A Cautionary Tale

I am like many at this time of year attempting to get back on the wagon of sensible nutrution and a regular workout schedule. What is unusual for me is having to join the hordes of folks who take on new years resolutions to get fit, eat better, ect., ect., ect. Many years ago I resolved to make my last new years resolution, one that I was sure I could keep, that being to resolve to NEVER resolve again.

Usually my partner and I take the time off over the X-Mas hollidays to crank up our workout routine during the 10 days I am off over the hollidays. Not this year, instead I was 'licking' my wound' so to speak, which leads me to the cautionary tale.

Back at the end of November I was at the gym with plans to do a strength training circuit and run. I had wanted to run outdoors but the weather was not cooperating. Unfortunately on that day the track at my gym was not available and more unfortunately I was in a stubborn frame of mind.

So I decided to do my run, in my huaraches, on one of the treadmills in the gym. What I should have done was to use an elliptical but I was determined to run so I fired up a treadmill and off I went. Now here comes the embarassing and painful bit....

My plan was to do a 5K run which usually takes me 30 minutes or less. Well 30 min. into my run I was .2K from my planned 5K. The aforementioned stubborn mindset kicked in and I decided to keep running until I hit the desired 5K. Sadly while focusing my attentions on the treadmill controls I was not focusing on my feet... which resulted in me stumbling and getting ejected off the treadmill.

I ended up on my backside on the floor more embarassed and pissed than anything else. A number of people rushed over asking if I was OK. I assured them I was and then retreated to a nearby stairway to sit and wait for my partner to finish her run. A few seconds later I noticed that one of my huaraches was hanging down from the front. I thought to myself damn, I not only fell on my ass but I broke the string on my huarache too.

Then I noticed my big toe hanging down too at an unnatural angle. There was also a thin trickle of red fluid running from my toe to the floor. As the fluid started to pool I realized I had not only broken my big toe but ripped it in the fall. To make a long story short what happened was I fell in a manner that broke the toe and then the broken digit was severely ripped by the treadmill belt before the saftey cord stopped the machine.

Clearly this was a freak accident, but I am sharing this tale, despite my embarassment in the hopes that others do not have a similar experience. Luckily for me I heal well and did not, despite the worries of my doctor, loose the toe. I did recieve 6 stitches and trust me getting a toe stiched THROUGH the nail is no fun at all. Neither were the 8 weeks of recovery to date.

Thankfully I am back to working out and just recently running. It will take a while before I am back to where I was before the accident but I am thankful that I am running at all. I am and will continue to run in huaraches but needless to say I am done with treadmills.

Please take care out there eh...;)

Jenn

Comments

jlynn2
Nothing was said directly to me by the gym staff though I got a LOT of looks prior to the accident when wearing my huaraches there. They have since posted signs ALL over the gym REQUESTING the use of closed toe shoes when using any equipment. Other than the REQUEST part I think this is the type of overreaction one would expect.

I have had a discussion with one member of the gym staff and the only salient point, in my view anyway, he riased is that closed toe shoes would contain blood better than my huraraches. I did inform this individual, who was unaware of the new signage at the time that I would be deciding for myself on the future use of huaraches in the gym.

That said I have complied with their REQUEST... well sort of. When doing my strength training I now wear canvas deck shoes. These and moccasins are the only closed toe shoes I regularly wear since discovering huaraches. However when I run the indoor track at my gym, in huaraches of course, I don't change my footwear when going into the gym to do a post run ab set.

So far no confrontation has ensued.. thankfully.

Thanks for the good wishes. I feel very fortunate to have recovered this well. Hopefully the feelings of stupidity will... in time fade with the new scar on my toe....;)
 
Neil_D
Ouch! I remember around 3 years ago I was told I couldn't go on the treadmill first with the VFF's and before that barefoot due to OHS concerns. I time I tried something I was told to wear proper shoes. I now wear the thin rock fishing shoes which I find great and they only cost around $10, they can't compain as they do have enclosed toes.

On the whole though I don't like treadmills, they alter my running style and it doesn't feel good.

Hope your toe gets better and stick with running on the real ground, much safer.

