Plantar/Arch Bruising

[James7]

Hi,
I'm up to 4 miles now barefoot and very happy with it bar one issue. Every now
and then if i step on a reasonable size stone my plantar/arch bruises in the middle
of my foot. It isn't painful at all but i would feel it if i stepped on
something else.
Does anyone else experience this and are there any exercises to prevent this?
Thanks.

 

[clawhammer72]

I just got one of those myself. But I don't know any more than you about its significance. I'm going with the notion that it's no big deal. It doesn't hurt.

 

[Bare Lee]

Yah, it's an occupational hazard. Happens sometimes, but the pain passes quickly, never impedes the rest of the run, and the bruising always heals quickly for me. Be careful though, one BRS member was laid up by a particularly painful episode, so deep bruising is possible. If you're on rocky terrain, bending your knees and adopting a slightly higher cadence may be useful, but it's mostly about paying greater attention and slowing down the pace a bit, it seems to me.

 

[DNEchris]

I think they're "just one of those things".
No big deal.

 

[rickwhitelaw]

Happens to me all of the time, but usually not running. I stepped on a large power cord running to a carnival ride at the county fair. Arch was sore for a couple of days. Things just happen.

 

[rickwhitelaw]

Sorry, meant to say, "I stepped on a carnival ride's large power cord." I would never run to a carnival ride. Too old to get that excited anymore. Although I did ride the ferris wheel with my girls without getting too sick.

 

[Zetti]

I would suggest that you wear a pair of these....then your arches never hit the ground! its brilliant!

http://www.google.com/imgres?q=funn...nw=96&start=0&ndsp=16&ved=1t:429,r:5,s:0,i:91

 

[JosephTree]

Are those what they call "spike heels?"

To your question, J7, as they have said, it happens.

I have run a number of trail races over the last couple years and have gotten a few such bruises. I even remember the step on which the worst of them occurred. I said "Ooo! That one's gonna hurt!" and I did indeed end up with a lovely bruise right on my right instep. It was still a good race and I didn't miss any subsequent training runs. One of the special joys of trail running around this part of the world (Southeastern PA) is the weathered, broken rock sized from fist to Volkswagon, adorning the paths. Some of the rock is very angular. One must focus intensely to run them, which is a very good thing, I think.


Another aspect that's fresh on my mind is that we're experiencing seasonal nut drop these days. (Nothing to do with my age!) When I started BFR acorns, Black Walnuts and other such things would cause me great discomfort. This fall I don't even need to slow down, mostly.

 

[Barefoot TJ]