plantar fascitus

[Deleted User]

Help! my sports therapists has told me that i have to stop running as i have developed this injury. she reckons it will take about 6-8 weeks to heal.

What can i do to stop myself going round the bend as well as not piling on the pounds.

I currently run three times a week, swim at least once a week and do circuit training once a week.

Would it be advisable to join the gym and go there instead.

Must say i feel especially knocked as although i haven't ben running for long (best part of a year) it was fantastic to find a sport i enjoy, so the thought of not running doesn't sit well.

Please help.
Ta.

[Deleted User]

Hi Lightfoot,

I have just returned to running after a break. I got plantar in my right foot, it took around 2 years to completely heal !

I know have it in my left foot, but I am not despairing.

Here is my advice to you. It should not be necessary to stop your running completely. Maybe run a lesser distance.

You need to do gentle stretching before going out (calf area). If you get pain when "on the run", stop and stretch again. This normally stops the pain for a while. Obviously constant pain means you will have to stop running !

I believe the MOST IMPORTANT thing to do is to use ICE on the heel area. Get an empty water bottle, fill it with water and freeze it. Use this twice a day for 15 to 20 minutes on the painful area. Combine rolling the foot to massage, and holding in the painful area. It should help any inflammation go down. I have really noticed a difference in 1 week of doing this. I use the ICE when I get back from a run, and last thing at night. Could use in conjuction with IBULEVE as well, rub this in after the ice treatment !

Heat is no good for plantar, ICE ONLY.

Finally, dont go barefoot round the house. Buy some good trainers (www.mandmsports.com dead cheap bargains !) for use in the house only.

I'll stop woffling on now. Hope that helps, feel free to email me if you want to !

Good Luck

[Deleted User]

LL,

Sorry to hear you have got this i have been suffering with this for months but am starting too come out the otherside now.

Lots of stretching of the feet try running on softer ground if you can as well

[Deleted User]

Agree with Funguseater - I had it diagnosed yesterday and have to do loads of calf stretching and am rolling a golf ball under my foot while at work - really gets into the painful areas. The massage really helped at loosening the tendon, I just hope that I can get back to half and full marathon distance by the summer.

[Deleted User]

Calf stretching has been fantastic for me, I was actually starting to worry I wasn't going to get better but things have really turned around.

I found this article with a lot of useful stretch excercises on.
http://www.brooksrunning.com/on_the_run/plantar.htm

[Deleted User]

Thanks for the advice peeps.

will definitely try the ice in a bottle idea, sounds good. Currently using a golf ball and neurofen gell. I guess i have to be more diligent with my stretching and not slack.

tinkerbelle

maybe what i have got isnt pf as my pain is in the arch bit of my right foot its had 2 lots of laser to no avail, it doesnt normally hurt when running but at bath half it let me know it was there the whole way round. it feels like a sharp stabbing pain and its inflamed , help someone as its 4 and ahalf weeks to london and i cant see me doing 26 miles like this

[Deleted User]

TInkerbelle, is it really bad when you wake up in the morning?

tinkerbelle

yep cant put weight on it at first some mornings are better than others, fairy footsteps im not

[Deleted User]

That sounds like my problem. I read an article about it which said that it gets worse in the morning because your calf muscles tighten in the night.

Have you been stretching your calfs at all, I found that made a big difference, the pain in my feet is almost totally gone, and I'm doing some running again as well. I still have stiff ankles in the morning but it is getting better.

[Deleted User]

I stretched last night and played tennis on it. This morning my foot and calf were sore. I stretched again and it feels slightly better - need to keep it going and fingers crossed for a quick recovery.

tinkerbelle

yes,my calves are tight and its the muscles under the soleus muscle, im now strapped up to see if that eases it.

tinkerbelle

have to report this morning still odd putting on ground but the pain is nowhere near what it was the last 2 weeks, the laser yesterday may be the cure or the strapping not sure but its made me less grumpy and feel that sunday i can do the 15 ishould of done today

[Deleted User]

Boing, hope some of the advice in this is useful.