Thank you for your input! I'm going to start a separate thread on plantar fasciitis and move these posts there so we don't derail the hiking light ebook reviews any more.

No way will I ever wear a pair of boots again! For me it's the equivalent of a ball and chain! Actually, my son #1 (Air Force) got severe plantar fasciitis in both heels from combat boots a few years ago, which might shed a little doubt on your theory.

I have not worn dress shoes for the past 10 years (since I retired). Even before I retired, I wore flat oxfords with good support (my feet were already getting into bad shape). Since retirement, I've worn either high-quality running shoes or trail runners 100% of the time (even to church), except that I wore lightweight boots for hiking until 3 years ago. I fully agree that dress shoes are the source of many foot problems, but most of mine are hereditary. My mother had feet similar to mine and was super vigilant about impressing me with the importance of properly fitting shoes. I never did wear really high heels. I was the same with my children. Yet three of my four children have fallen arches, bunions and hammertoes like mine! Only my daughter seems to have escaped.

What I have is simply an overuse injury which started with my trying to do too much too soon on steep downhills when out of condition, plus not stretching sufficiently. I live in a flat area and have to drive to get to hills for walking, so I was really reveling in the Seattle hills around my son #3's house! I thought my heel was cleared up and tried a 45-minute power walk on hard surfaces, which of course thoroughly re-injured the fascia. You'd think I'd have known better--I do now!

I'm hoping the heel cups I ordered (which just arrived and do feel great) will help me when I have to walk on hard surfaces (like parking lots and grocery stores) until the plantar fascia heals. (If they don't, I'll return them!) I am, of course, as mentioned earlier, doing lots of stretches and my achilles tendons are by now quite limber. I just wish I'd had the sense to do that earlier! Also that I'd stopped relying on my trail runners' original insoles and gone to Superfeet (which I didn't try until after the second injury) much earlier. I may end up with prescription orthotics, but since I have to wait several weeks to see the doctor, what I have is a distinct improvement over the shoe manufacturer's insoles.

Of course it's a bummer to have to miss the best part of the hiking year, but I hope that persistence now will pay off in time so that I can get out in late August and September. I'll keep you updated!

Let this be a moral, not to push conditioning too hard all at once and to stretch!