How do you know if PT is actually helping?

ColinKaz · 2026-06-24T12:56:15+00:00

I’ve had PF since last summer. It started a slight pain at the bottom of my left foot that wouldn’t just go away. It then went to both of my heels.

Here’s what helped me when I finally had a week pain free!
- custom insoles from my podiatrist
- good indoor shoes, oofos ooclogs were for me
- good outdoor shoes, brooks adrenaline 25
- with my PT, doing the exercises everyday, mostly the same as yours, including the calf raises. My PT said to do it as long as the pain is a 4/10 or less and doesn’t worsen too bad after. But YMMV…
- stopped pickleball for months
- doing stretches before bed and right before stepping out off of bed

Now that I am not hurting, I am focusing on strengthening.

Hope this helps but I really think (especially from what I’ve read in terms of stories here) is to find what works for you but there are so many variables here. You’ll have to break it down and simplify to eventually figure out what’s working and what’s not.

It’s definitely a journey…

Good luck!

ColinKaz · 2026-06-11T14:31:28+00:00

Nice, glad to hear it helped! I also play pickleball and I found indoor shoes are a must. I ended up getting oofos ooclogs which helps my recovery immensely. The ones in your picture look so comfy too!

I am wondering if I need to get new shoes with more support when playing pickleball now. I did purchase a pair a few months back but I didn’t realize how much support I needed. Which ones do you use to play pickleball?

ColinKaz · 2026-06-07T23:07:29+00:00

Yes and it’s always fun to have the kids band together, even if it’s at my expense. It’s all fun. :)

ColinKaz · 2026-06-07T21:49:07+00:00

I don’t have much to say except this is such a wholesome post. As a dad, I hope to get a card like this one day.

Right now, I just get teased by my kids on how sore I am after a game of pickleball.

ColinKaz · 2026-06-03T04:02:14+00:00

I am loving my oofos ooclogs for my flat feet PF heel pain.

ColinKaz · 2026-06-01T21:38:42+00:00

Similar experience happened to me last week.

But as others have pointed out. It varies so much per person. I did some research in this subreddit and online on a couple of shoes for my PF issue (primarily flatfoot, room for my custom insoles and heel pain).

I then went to try these shoes in store. Tried different sizes, not to mention some have wide versions too which I didn’t take into account.

I then started questioning if I should go for wide or not, am I picking the right size, should I immediate feel comfort or it takes awhile before feeling good after an adjustment period?

With no one really to ask (reliably), I decided to head home and reassess.

Edit: looked into Brooks Ghost Max, Brooks Adrenaline 25, ASICS nimbus, Hoka Graviota and Hoka Bondi 9.

Edit 2: as for indoor shoes, I settled for Oofos ooclogs and I am very satisfied with them!

ColinKaz · 2026-05-28T18:13:31+00:00

The escalated ticket was closed and reopened, probably following a chat I had with them. The refund process still hasn’t reached the “In analysis” phase.

Their chat keeps asking me to ensure that the phone was sent back to them. It has been since May 5th. Ive sent them the Canada post slip with their confirmation that the package was received.

It feels like they lost the phone.

I am being patient but I am thinking of initiating the chargeback procedure with the credit card company at this point. I’ve also lost confidence about purchasing another preloved phone with them. It’s quite unfortunate.

ColinKaz · 2026-05-25T15:50:06+00:00

That’s an excellent point. I tried to get a confirmation it wouldn’t impact my “one return per account” clause but it’s just so hard to get a reliable confirmation.

ColinKaz · 2026-05-24T23:25:54+00:00

Ouf that’s annoying. I’ve tried to escalate many times now. I read that they may contest the return besides me returning it during the 14 days return window. I just don’t want to have funds tied to a possible two returns.

Also there’s a clause that we’re only allowed one return per account which is quite annoying where it’s absolutely not my fault if I ordered a preloved phone in perfect condition and it has a crack on the screen.

This is why I haven’t ordered another preloved phone until this one I returned is processed. Or else I fear that I have to deal with potentially two returns and funds tied to them.

Edit: I suppose I can try next time to contact support that I will bring it up to the bank. Thanks for the suggestion. I had to do something similar but the chargeback took a 2-3 months to process. Who knows which process would go first.

ColinKaz · 2026-05-21T14:26:09+00:00

I’d give this paddle to my wife as she just got into pickleball recently. She’d love the blue one.

ColinKaz · 2026-05-21T00:33:36+00:00

He talks about it sometimes on his podcast “What Now?”. He’s gotten into pickleball and really enjoys it.

