After two different marathon training cycles, I started to feel that not so great stabbing pain in my right foot. I confirmed with my PT that I had officially joined the “runner dealing with plantar fasciitis” club. Which means I am very open to any and all ideas for resolving the issue! Enter our review of the Alleivate Arch Massager for Plantar Fasciitis.
If you’ve dealt with plantar fasciitis, then you know the discomfort and frustration that I was experiencing. It’s a very stubborn injury that not only disrupted my running but also my everyday activities.
After a few months of regular visits to PT, focusing on foot and ankle strength, and shockwave sessions I was back to feeling normal. Well that is until I moved out to Colorado and traded my flat sidewalks for trails and hills.
Back to square one training with PF and I knew this time I had to do something different if I wanted to prevent this from constantly showing up.
There are a ton of ways to deal with plantar fasciitis- shoes, frozen water bottles, lacrosse balls and the list goes on.
The big question is could the Alleviate Arch Massager actually help? After using this tool consistently for the last few months, I put together my honest feedback. Spoiler alert- it actually helped a lot!
What is Plantar Fasciitis?
Before I dive into the nitty gritty details of my experience with the Alleviate Arch Massager, let’s do a quick review of what Plantar Fasciitis is.
Plantar Fasciitis is essentially an inflammation of the plantar fascia, which is a fibrous band of tissue along the sole of the foot that connects the heel bone to the toes. Runners, especially if you run long-distance, are more likely to experience plantar fasciitis from the repetitive stress placed on the ligament.
The pain will vary from runner to runner but it’s typically a stabbing pain that is often felt in the heel/foot. You may not notice it while running but it usually the most noticeable with those first few steps after getting out of bed.
Check out our recommendations for the Best Running Shoes for Plantar Fasciitis >>
Alleviate Arch Massager Overview
If you’re anything like me, you probably have a collection of recovery tools that seemed like a great idea at the time but now gather dust in a basket. So, when I got the Alleviate Arch Massager, I’ll admit I was skeptical, my husband even joked about it heading for that infamous basket.
But as someone dealing with plantar fasciitis and coaching runners who often face the same struggles, I decided to give this tool a fair shot.
I committed to using it consistently for a month to see if it was actually worth the $79 investment.
At the time, I was running 30-35 miles per week, which is typically when I’d start to feel my plantar fasciitis flare up as I increased mileage or intensity. This felt like the perfect test to see how the arch massager could help manage pain and discomfort.
During that month, I also decided to cut back on my physical therapy visits. I had been seeing a PT twice a month for relief, but with regular use of the arch massager, I reduced those visits to just once a month.
The results?
I found it to be a great tool for managing symptoms at home. It’s not a magic cure, but with consistent use, it became a reliable way to ease discomfort and stay on top of my recovery.
We were impressed enough that we are giving it our seal of approval!
And again…we have been known to tell you NOT to buy things like super expensive Normatec boots, so we really only recommend that which we have found to work from testing.
Where to Buy?
Checkout all the details on their website>>
You can purchase The Performance Essentials Kit directly from the alleviate website, which includes an Arch Massager, Performance Compression Socks, Anti-Chafe Recovery Balm, and an additional tote bag as a fun freebie.
- The kit retails for $136.
- The arch massager retails for $79.
- Use the Alleviate discount code RUNTOTHEFINISH for 20% off your purchase
Who is it good for?
Whether you are a runner or someone who spends a lot of time on your feet during the day, the arch massager is a great recovery tool.
- Wide Feet: Spacing of the arches should make it work for wide or narrow feet
- Plantar Fasciitis: We are giving it an enthusiastic thumbs up
- Long Distance Runners: Absolutely a nice release for the feet after putting in the miles
- Busy Runners: compact design lets you bring it anywhere and even keep it under your desk
How Do You Use the Alleviate Arch Massager?
The arch massager was very easy to work it into my daily routine. Because it’s compact and doesn’t take up a lot of space, I keep mine under my desk so that I can use it throughout the day.
It can be used from the sitting or standing position.
The design of the arch massager includes two peaks that can help to target different spots of the foot.
The lower peak can be used as both acupressure or massage while the high peak has a sharper point that’s perfect for pinpointing certain areas.
Before using the Alleviate Foot Massager, I used frozen plastic bottles and lacrosse balls, but none of them were ever able to fully target the different parts of my foot that bothered me. Plus they had smooth surfaces so it was hard to mimic the similar massage you would get from a PT or graston type device.
To get the most out of your time with the arch massager it’s suggested to use it twice a day for about 2-3 minutes.
Alleviate vs Massage Gun
Alleviate is tailor-made to pinpoint the areas where plantar fasciitis cause the most pain. One of my favorite features is the higher peak, which allows me to pinpoint exactly where I’m feeling discomfort and apply the right amount of pressure to those trouble spots.
On the other hand, a massage gun is going to have issues effectively reaching the target area, and won’t offer the kind of consistent pressure needed to break up that pesky scar tissue. Plus, using a massage gun requires your full attention, you have to actively hold and guide it the whole time.
With the arch massager, multitasking is so easy. I can simply move my foot around while focusing on other things, like working at my desk. It’s a simple, hands-free way to stay on top of my recovery without interrupting my day.
Additional Tools to Help Relieve Plantar Fasciitis
Just using the Alleviate arch massager isn’t going to be a magic fix. As I have mentioned, I was doing other things in addition to this recovery tool.
While we talk about a lot of movements, going barefoot or the best shoes for Plantar Fasciitis other places, we had just a couple extra recommendations here!
- Feetures Plantar Fasciitis Socks – Coach Amanda has been testing a bunch and these were hands out the winner for providing the right amount of compression and support along the fascia
- O1st Night Sock – Unlike others that pull your toes back and make it impossible to the bathroom during the night, these push your foot down for the same result.
- Foot Soaks – Another tool that can help is warm epsom soaks to just help release tension, not a cure, but another low cost tool that leans on the idea of loosening tension which we see work in other areas.
All right, there you have it! From a skeptic to a this is going to remain in my routine person! My husband is also thrilled to not have yet another “gadget” go unused.
That’s our Alleviate Arch Massager review, but of course if you have more questions let us know!
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