There has been a huge rise in the amount of interest people are showing over supposed "barefoot" running. This running style is often meant to mimic the running style of a person without any shoes on, and is more appropriately termed "minimalist" running when low-drop shoes are used. Many people believe that minimalist running is the cure to a number of different running injuries they used to have, and there is a lot of science behind that claim.

One question that is always asked in the minimalist running community is whether it's possible or safe for people with plantar fasciitis to take up minimalist running. After all, the lack of arch support can sometimes be an issue with regular running, so why would it not also be an issue with minimalist running? While there are a number of different stances on this, the general accepted scientific logic about minimalist running with plantar fasciitis is that it isn't just safe, but it can actually be good for your feet. In the very least, it can give you a level of foot strength that you wouldn't otherwise enjoy. There are a number of reasons for this, but a couple stand out above the others.

Basically, plantar fasciitis is known as being "flat footed." People with this condition have no arch, and are therefore more prone to things like knee and foot pain when using regular shoes that have no arch support. However, there are studies that have shown the possibility of plantar fasciitis reversal in people that engage in minimalist or barefoot running. This is due primarily to the fact that this style of running engages the tendon in such a way as to make it more taut, which is what creates that distinctive arch in the feet of people without plantar fasciitis.

If you decide to try out minimalist running as a possible cure for your plantar fasciitis, it's important that you take it very slow and do a lot of research. Trying to run the same distances in minimalist shoes that you can in "traditional" shoes is almost guaranteed to lead to big injuries-- so take it slow.