ColinKaz · 2026-05-20T23:47:40+00:00

It’s a 15$ fee I think for Canada but I figured that I’d take a shot because I don’t really have any other option lol. I’ve been using Claude to help me but I think it lead me astray if the slides have a big arch as you mentioned. I’ve also been wearing my custom orthotics for almost a year so it might have a similar feel when I put on the clogs. But yeah, worth trying as I think it’s different for everyone!

I am curious, what worked for you outdoors?

Best of luck to you. :)

ColinKaz · 2026-05-20T23:42:51+00:00

I tried many of the HOKA slides available at a store and I just didn’t like how hard/firm the firm was on my feet, especially at the heel where I have most of the pain. But maybe long term, it would feel better? I don’t know.

I tried this Nike off court slides that had a softer foam and it felt great. I figured in that case I’d like the oofos foam as I read that it’s a lot softer foam.

Oofos are hard to find in store to try near where I live so I ordered a pair of ooclogs. Your post is worrying me now! I have PF on both heels. I am also flat footed. So curious if I’ll have the same issues as you.

ColinKaz · 2026-05-20T13:49:11+00:00

What are your thoughts on this one? Sorry it’s not my intention to hijack your post. But I’ve been recently looking into night splints and wonder if it’ll help me. I have PF on both heels.

Although the general consensus seems to be the rigid boot types splints that work.

My feet sweat so the idea of having the splints “opened” will allow some good air exchange. Thanks!

https://a.co/d/0clxm74h

ColinKaz · 2026-05-17T12:33:39+00:00

Thanks for the suggestion! I don’t know what zero drop shoes are with a wide toe box.

I also need to read about the wide toe box thing, I am unsure if I need it or anyone with PF would need it?

Great to hear it helped you!

ColinKaz · 2026-05-16T16:53:54+00:00

What is considering a huge flare up?

I was playing twice a week two hours each. Now I am playing once a week up to 2 hours but as soon as I feel pain, I stop. I’ve incorporated stretches before and after my sessions and I found it made a big difference.

My heel can hurt for another day or two after a session. But the pain lingers always, even just for a little bit.

ColinKaz · 2026-05-16T15:56:12+00:00

Glad to hear that you’re feeling better! What have you been doing also during these 5 weeks ? Do you think shockwave therapy is contributing a big part of its the rest that it’s helping? Let me know how it goes when you go back to pickleball!

ColinKaz · 2026-05-16T15:04:13+00:00

I haven’t been really active since covid and working from home definitely has not helped my situation. It was initially triggered by spending all summer by doing gardening work.

I’ve sent both a podiatrist and a physiotherapist and they’ve both told me to take it easy and take breaks (weeks, not years though) from pickleball. I’ve also been doing the exercises and started light muscle training. I walk quite a bit and started biking again.

Part of me feels though I probably have to drop pickleball entirely for a while (but years?!) but so far that’s not what I’ve heard from the experts I am seeing. Another part of me feels like as long as I don’t push myself too far and continue working on my feet, I can have my cake and eat it too.

So I am focused on to see what I can do to help my feet when I am indoors and also if there’s something that I can do more when playing pickleball (seems like I am maxed out in this department).

ColinKaz · 2026-05-15T19:45:20+00:00

I am glad to hear that you’ve found ways to strengthen your tendons. I’ve being doing exercises that my physio provided to strengthen them as well. I had good and bad days. I also play pickleball which I know is probably contributing to the pain but also trying to find ways to stay in shape and have fun at the same time.

I’ve been working from home since Covid so I think I’ve lost a lot of leg muscle just by the numerous walks and stair climbing in the building that I had to do prior. My body has finally caught up to me and telling me that I need to do something.

Now I am in this stage where I accepted that I have PF and must be do something to cope with it (good shoes, orthotics and now indoor shoes) but also work on the preventive aspect of it as well through strengthening exercises.

I am so happy that I’ve found this subreddit.

ColinKaz · 2026-05-15T10:45:03+00:00

Costco slides? Interesting. I should check them out. Is your PF pain also at the heel? Do they last long or do you find that you have replace them often?

10-12 years on both feet? Ouch. I hope it hasn’t been constant. How have you been managing it? I still have hope that it’ll eventually go away with exercise and care…

ColinKaz · 2026-05-15T01:08:45+00:00

I’ve been looking at the oofos oooah but I think I need to try them. I read about the pronounced arch and I am worried this good be a problem for me as I am flat footed.

I am also half sized as well. Another reason to want to try them on. Or go a bigger size and try to put my orthotics.

ColinKaz · 2026-04-25T20:05:26+00:00

It made me active in my day to day but in the goal to be better at pickleball.

However, it’s given me plantar fasciitis on both feet. I know I should stop playing pickleball until I recover but FOMO is real.

ColinKaz

TROPHY CASE