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Podiatrist Steven Thomas describes three injuries he commonly sees in walkers and runners: plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendinopathy and toenail trauma. His advice focuses on gradual training increases, recovery, lower-leg strength and properly fitted footwear; persistent or worsening pain should be assessed by a health professional.
Podiatrist Steven Thomas has outlined three injuries he commonly encounters among walkers and runners: plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendinopathy and toenail trauma. In a Fit&Well report, he links risk reduction to gradual increases in activity, adequate recovery and suitable footwear, and advises seeking assessment if pain worsens, changes a person’s gait or interferes with ordinary walking.
Thomas says plantar fasciitis commonly causes pain under the heel, often most noticeable when standing after a period of rest. The discomfort may ease after a few steps, he explains, then return after longer periods of walking, running or standing. He recommends increasing mileage gradually and strengthening and improving flexibility in the calf, ankle and foot. His suggested exercises include straight-knee and bent-knee calf raises two or three times a week, alongside comfortable, well-fitting shoes.
Achilles tendinopathy can cause pain at the back of the heel, either where the tendon attaches to the heel bone or farther up the tendon. Thomas says people may notice morning stiffness or tenderness, and sometimes visible thickening. Pain can ease as the tendon warms up but return afterwards or the following morning. He recommends progressive calf strengthening, gentle calf stretches and recovery between sessions. Sudden changes in distance, pace or hill training may add load, he says, as can an abrupt switch to substantially flatter or more minimalist shoes.
The third issue, toenail trauma, can involve pain, throbbing or visible nail changes. Thomas lists bruising beneath a nail, horizontal ridges, splitting and lifting as possible early signs. He says poorly fitted running shoes are often a factor and advises choosing shoes with enough length, width and depth around the toes while holding the heel and midfoot securely. Short, filed nails, moisture-wicking socks and testing the shoe-and-sock combination before a long outing are also part of his advice.
How Training Load Affects Foot Injuries
The report matters to people building walking or running routines because the injuries described can make activity painful and may worsen when training load rises faster than the body can recover. Thomas’s central point is that distance is not the only variable: speed, hills, footwear changes and time between sessions can also affect the demands placed on the feet and lower legs.
His recommendations are practical risk-reduction steps, not a guarantee that an injury can be prevented. Recognizing patterns such as heel pain after rest, morning Achilles stiffness or bruising beneath a toenail can help people notice a problem. Thomas says symptoms that progressively worsen, alter walking or running, or fail to settle between sessions may mean the current workload is exceeding the body’s capacity.
That distinction can guide decisions about seeking help rather than pushing through pain. The article does not offer a diagnosis for any individual; persistent symptoms or pain affecting normal walking warrant assessment by a qualified clinician.
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Three Problems in Thomas’s Clinic
The Fit&Well report presents Thomas’s account of injuries he says he commonly encounters in his clinic, rather than results from a population study measuring injury rates. The source identifies him as a podiatrist and foot-and-ankle specialist based in London, with podiatry qualifications and registration with the UK Health and Care Professions Council.
The advice is framed around a shared risk factor: increasing activity without sufficient recovery. Thomas says the body adapts to greater activity only when that increase is matched by adequate rest. The specific concerns differ: plantar fasciitis centers on pain beneath the heel, Achilles tendinopathy affects the tendon at the back of the heel or lower leg, and toenail trauma often reflects repeated pressure or movement inside footwear.
For suspected overuse injuries, Thomas advises monitoring symptoms during exercise, afterwards and the next day. He says massage, ice or heat may help manage symptoms, but persistent pain that affects everyday walking should be assessed. A clinician may use examination, gait analysis and, in some cases, a weight-bearing X-ray to help distinguish causes of foot pain.
“The body adapts to increased activity, but only when the increase is matched by sufficient recovery.”
— Steven Thomas, podiatrist, as quoted by Fit&Well
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Limits of the Injury Guidance
The source does not provide injury-rate data, a study sample or a comparison showing how common each condition is across all walkers and runners. “Most common” reflects Thomas’s experience in his clinic, as reported by Fit&Well, and should not be read as a ranking established by population-wide research.
The report also cannot determine what is causing a particular reader’s symptoms. Similar pain can have different causes, and the source notes that clinical examination—and sometimes gait analysis or imaging—may be needed to distinguish them. It does not specify how long someone should pause activity in every case or provide individualized rehabilitation plans.
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When Symptoms Need Assessment
Thomas’s advice is to track how symptoms respond during activity, afterwards and the next day, rather than simply trying to run or walk through worsening pain. If discomfort progressively worsens, changes gait or fails to settle between sessions, the training load may need to be reduced and the problem assessed. He says pain that persists or begins to affect normal walking should be evaluated by a clinician.
The report does not announce a formal follow-up or new clinical guidance. The next step for an individual depends on the symptoms and their cause; a qualified health professional can assess persistent foot or ankle pain and discuss appropriate care.
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Key Questions
What three injuries does the podiatrist identify?
Steven Thomas names plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendinopathy and toenail trauma as injuries he commonly encounters among walkers and runners in his clinic.
What can plantar fasciitis feel like?
Thomas describes pain under the heel, often worse when standing after rest. It may ease after a few steps and return after a longer period of walking, running or standing. These symptoms do not by themselves establish a diagnosis.
How does the report suggest reducing risk?
Thomas recommends increasing activity gradually, allowing recovery between sessions, strengthening the calves and lower legs, and choosing comfortable footwear that fits well. For toenail trauma, he also advises short, filed nails and testing shoes and socks before a long outing.
When should someone get foot pain assessed?
Thomas says pain that worsens over time, changes the way someone walks or runs, does not settle between sessions, persists or affects normal walking should be assessed by a qualified clinician.
Source: rss
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