TL;DR
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Podiatrist Steven Thomas identifies plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendinopathy and toenail trauma as common injuries he sees among walkers and runners. His advice focuses on gradual training increases, calf strength and recovery, and properly fitted footwear; persistent or worsening pain should be assessed.
Podiatrist Steven Thomas has outlined three common injuries he encounters among walkers and runners: plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendinopathy and toenail trauma. In a Fit&Well report, he linked injury risk to factors including rapidly increasing mileage, inadequate recovery and poorly fitted shoes, and described warning signs that should prompt people to adjust activity or seek assessment.
Plantar fasciitis commonly causes pain beneath the heel, Thomas says. The discomfort may be worse when standing after rest, ease after a few steps, then return after longer periods of walking, running or standing. He advises building mileage gradually and strengthening and improving the flexibility of the lower leg, ankle and foot. His suggested exercises include straight-knee and bent-knee calf raises two or three times a week, alongside comfortable, well-fitting footwear.
Achilles tendinopathy can cause pain where the tendon attaches to the heel or along its middle section. Thomas describes morning stiffness or tenderness as possible symptoms; some people may notice thickening. Pain can ease while the tendon is being used and return afterwards or the next morning. He recommends progressive calf strengthening, gentle calf stretches and adequate recovery, while cautioning against sudden changes in distance, speed, hills or footwear.
Toenail trauma may involve pain, throbbing, bruising under the nail, ridges, splitting or lifting. Thomas says poorly fitted shoes can contribute, particularly if they lack enough room for the toes or allow the foot to slide forward. He advises keeping nails short and filed, wearing well-fitted moisture-wicking socks and testing the shoe-and-sock combination before a long outing. Feet may swell during activity, so fitting should account for that possibility.
Training Changes That Can Reduce Injury Risk
The advice is relevant to people increasing their walking or running volume because the three problems can affect different parts of the foot and lower leg while sharing potential links to training load and equipment. Thomas says the body adapts to increased activity when that increase is matched by sufficient recovery. The report does not establish how frequently these injuries occur across all walkers and runners, but it offers practical signs that may help readers notice a problem before continuing to train through it.
Recognizing a pattern of pain matters because discomfort that worsens over time, changes a person’s gait or fails to settle between sessions may mean the current workload is exceeding the body’s capacity, Thomas says. These are reasons to reassess activity, not a diagnosis. Persistent symptoms that affect ordinary walking warrant clinical assessment, according to his guidance.
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How Training Load and Footwear Factor In
The report presents Thomas’s clinical observations and recommendations rather than a population study comparing injury rates. He is described as a podiatrist and foot and ankle specialist based in London, with more than 12,000 hours of clinical experience. The source does not provide research data ranking these conditions or quantify the risk associated with particular training changes.
Across the three injuries, the common thread in Thomas’s advice is to avoid abrupt changes and give the body time to adapt. For tendon and heel symptoms, he points to calf strength, flexibility and recovery. For nail injuries, he emphasizes shoe fit, secure heel and midfoot hold, and adequate toe space. These measures may help reduce avoidable strain or friction, but they cannot guarantee that an injury will not occur.
“The body adapts to increased activity, but only when the increase is matched by sufficient recovery.”
— Steven Thomas, podiatrist
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When Foot Pain Needs Assessment
The report does not provide a diagnostic test, an expected recovery timeline or a ranking of how common the three injuries are. Symptoms such as heel pain or nail discoloration can have different causes, and the material does not establish that any one symptom confirms a particular condition. Thomas says an examination, gait analysis and, in some cases, a weight-bearing X-ray may help distinguish causes and treatment options.
It is also unclear from the source how much each preventive measure reduces risk or whether the advice applies equally to every person. Thomas cautions against simply continuing to exercise through warning signs. He also says people should not force a genuinely arthritic joint through a painful range of motion; the report does not give individualized treatment instructions for arthritis or other medical conditions.
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Responding to Persistent or Worsening Pain
Thomas advises monitoring symptoms during exercise, afterwards and again the following day. If pain progressively worsens, alters walking or running, or does not settle between sessions, the report suggests the current training load may be too much. People whose symptoms persist or begin to affect normal walking should have them assessed rather than relying only on self-care measures such as ice, heat or massage.
The report does not announce a new clinical guideline or a follow-up study. Its practical next step for readers is to adjust training gradually, allow recovery and review footwear, while seeking an appropriate clinical assessment when pain persists or interferes with everyday movement. A clinician can assess the cause and advise on suitable treatment.
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Key Questions
What three injuries did the podiatrist identify?
Steven Thomas named plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendinopathy and toenail trauma as common walking- and running-related injuries he encounters in his clinic.
What can plantar fasciitis feel like?
Thomas says it typically causes pain under the heel, often worse when standing after rest. It may ease after a few steps and return after longer periods of walking, running or standing.
How does the report recommend reducing injury risk?
Thomas advises increasing distance and intensity gradually, allowing recovery, strengthening and gently stretching the calves, and wearing suitable footwear. For toenail trauma, he also recommends adequate toe room, short filed nails and well-fitted moisture-wicking socks.
When should someone seek an assessment?
According to Thomas, pain that worsens, changes the way someone walks or runs, does not settle between sessions, or affects normal walking should not simply be ignored. A clinician can assess the cause and appropriate treatment.
Source: rss
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