TOFP "Fix"

[FNG-OscarMike]

So I have been dealing with TOFP practically since starting Barefoot running in April of this year. Most of the time when it became more severe I would just back off and ice and then it would come back. However this past time it became an issue I spoke with my Fianceés mom who is a physical therapist and as soon as I started describing the issue she said to the effect “I think you are flexing your foot too much.” One of the things I have been focusing on is “lifting my feet” so that I am not pushing off. Within a day or two of making sure I was keeping my foot relaxed during activity the TOFP is just about gone. I just wanted to share this with others as I know many of us deal with this problem. I’m not saying it’s the only reason TOFP occurs but it seems to be the reason for me.



As I think has been echoed in most BFR instruction, it’s important to be relaxed.

 

[Barefoot TJ]

This news will be very

This news will be very helpful to lots of people. Thanks, FNG. I always try to lift and set, lift and set when I run, so I haven't really experienced full blown TOFP. I did have it barely for like a day a couple of years ago when I was starting out, but it didn't last at all.

 

[C. Beth Run.]

I agree, focusing on LIFTING

I agree, focusing on LIFTING my foot helped me too. I had just a slightly achy TOF after several weeks of BFR, and kept it from becoming real pain by lifting my foot instead of pushing off. Bending my knees more helped me a lot.

 

[BFwillie_g]

I think it's that relaxing

I think it's that relaxing part that makes the biggest difference, and it's not so easy to re-train, due to the fear factor, or lack of faith, which is the same thing I guess. We (beginners) tense up when the foot is coming down on a hard surface, it's a reflex reaction. But when we concentrate on letting the foot really dangle limply in the air and allow it to just squish down on the landing any which way it wants to, it'll conform to the ground surface perfectly and and all those tendons and muscles and bones will find their own harmony. That's how I feel it, anyway. That, coupled with the short steps and very high turnover rate

And then we can fine-tune things by turning the hips slightly inward or outward as needed to guide the feet better, so they come down more on the outer edge and roll toward the inside. But the feet, they just do their job and they do it best when we don't interfere too much

 

[Barefoot Mary]

My husband has been barefoot

My husband has been barefoot running with me lately. He didn't lift and LITERALLY scraped his toe on the sidewalk!

I kept apologizing for coaxing him into the insanity as he bled his way home, but he kept telling me, "I didn't lift! I need to learn to lift those feet & toes!"

Cracked me up.

 

[miqie]

Thanks for posting this,

Thanks for posting this, FNG. I too, have been having chronic TOFP since early June. I've used a stiff soled shoe, hard plastic arch orthotic, ice, NSAIDs, stretching and crosstraining, to get me through it. It's basically tendonitis, and when I get any kind of tendonitis, it takes me months to recover. I've been doing some walking and light running the last couple of weeks and did keep your advice in mind this morning when I was doing my laps around the field. Hopefully, this will help me to continue to improve. Thank you. (BTW, this really should be moved to the "Health, nutrition, injuries" forum. The target audience for this injury)

 

[Barefoot TJ]

Moved.  Thanks, Miqie!

Moved. Thanks, Miqie!

 

[FNG-OscarMike]

Glad to hear it's helping

Glad to hear it's helping some of you out.

 

[FNG-OscarMike]

Something else I wanted to

Something else I wanted to share was a stretch my Fianees mom showed me which has helped when I have TOFP flare up's. So if you have pain with your right foot you use your left hand and stretch your Second, Third, Fourth, and Fifth toes down. You can get a better stretch if you “point” your foot and you hold for about 15-20 seconds. If you are only having the pain with one toe you can stretch just the one toe. Here is a photo to better illustrate what I mean.

 

[Barefoot TJ]

Stomper, how about adding

Stomper, how about adding stuff like this to the Library? Where there are some things to do to help with injuries/conditions, like what is being talked about in this thread with TOFP (and from Ken Bob's take on TOFP), and what to do for PF, etc.?

Thanks Oscar and everyone, this is good stuff.

 

[miqie]

Barefoot TJ wrote:Stomper,

Stomper, how about adding stuff like this to the Library? Where there are some things to do to help with injuries/conditions, like what is being talked about in this thread with TOFP (and from Ken Bob's take on TOFP), and what to do for PF, etc.?

Thanks Oscar and everyone, this is good stuff.

Yeah, TJ. Nothing gets my attention more than a thread giving a remedy for a particular injury. Often times, unless we go to a specialist, we only have each other's experiences on how to deal with these things. And sometimes, even after we go to the pro, the advice on here works better!

 

[Barefoot Mary]

Nothing feels better on the

Nothing feels better on the top of my sore feet than a modified hurdler stretch...good for flexible folks to try. It really pulls along the top of your feet as you rest them flat by your sides as you sit. Best illustration I could find was this one:

http://www.yogajournal.com/media/originals/2785-22.jpg

 

[twinkletoes]

Mary,I have had a mild case

Mary,

I have had a mild case of peroneal tendonitis which seems to be related to a badly sprained ankle in which my talus popped out. (I was in the evil cushy shoes on the trail last January) It's the only TOFP I can relate to until my PT friend showed me an exercise and the talus went back into place, leaving me with occasional TOFP but mainly, the tendonitis. I think my foot is just resisting being readjusted after 8 months injured.

My point to answering you though is that I swear by kinesio tape for my tendonitis- when it's on, I immediately feel relief and then don't have the swelling, stiffness, ache and popping all day long. Sunday I did a 10 mile run without it and dang if the tendonitis wasn't flared up again yesterday morning! My ankle is taped up again and I've got only a hint of pain.

What I've found interesting is that I haven't seen anyone else write about the kinesio tape- it's the stretchy stuff that moves the fascia so that blood flow increases in a particular area and stimulates healing, supposedly.

I don't see why it wouldn't work for TOFP too.

 

[twinkletoes]

oops,I meant to answer

oops,

I meant to answer mique's tendonitis!

 

[jknap]

Thanks for this post! 

Thanks for this post! I didn't realize how tense my feet were. I have been focusing more on lifting my knees instead of what my feet are doing and my pain has vanished It's amazing how tweaking little things makes a big difference.

 

[FNG-OscarMike]

 Awesome glad that it's

Awesome glad that it's helping.

 

[Barefoot TJ]

That is so cool, JK.  Thanks,

That is so cool, JK. Thanks, Oscar!

 

[miqie]

Twinkletoes, could you expand

Twinkletoes, could you expand on your taping method or point me to a Youtube video so I can see how you do the taping? Also, is this just athletic tape that you get at Walgreens or something different?

 

[Barefoot TJ]

Hey, Miqie, if duct tape is

Hey, Miqie, if duct tape is good enough for me, it oughta be good enough for you! Now go take the 60-incher back to the store and get you a 24-incher.

 

[twinkletoes]

Hi Mique,Happy to explain

Hi Mique,

Happy to explain the taping- first, I did buy the white athletic tape at a sporting goods store and it is definitely not the same as kinesio tape- it is harder to come by & is more expensive, but the way it works is by being stretchy so it lifts the fascia and encourages blood flow to the affected muscle area.

I prefer the Rocktape - the website is med.rocktape.com or you can just google it. Also, there is a brand called KT and I think you might be able to get it at Scheels? Don't know of any others though.

When Rocktape sends the roll out it comes with a taping method sheet and I just played with it (wasted quite a bit) until I figured out what felt best. There are also a bunch of youtube videos about taping various body parts. I tape vertically on both sides of the ankle bone, then apply a piece horizontally across the back of the heel to wrap around to the front of my ankle for extra support. It's really hard to explain typing, but basically, tape what hurts.

Hope that helps!