...Pass me another Advil please...
There is a saying in the horse world: "No Hoof - No Horse",
I've learned that this saying holds true in people too!
er? Just without the "hoof" or the "horse"!
I've learned that this saying holds true in people too!
er? Just without the "hoof" or the "horse"!
I am a sufferer of Plantar Fasciitis.
What is that you ask?? (Here's a quick visual and explanation!)
Plantar Fasciitis is inflammation/tearing of the thick tissue on the bottom of the foot. This tissue is called the plantar fascia. It connects the heel bone to the toes and creates the arch of the foot.
What is that you ask?? (Here's a quick visual and explanation!)
Plantar Fasciitis is inflammation/tearing of the thick tissue on the bottom of the foot. This tissue is called the plantar fascia. It connects the heel bone to the toes and creates the arch of the foot.
Yup, that's what I have...Welcome to the world of sport's injury... it sucks!
It is no secret that I am "accident prone".
For instance, I wiped out at a bar (completely sober), tripping over a small rubber mat and falling on my face in front of a large group of people. Or when I rolled my ankle in a restaurant in New Orleans, again falling on my face in front of an entire room of dining patrons (that one left my ankle black/blue and so swollen that I couldn't walk for weeks) Or when I was Ice Diving, and while walking, I slipped on some wet slippery ice and sent myself flying (I was splayed out like Bambi on Ice with that one!) Or just this summer, I was on my bike at an intersection and I forgot to unclip my shoe from the peddle, and...you guessed it! Fell on my face in front of a bunch of onlookers!
I'm so accustomed to wiping out that all I can do is laugh when I do. I'm pretty banged up and bruised on a regular basis. If it's not from falling down, it's from banging into stuff, or by playing too rough. Most of the time I don't even notice being bruised until someone points it out to me. Scrapes and cuts I of course notice immediately :)
Those minor injuries don't bother me... But I can't say the same for my Plantar Fasciitis!
The first time I got PF was a few years back. I can't remember what I was doing at the time when I got it, and I didn't even know what it was. I just knew that my foot hurt, and it hurt to bear weight on. So I wen't to a Podiatrist who enlightened me on this condition. I then wore special insoles inside of my shoes, I taped my foot, I wore a make-shift splint during the day, and I wore a splint at night. I was fortunate enough at that time to not have to work, which gave me plenty of time to rest it in order to heal it. This time around, I'm not so lucky. I work on my feet 5 days a week, which gives me little time for it to rest and heal.
I raced this entire summer without having an issue with PF. After some races, I could feel it "coming on" and I just made sure not to injure it more by taking the rest it needed to recover. I didn't get full blown PF until I competed in that Duathlon in October (and I had just started working shortly before that). I damaged the Fascia on my right foot bad during that race. And there I was, back to doing my familiar walking on my tip toes with my right foot from then on out.
I admit, I am not the brightest bulb on the tree- cause after the Duathlon, I did another race two weeks later. (surely not helping my cause!)
Between my past racing, and present working, I just cannot get this to heal! I have so many pairs of shoes, so many sets of PF insoles (sometimes I would wear up to THREE different sets in my shoes at one time!), neither helps. I've even gone to a special shoe store to have my gait looked at to get a correct pair of running shoes ($130 later.. no different). I've done calf stretching, foot stretching, foot massages, wrapping and taping, resting, elevating, and cold therapy. I've eaten so many Ibuprofen I'm worried that it isn't good for me. I've watched endless videos on correct walking/running to avoid PF. I've read countless articles on the subject. I've adjusted my gate to have a more "flat" foot strike on the ground. I've tried to transition into a more barefoot approach by wearing my Vibram Five Fingers (my favorite shoes on the planet!!) to work.
But at the end of the day, I would curl up in a ball and whimper in pain.
PF- It's a life changer.
I've had to eliminate everything outside of my job.
Not that long ago, I started taking Kickboxing 3x's a week. Absolutely LOVED it! But I stopped when I knew I wasn't doing my foot any favors by constantly pounding on it. I tried to favor it the best I could during class (and I learned that I can jump rope on one foot, and even do one legged jumping jacks!), but as soon as class was over, I would limp home. Speaking of limp. I now limp everywhere... at work, walking in the morning, walking to the vehicle...etc. I've stopped running (not that I was a fan of it before!), and no more treadmill. I can't even do the elliptical machine because it hurts. Everything physical in my life has come to a screaming halt.
And to add salt to my wound,
Here's the kicker...
I'm junking out my left leg/foot because it is constantly compensating for my right foot. My left hip, knee, and foot (which now has PF too) are always aching. I'm also losing muscle and condition by the minute from not exercising. Things are getting "wiggly-er"
Unfortunately, this is the way things have to be for awhile. It's really sad for me to think about after all my hard work this past year. I worked my ass off!!! LITERALLY! But if I don't rest this the best I can, I will end up with more permanent damage then I have already done. I will end up having Cortisone injections, or even surgery. Neither of which I want!
I'm really starting to wonder about my next race season...
