I have had some issues...far from battles, with PF. I have gone towards more minimal shoes than I was wearing in part because of that. It has helped some things and hurt others. Also, I've had foot problems caused by tight calves from the minimal shoes. Finding the underlying cause of the PF might help as might foot rubz balls or massage. Like Spaniel, I think some issues I had were caused by wearing bad shoes at work. I ditched the wingtips and am wearing mostly these really comfy Hush Puppies suede shoes instead. 

I wear a pretty minimal loafer type shoe at work, but perhaps I need to be doing the golf ball massage of the foot stuff more.

Golf balls aren't bad, but the $4 for one of these is worth it.

I just posted in the main forum that Hokas are available on theclymb.com for less than half price in a few sizes. You might luck out.

Right now I run as little as possible so I guess this counts as minimalist. Wait, what?

Seriously, I've been running in nothing but flats for going on four years. I'm not anything special as far as running or body type. Actually right now I'm a bit heavy due to a lack of running. I use several different versions but right now I am running in Suacony Fastwitch for training and have Saucony A6 and Asics Hyperspeeds for racing as well as some Nike XC Streaks. I really enjoy them all and have had no foot issues. I am having some calf issues but that is caused by over-striding (stupid injury) and not from the shoes. y theory is the lighter - the better. However, I would say go into this slowly to allow for adjustment.

I do have some Vibrams (which smell something awful even after major washing and enjoy running with these but only on grass. Tried BF but it didn't take.

I walk around the house without shoes as much as possible. Not sure if it helps but what the hey.

CR, looking at your profile page, "heavy" for you is lighter than I have been since high school. I'm rocking the scales around 185 right now and I worry serious miles in flats would be too much. I wonder if drills or very short runs in flats would make any difference?

 Skipping rope barefoot helped me. Also it makes one really focus as it hurts when you make a mistake.

I do drills barefoot on the infield of the local middle school track (football field) grass. It feels good and I don't have too big of a worry about sharp stuff and its short work. High knees, butt kicks, strides, etc.

I don't really know anything about minimalist running, i'm going to go ahead and say that....

But my thinking is that if you are running on pavement or concrete you are NOT running naturally. Those are not natural surfaces. People I see running barefoot in grass or on dirt trails have the right idea...I mean, if you're not going to wear shoes, those are the surfaces you should be running on, right?

Running barefoot on pavement or concrete seems like it would hurt more than it would help.

I do know a lot about PF...

Strassberg sock. Do it. Only thing that helped me. Rolling your foot on a frozen bottle of water helps too.

My trail shoes are pretty clunky but other than that I have ASICS Speedstars, Hyperspeeds, and Saucony Kinvaras.  My next pair of trail shoes will be lighter ones.  I'm about due.  I took my time transitioning over to lighter shoes (I used to wear the ASICS Nimbus).  If you do it gradually enough you won't overuse anything.

I started doing some barefoot running as a way to work on my form, not because of PF.  I do feel that it also helps to strengthen the feet and ankles.  Friday is usually barefoot day.  I run a few miles in flats, then take them out and run barefoot.  I am almost up to 2 miles (I started at a quarter mile).  I do it on pavement.  I'd do more but I have office feet I guess and blister easily.  Quite honestly I am most comfortable running barefoot.

Sean, you're going to get a lot of different, or even opposite, opinions on this.  Really I think that what you need to do is try some things yourself.  My only advice is that if you are going to do any minimalist or barefoot running, work it in gradually.