Neil
 
jlynn2
Neil:



Thanks. The toe is healing up nicely and I am back running, albiet a tad slower. Like you I have never liked treadmills. I never seemed to be able to get my stride right on the damn things. For me the issue is moot as I have resolved to stay as far as I can from a treadmill as humanly possible. The next time the indoor track is not available on a cold or yukky day it is the elliptical for this girl...;)

Jenn
 
PatrickGSR94
Holy crap I have had stitches through my toe nail as well. When I was 13 on Christmas Eve, my brother and I were supposed to be getting ready for church, but instead we were scuffling as usual. My big toe stubbed on the carpet and I heard a *crack*. Toe was broken, nail was ripped off, and I had to get stitches through the nail. OMG worst pain ever.

What was worse is we had to spend the evening in the ER, and then I had a cast on my lower leg (just for a stinkin' toe), and I was starting a new school at the same time. Starting a new school in 8th grade with a leg cast was pretty much the worst thing ever.
 
Blind Boy
The second time I tried running barefoot ever I paid a little too much attention to the fairly attractive woman coming towards me on the trail and too little attention to the trail in front of me. Result: I tripped on a rock, sailed through the air and landed flat on my face with a broken big toe. I felt rather stupid during the six week healing period...
 
jlynn2
Your fall sounds like the time I broke my collar bone running. I was zoned out thinking about my day and whatnot when my toe hit a frost heaved curb. Before I could become unzoned and react I was well on my way to the ground. I had just enough time to lift my head to protect my dental work. Shortly thereafter I learned that I didn't bounce like I did when younger as I heard a loud crack when hitting the ground.

Needless to say I felt rather stupid, even more so than after my recent run in with the treadmill. Thankfully the toe seems to be healing faster than my collar bone did. Well the collar bone healed fast, but it took me over 6 months to regain the lost flexibility in the shoulder.

Still I think we are better off hanging it out there, despite the potential for and realization of injury. I rather be battered and bruised than fat and lazy any day. Just my bruised 2 cents...;)
 
jldeleon
Yeah, looking at a guy's butt almost got me on the trails the other day myself. Lol.
 
jldeleon
My biggest fear is cracking/breaking my collar bone. Well, the tailbone ties with that.
 
jldeleon
Geez, scary, thanks for the tip!
 
jldeleon
I have fractured a toe joint once, about a year ago, cuz I was feeling "done" in the last 500 feet of the trail and looked up. Duh. Whack! Right into a huge rock! That took 3 weeks to fully "heal". Then just a couple weeks ago, while avoiding knocking a little old lady's cane out from under her on a trail, I looked down at her cane and WHACK! Same toe, but different joint, only bruised it really bad this time. It was pretty much better in 3 days.
 
jldeleon
I was considering running on a treadmill this winter, until I read an article by Sandler about how you basically have to change your running form on the treadmill. I decided not to do it and now I am really glad I did. Though I was planning on using VFFs, but still, the problem is I would basically be learning a "new" form and then I would be more likely to trip.
 
jlynn2
For all the times I have run on a treadmill I always found that the experience messed up my stride. It is clear, to me at least, that the machine forces me into an alternate stride which is not conducive to the attainment of my running goals. I also find that the repetitive nature of treadmill running can lead to the loss of focus, even without a cute butt passing by, that can lead to an accident.

In light of my recent misadventure the treadmill and I have parted company for good.
 
jlynn2
Thankfully they did not put a cast on my foot, just a gauze wrap with a tounge depressor as a splint. I did however loose enough blood that it soaked the gauze wrapping, which when dried was a rock hard as a cast. It took about 2 hours to remove and re-dress the toe just prior to the first attempt at removing the stitches. Fun, fun, NOT.

I will agree that getting stitched through the toenail was one of the most intense pain experiences of my life, especially given that they had to stop and apply additional shots of novocane several times during the process.

Thankfully I am back to running and trying to make up for lost time while loosing the weight I gained during the down time. For future reference, I have noted it is rather unfortunate to be laid up over the hollidays. All those goodies about over X-Mas were just too hard to resist in my weakened state, plus the reduced mobility kept me at home near the goodies far too well...;)
 

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