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Podiatrist Steven Thomas says plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendinopathy and toenail trauma are three common injuries he sees among walkers and runners. He links injury risk to rapid training increases, insufficient recovery and footwear issues, and outlines symptoms and prevention steps; the advice is based on his clinical experience, not a ranked study.
Podiatrist Steven Thomas has outlined three injuries he commonly encounters among walkers and runners: plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendinopathy and toenail trauma. In an article for Fit&Well, he describes typical warning signs and ways to reduce risk, including gradual increases in activity, recovery between sessions and properly fitted footwear.
Thomas says plantar fasciitis commonly causes pain under the heel, often most noticeable when standing after a period of rest. The pain may ease after a few steps, he says, but can return after longer periods of walking, running or standing. To reduce risk, he advises building mileage gradually and doing lower-leg strengthening and flexibility work. 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 along the tendon itself. Thomas says people may notice morning stiffness or tenderness, and sometimes visible thickening. Symptoms can ease during activity and return afterward or the next morning. He recommends progressive calf strengthening, gentle calf stretches, avoiding sudden increases in distance, speed or hill work, and allowing recovery. A sudden move to substantially flatter or more minimalist footwear may also increase load on the Achilles, he says.
The third injury, toenail trauma, may involve pain, throbbing, bruising beneath the nail, ridges, splitting or lifting. Thomas says it can occur after increased activity and is often associated with shoes that do not fit properly. He advises choosing footwear with enough length, width and depth for the toes, while securing the heel and midfoot to limit forward sliding. Keeping nails short and filed, wearing well-fitted moisture-wicking socks and testing the shoe-and-sock combination before a long outing are also among his suggestions.
Recognizing Foot Injury Warning Signs
The advice matters because early symptoms can be easy to dismiss as ordinary soreness, particularly when a person is increasing walking or running. Thomas cautions against simply continuing through pain. He says worsening pain, a change in walking or running mechanics, or symptoms that do not settle between sessions may indicate that training demands are beyond what the body can currently tolerate.
His guidance also points to practical risk factors people can review: training changes, recovery and shoe fit. These suggestions do not establish that any one exercise or footwear choice will prevent injury for every person. They offer a starting point for recognizing patterns and adjusting activity, while persistent or function-limiting pain warrants professional assessment.
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How Training Load Can Affect Feet
The Fit&Well report frames these injuries around the demands of regular walking and running. Thomas says the body adapts to increased activity when the increase is matched by sufficient recovery; a quick rise in mileage without enough rest can raise injury risk. The report does not provide population data or compare how frequently the three conditions occur.
Thomas is identified by Fit&Well as a London-based podiatrist and foot-and-ankle specialist, with qualifications in podiatry and podiatric surgery and more than 12,000 hours of clinical experience. The article presents his observations from clinic practice and prevention advice, rather than findings from a new clinical trial or a survey of walkers and runners.
“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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What the Report Does Not Establish
The report does not state how often Thomas sees each injury, provide a ranking based on measured cases, or identify a study population. “Three most common” reflects his clinical experience as described in the article, not a quantified comparison across all walkers and runners. It also does not establish that the listed prevention measures guarantee an injury will be avoided.
Foot and heel pain can have different causes, and the article does not diagnose readers. Thomas says a clinical examination and gait analysis, and sometimes a weight-bearing X-ray, may help distinguish causes. The source does not specify a single time threshold for seeking care; it advises assessment if symptoms persist or pain begins to affect normal walking.
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When to Seek a Foot Assessment
Thomas advises monitoring symptoms during exercise, afterward and the following day, and not trying to walk or run through pain that worsens, changes movement or fails to settle between sessions. If symptoms persist and begin to affect ordinary walking, he recommends having them assessed. A clinician can examine the foot and, depending on the case, consider gait analysis or imaging to clarify the cause.
For people continuing to exercise, the report’s practical next steps are to avoid abrupt training increases, allow recovery, review footwear and make changes in calf strengthening or stretching gradually. The article does not announce a follow-up study or a new clinical guideline; it offers Thomas’s recommendations for readers to apply cautiously, with professional advice where pain persists or function is affected.
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Key Questions
What three injuries does the podiatrist describe?
Steven Thomas names plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendinopathy and toenail trauma as injuries he commonly encounters among walkers and runners. The article reports his clinical observations; it does not provide a population-wide ranking.
What are common signs of plantar fasciitis?
Thomas describes 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. A clinician should assess persistent or concerning pain.
How can runners reduce the risk of Achilles tendinopathy?
Thomas recommends gradually increasing activity, allowing recovery, strengthening the calves and gently stretching the lower legs. He also cautions against sudden changes in distance, speed, hills or to substantially flatter or minimalist footwear.
How can footwear contribute to toenail trauma?
Shoes that lack enough toe space or allow the foot to slide forward may contribute to nail damage, according to Thomas. He advises checking for adequate length, width and depth, securing the heel and midfoot, and testing shoes and socks before long distances.
When should foot pain be assessed?
Thomas advises assessment if symptoms persist and pain begins to affect normal walking. Worsening pain, altered movement or pain that does not settle between exercise sessions are also signs that the current training load may be too much.
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