I have already signed up for 2 out of 3 triathlons, and 1 out of 3 duathlons for 2013. And then there are the 5k's, and mud runs. I'm worried that my foot won't hold up and I won't be able to do what I love...Racing.
In the upcoming week I am going to start into things that don't put strain on my foot like; swimming, stationary biking, yoga, pilates, and weight lifting. And hope to in the upcoming month to get back into more aerobic type exercising.
I will get through this, it just will take time. :)
It is no secret that I am "accident prone".
For instance, I wiped out at a bar (completely sober), tripping over a small rubber mat and falling on my face in front of a large group of people. Or when I rolled my ankle in a restaurant in New Orleans, again falling on my face in front of an entire room of dining patrons (that one left my ankle black/blue and so swollen that I couldn't walk for weeks) Or when I was Ice Diving, and while walking, I slipped on some wet slippery ice and sent myself flying (I was splayed out like Bambi on Ice with that one!) Or just this summer, I was on my bike at an intersection and I forgot to unclip my shoe from the peddle, and...you guessed it! Fell on my face in front of a bunch of onlookers!
I'm so accustomed to wiping out that all I can do is laugh when I do. I'm pretty banged up and bruised on a regular basis. If it's not from falling down, it's from banging into stuff, or by playing too rough. Most of the time I don't even notice being bruised until someone points it out to me. Scrapes and cuts I of course notice immediately :)
Those minor injuries don't bother me... But I can't say the same for my Plantar Fasciitis!
The first time I got PF was a few years back. I can't remember what I was doing at the time when I got it, and I didn't even know what it was. I just knew that my foot hurt, and it hurt to bear weight on. So I wen't to a Podiatrist who enlightened me on this condition. I then wore special insoles inside of my shoes, I taped my foot, I wore a make-shift splint during the day, and I wore a splint at night. I was fortunate enough at that time to not have to work, which gave me plenty of time to rest it in order to heal it. This time around, I'm not so lucky. I work on my feet 5 days a week, which gives me little time for it to rest and heal.
I raced this entire summer without having an issue with PF. After some races, I could feel it "coming on" and I just made sure not to injure it more by taking the rest it needed to recover. I didn't get full blown PF until I competed in that Duathlon in October (and I had just started working shortly before that). I damaged the Fascia on my right foot bad during that race. And there I was, back to doing my familiar walking on my tip toes with my right foot from then on out.
I admit, I am not the brightest bulb on the tree- cause after the Duathlon, I did another race two weeks later. (surely not helping my cause!)
Between my past racing, and present working, I just cannot get this to heal! I have so many pairs of shoes, so many sets of PF insoles (sometimes I would wear up to THREE different sets in my shoes at one time!), neither helps. I've even gone to a special shoe store to have my gait looked at to get a correct pair of running shoes ($130 later.. no different). I've done calf stretching, foot stretching, foot massages, wrapping and taping, resting, elevating, and cold therapy. I've eaten so many Ibuprofen I'm worried that it isn't good for me. I've watched endless videos on correct walking/running to avoid PF. I've read countless articles on the subject. I've adjusted my gate to have a more "flat" foot strike on the ground. I've tried to transition into a more barefoot approach by wearing my Vibram Five Fingers (my favorite shoes on the planet!!) to work.
But at the end of the day, I would curl up in a ball and whimper in pain.
PF- It's a life changer.
I've had to eliminate everything outside of my job.
Not that long ago, I started taking Kickboxing 3x's a week. Absolutely LOVED it! But I stopped when I knew I wasn't doing my foot any favors by constantly pounding on it. I tried to favor it the best I could during class (and I learned that I can jump rope on one foot, and even do one legged jumping jacks!), but as soon as class was over, I would limp home. Speaking of limp. I now limp everywhere... at work, walking in the morning, walking to the vehicle...etc. I've stopped running (not that I was a fan of it before!), and no more treadmill. I can't even do the elliptical machine because it hurts. Everything physical in my life has come to a screaming halt.
And to add salt to my wound,
Here's the kicker...
I'm junking out my left leg/foot because it is constantly compensating for my right foot. My left hip, knee, and foot (which now has PF too) are always aching. I'm also losing muscle and condition by the minute from not exercising. Things are getting "wiggly-er"
Unfortunately, this is the way things have to be for awhile. It's really sad for me to think about after all my hard work this past year. I worked my ass off!!! LITERALLY! But if I don't rest this the best I can, I will end up with more permanent damage then I have already done. I will end up having Cortisone injections, or even surgery. Neither of which I want!
I'm really starting to wonder about my next race season...
I have already signed up for 2 out of 3 triathlons, and 1 out of 3 duathlons for 2013. And then there are the 5k's, and mud runs. I'm worried that my foot won't hold up and I won't be able to do what I love...Racing.
In the upcoming week I am going to start into things that don't put strain on my foot like; swimming, stationary biking, yoga, pilates, and weight lifting. And hope to in the upcoming month to get back into more aerobic type exercising.
I will get through this, it just will take time. :)
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