us.

  • This is just another frustrating aspect of the ailment. It could mean there wasn’t much time on feet for a day or two. Painful days can be influenced by: temperature (heat increases inflammation), what you did the day before, workplace, footwear, carrying something heavy (like shopping) sports and other activities…

    Our Kraedl Treatment Plan will guide you through those fluctuations

  • It can. Usually, because it was only a short-term trauma injury and the individual foot structure was bio-mechanically sound. Doctors suggesting 18 months and it will heal itself, is spurious and has no basis in medical evidence or history. Some people will find it settles because they stop all exercise and time on their feet. But if it returns it is most certainly a functional problem.