PF Update
It’s been a few weeks since I have run. The pain is still in my heel. It’s low-level and not at all debilitating, but it’s still there.
I have been working out 6 days a week. I have been doing the total body workout that Coach Jeff shared with me three days and riding 3 days. Two of those rides are 1-3 hours and one of them, on the weekend is longer than 3 hours.
I have taken the total body workout to three full sets with an average of 160 pushups built in. This work out is pushups, chest, core, pushups, shoulders, core, pushups, arms core. No legs. Light weight. Work up a sweat. It’s a nice balance and it’s helping to counter the non-running-depression by feeling physically fit – and being able to see it in my body.
I’m not sure if this level of riding is hurting the recovery of the plantar. It surely has some effect. I’m guessing that when the Doctor said I could ride the bike he probably envisioned something different, and less intense.
The plantar does not hurt. It aches. It aches the most in the morning. I have been sleeping with my Achilles splint, but this doesn’t seem to help much. I may have to get one of those sock things.
I ice it during the day and I have been taking some anti-inflammatory. You have to be careful with those because your body builds up a tolerance to the pills. You need to take some days off the drugs for them to work.
This week I started rolling around a tennis ball on my bare foot while at my desk and it really helps. It lets me visualize the spot that is sore and sort of dig into it. I worry whether this is helping to heal it by breaking up and stretching the tissue of the plantar or actually just ‘picking at the scab’.
I haven’t been stretching religiously and I think this would help if I could work it into my routine. Especially because the riding causes your glutes and hammies to tighten up enormously. Those big muscles in the system in the back of the legs are part of the overall system that impacts the plantar. I need to work on that.
I have been taping it and that does help. I don’t know if it aids the healing process but it sure feels good.
My follow up appointment with the doctor is August 22nd. It’s going to be a struggle for me not to run until then.
Since the ache seems to be not going away I put all my race plans on hold for the fall and canceled the 50 miler I had scheduled. We’ll take it as it goes but I’m going to pray for the maturity required to say ‘no’ to some of my favorite events if I have to.
I’m doing OK mentally because of my replacement therapy of weight training and riding – but I’m starting to get frustrated. You can dampen the psychological effects of an injury, but no one is immune.
I have battled with this twice in my running life. Both times I tried all the tricks you mentioned, and hesitantly took time off running. B Like you, it was more of an ache, not sharp pain. After taking time off and realizing it had not gotten better, I said the hell with it and continued to run and just maintained it – lived with it – became one with it. THEN I got orthodics. Ran with those puppies and the PF slowly subsided until it vanished.
During my second bout, 5 years after my first, my original orthodics were shot, beat, depleted. I saw a new doc (in a new city) and he hooked me up big time. Same deal. Just kept running, inserted the orthos and the PF finally went away. Didn’t miss a beat with my running.
I know, I know. The smart thing to do is rest. But when the pain stays exactly the same with or without rest. I side on the “without rest” option!
Sorry for the long comment. Best of luck with it. Peace.
Scott