getting frustrated - injury related...

[farmershort]

Hi All,

Following my TMTS efforts with BFR around 18 months ago now, then a 12 month running lay-off, I thought I was starting again doing things "properly". I had a coaching session with anna & david (which was great btw), I improved my form, gait, cadence, etc... I've been doing lots of yoga which is helping to free up those desk-bound muscles....

Well, I'd been running 1 mile barefoot for a few weeks - as well as walking 2.2 miles to work in terra plana aqua's. and back again of course. I'd been managing about 1 barefoot run per week, to allow my feet to recoup. A few weeks ago, I thought I'd step this up to twice a week... it went ok, but i got the feeling my feet weren't too happy with me, so i had a week off running. In that week off, I also moved residence, and my walk to work is much shorter now - I do have a nice morning routine now though.. 10 min walk to the gym, 20 mins of sun salutations (yoga), 10/15 mins in the sauna 10/15 mins in the hot-tub. Anyway, I digress...

I went for a barefoot run last week (tuesday/wednesday I think) - again, just one mile. I don't remember treading on anything particularly horrible... it was just footpath(sidewalk) running... anyway, since that run, the following symptoms have occured in this order:

very sore bruised feeling on the underside of my left foots fore-foot pad... so sensitive that a water jet from the hot-tub touching it was too much pain. this is still lingering, but is getting less.

tight left calf muscle. started 6 or 12 hours ish after the run.

sore left knee - only started this morning really... I have had a weekend in the garden, so could be more to do with that than the running.

Well, the whole point of this post is really just some advice/moral support. I'm so fed up with such slow progress - I really want to be able to run, you know, proper distances... How long am I going to be laid up this time? do I need to worry about something more than just a bruise? sign of something else?

Thanks

Adam

 

[farmershort]

do'h... i think i put this in the wrong forum again!!! sorry! It should be in the health, nutrition, injury one!

 

[BFwillie_g]

hey FS - it does sound like a bruise, but impossible to diagnose in a forum. It's easy to step on one rock that's just a little too big or lying at just the wrong angle and then bam. And in my experience, the pain doesn't hit immediately but appears later in the day, or maybe next time I go for a run. In your shoes (lol) I'd wrap an ice pack to the afflicted area a couple time a day, or, with the soles of the feet, you can freeze a can of soup (can also be a can of baked beans), lay it on the floor and roll your foot (with a thick sock) over it. For example. If it's a bruise, the pain'll definitely subside two or three days, which you say is the case, so that's good.

If it doesn't get better, or even gets worse... then maybe plan for a longer timeout, but keep icing it.

Tight calves go with the territory, a sign of increased Achilles motion - calf rolling on a firm foam roller or pvc pipe coule be your best bet for that.

Keep your mileage moderate and sensible and be patient, that's all. If you simply need more exercise, it doesn't have to be barefoot running, you know? It really sounds like you're doing things correctly this time, so no worries, k?

 

[farmershort]

Thanks Willie

I think I do need to invest in this plastic/foam roller idea. I really haven't got into that bit yet... is it normally just after a run? I'm wondering whether I should build it into my morning routine too, as the gym where I do my morning yoga has some of these rollers. I was left entirely confused by all of the sock-doc and phil maff stuff about anti-stretching... lots of stuff about not stretching, but not a lot about what to do instead.

I'm all on board with the "exercise doesn't have to be only running" sentiment.... it's just that I do hate working out in a gym... such a terrible mental environment... perhaps I need to look into getting my bike repaired, and bring that down to my weekly work digs. Thanks for the helpful words.

I will start the icing regime this evening.. I like the sound of the frozen can idea - I admit that I had completely forgotten about the can/ball foot massage stuff... I to tend to manually massage my feet whenever I'm in the sauna though - which is most days at the moment. Fingers crossed it is just a bruise then... I shall keep the board posted. I think the OP was a little over-needy if you know what I mean.. I was just fearful of another injury which stopped me running for another 12 months... that would be tough!

Cheers

Adam

 

[rickwhitelaw]

Farmershort,

Good advice from Willie. Just have a lot of patience and don't get frustrated. Things will get much better, it just takes time. If possible, try to find a nice quiet place to run, relax, and run quietly. Forget about pace or distance, run by feel. It is impossible to avoid every rock, so if you learn to absorb them, it will help with the bruising. Good luck and stick with it, the reward is well worth the patience.

 

[PB Junkie]

FS - I roll my calves before and after running. My favorite "tool" for this is my marble rolling pin. The foam roller just wasn't getting it for me. You might want to check out this video about rolling your calves and how it can affect your hips too, which may be causing some knee pain for you. I hope you only have a bruise and you get it figured out soon.

You can also check out the Sock-doc's video about trigger points:

http://sock-doc.com/2011/03/205/

 

[farmershort]

Okay... it's been a week now....

I went to the gym last night for a little non-running session. 20 mins on the bike, and then 20 mins of uphill walking on the treadmill (wearing foot coffins). My foot started hurting again soon afterward - just at that one little point that I mentioned before. it was pretty noticeably when driving to the gym barefoot - the clutch pedal seemed to be hitting the exact spot... obviously it was the same on the way back too. This morning it was not quite as painful, but it does seem to be throbbing a little bit now, after my morning yoga, sauna, hot tub routine...



Can it still be a bruise after a week, or does this point to "doctor time?"

 

[Neil_D]

Hi Farmershort.
It sounds like a bruise. I did the same thing in the early days. It hurts so bad you can't put weight on the ball of your foot so you walk on your heel and that makes your shins ache etc. I got a bruise from practicing jumping on and off steps to improve my springiness, the only problem being my feet were too weak to be springy at the time so I bruised one of my feet. You couldn't tell by looking at it. It took around 2 weeks to ease off.

Neil

 

[migangelo]

check out those trigger points on the soc doc site as well as dr stoxen's, teamdoctorsblog. i'm not sure with out looking at your foot but if it's a trigger point you can work it out yourself. if it's a bruise it will feel painful at times. if it's a fracture you'll scream and cry anytime something touches it.

get a big black pipe if you want to roll your legs. it's awesome. foam is just for contraceptives.