I picked up what I believe is plantar fasciitis from interval work I did last Thursday. I had a long layoff from the intervals and it must have aggravated the area. I never had plantar before. It doesn't hurt to run on it. It actually feels better. It hurts or is most uncomfortable post running and just walking around. So do I continue to run and hope it gets better while treating it.
Thanks.
PF is one of those things that can get very bad, very quickly. Best to be careful. That said, I've run with bad bouts of PF before. The "low dye" taping method helped me immensely.
This is what ended up helping me.
Should I try to cut my volume first and then see how it feels? Or just stop now?
I treat PF regularly, like 3-4 people a day on average. Some people have their symptoms get aggravated very easily by running, for others, running is helpful.
I use Graston and ART to treat PF, and it is pretty effective. One of the ways Graston is thought to work is the reintroduction of the body's primary inflammatory response by the mechanical pressure and irritation to the area by the tools. Having the area get irritated by running would probably not be that much different, as long as you ice afterwards to control inflammation and stretch the calves and plantar fascia gently for long periods of time. If you treat it correctly, you can prevent it from turning into plantar fasciopathy, which becomes more difficult to treat the more chronic it is.
I would also try running, if you make this decision, in something more cushioned yet very flexible. Don't expect it to go away quickly. Oral anti-inflammatories are rarely helpful. Ice can be if you put your foot and arch on the ice (preferably gel) pack for 20 minutes several times per day, especially in the first week or 2. Consider also getting the Strassburg Sock to wear at night. A lot of running stores carry them now. Cortisone shots work sometimes, but sometimes not, and are usually painful. Some people are doing hyaluronic acid injections now for cases past the acute stage. This shows promise.
I got it about a month ago. Trained through it (read: did fast workouts) for a couple weeks before it got so bad that I had trouble walking. Took 9 days totally off from physical activity and saw substantial improvement in the first 4-5 days, but then my rate of recovery seemed to plateau. I started running again last week, doing 8-10 miles a day at 7:00-7:30 pace and it doesn't seem to have impeded the recovery process at all. If anything I think it might be helping a bit. I can run pain free now as long as I keep it nice and slow. I think if I tried to do a workout I'd reinjure it pretty fast, but at least I'm running.
I took two days off - essentially until walking around, that was not preceded by sleeping/prolonged sitting, was pain-free. Meanwhile, got a Futuro Plantar Fasciitis Sleep Support and began consistently using it at night. Three or four weeks later any traces of pain were almost completely gone. These days, I sometimes put the sleep support on as a precaution when i detect a discomfort in that area. I've also been using a golf ball to massage that area, also as a precaution, for quite some time.
Do you think treadmill or road running would be better for it?
flex deck treadmill or trails might be some better, but as long as your mechanics are sound, it probably doesn't matter.
david.macmillan@gordon.edu wrote:
Do you think treadmill or road running would be better for it?
I've been doing most of my running on grass as it feels better on my PF than road running. It's a little boring though
Get this treatment. You can do several sessions rather than one big one and not have to get knocked out. It is a little painful at the time, but foot feels great after. Each time, it feels a little better. The boot or sock at night helped too.
Solved my PF in a couple of weeks. Several months previously did not help at all doing several things. Good luck. PF is a tough one. Some things work for some and not others. Have not heard the Shockwave therapy not helping though.
I case you're getting a little confused by all the anecdotes and wacky voodoo solutions (electroshock therapy lol), there is actually some real clinical science around how to treat PF:
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/09/15/heel-pain-treatment/
After all is said and done "REST" is the one!
Also find THE cause and prevent it from aggravating or making it worse. Don't only treat the symptoms but the cause as well. Good luck!
david.macmillan@gordon.edu wrote:
I picked up what I believe is plantar fasciitis from interval work I did last Thursday. I had a long layoff from the intervals and it must have aggravated the area. I never had plantar before. It doesn't hurt to run on it. It actually feels better. It hurts or is most uncomfortable post running and just walking around. So do I continue to run and hope it gets better while treating it.
Thanks.
Stop runnning too much volume in flats/spikes and make sure you don't need stability shoes. It sucks doing workouts in trainers but deal with it. 99% of the people I have seen that have PF overpronate to some degree(whether they have low arches or run like a duck), which wasn't a problem until they increased volume/density/intensity.
You Are What You Is wrote:
I case you're getting a little confused by all the anecdotes and wacky voodoo solutions (electroshock therapy lol), there is actually some real clinical science around how to treat PF:
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/09/15/heel-pain-treatment/
ESWT has evidence to back it up.
but yes for long term solution you must treat the underlying cause. i tell my patients 3 things;
1) treat the inflammation
-NSAIDs,ice
-if these dont work in 4-6 weeks, then possible injection
2)stretching
-this will prevent it from coming back
-equinus(tight calves) is compensated by pronation--most people have this.. so you need to do wall stretches EVERYDAY at least twice a day to loosen up your achilles
also stretch in the morning before you get out of bed
3) arch support
-if you have failed OTC arch support then orthoses may be warranted to control your foot throughout gait
-if you have tried OTC arch support or different shoes then those might be a cheaper place to start
90% of the time this is treated with conservative treatment. you must do all of these at the same time.. not separately. good luck!
good luck
People tend to over treat this one. Once you get rid of it, spend some time looking into arch support, if necessary, or the right shoes.
In the meantime, get a golf ball and spend several sessions a day rolling it under the inflamed areas, press hard. It hurts but you need to massage the areas really, really well. Try to get into the habit of doing this over the next few weeks and it will disappear. You can run but make sure you are doing the massage, especially first thing in the morning and before bed. Don't walk barefoot, get some of those massage-y type flip flops, Adidas makes good ones. Those are great to walk around in, especially your first steps of the day when it is especially sore.
Where do you do intervals? Does Gordon have a track now? I grew up in Hamilton and my 6 miler as a kid went by Gordon.
Great advice in here. I'll just add my 2c from personal experience. What helped a lot was the Strassburg sock linked to above - worth getting anyway as I've found they're effective for achilles issues as well.
Low dye taping is good - once you get accomplished at it your foot feels like it's in a sling.
Freeze a tin of beans and roll your foot on it. HARD.
Apart from the Strassburg sock, what helped the most for me was to stand on the edge of a wodden step with the lip on the step on my calcaneus (heel bone) and toes on the step proper. Wear socks. Stand on the affected leg and slowly move your heel over the lip on the step so it finishes in the arch. You can feel it crackling and carrying on - be in no doubt you are placing a very high load on a very small area right on the insertion of the plantar aponeurosis. A few muscles originate here too (quatratus plantae, flexor digitorum brevis, adductor hallucis and adductor digiti minimi) but don't worry about that. The area is tough. This increases blood flow in the area, helps stretch the fascia and breaks up any scar tissue present.
In the end, just running again (barefoot, grass) helped tip it over the edge into recovery. I have no idea why. I just got frustrated, went for a run and afterwards my PF felt fabulous - stretched and massaged.
Apologies - ABductor digiti minimi and ABductor hallucis.
I'm not a student at Gordon anymore. I graduated a long time ago....I just kept my e-mail. My heel feels fine in the morning. It only hurts after running and lingers for the day. My foot feels better when I walk around barefoot.