Injury question - possible stress fracture

pmur

A little background - started with couch to 5k in dec 2013, did a 5k in April 2013, 10k in May and first half in September. I used Hal Higdon's beginner plans for the 10k and half. I just continued the same beginner half plan from half way through as suggested on here after I started a thread. I ran a couple of half marathons in Dec and March. I just got bored of the same training plan and since it was my fourth half I trained and finished a half his past weekend using hal's intermediate HM training plan.
During the run, I did feel a slight twinge on my right foot around mile 10 but it wasn't bad enough to stop so I just continued running and completed the race.
After coming home, I stepped on my kid's block while walking bare foot and hurt my right foot. I waited for a day and when the ache didn't go away, I went to my sports doc. He did the x rays but didn't find a stress fracture. Nevertheless he put me in a boot since the fracture may take a couple of weeks to show up on the x Ray. From the location of the pain he felt it wasn't plantar fasciitis so the boot.
Now, he asked me to do a few things -
1) stationery bike(with boot on)
2) swim
3) pool jogging
4) the Nike Pegasus I was running in wasn't good for the 24-28 miles weekly load. To relook at my shoes.

My questions -

should I actually cross train for the next two weeks or can I take it easy? I don't know to swim and don't know if I can learn now. I hated the bike with the boot. He said I could continue yoga too but they don't allow me in class with the boot.
Will I lose all my endurance?

My shoes were fitted at a running store. Nobody told me anything about it not being cut for half marathons. In fact, after my first 10k, I was fitted for a brooks ghost but I went back to the Nike Pegasus sometime after my second half mara because the Nikes felt better than the brooks to run in. Are my shoes to blame? My doc told me my training load was not sudden so it wasn't too much too soon and I'm not too fast either.

Oh and most importantly, when can I start running again? Do I have to start from the couch to 5k again? I can't take that but if that's the way to go then please let me know so I can mentally prepare for it.

Thanks!

lishie_rebooted

You can start running when the doc says you can.

I don't think you'll have to start c25k over but you won't be running the same distance at the same speed when you're cleared to run. Last night was my first run in almost 3 months due to a fractured fibula. I averaged 11:55/mi for my 2 mi run, prior to my break I was averaging 8:40s/mi for many miles. I've even crosstrained. You won't start back at square 1 but probably halfway through or so of c25k? I never used it so I don't know the program.

That's his opinion on the pegasus. I'm sure there are hundreds who do marathons or ultras in them. I despise Nike so he might be biased against them too.

mwyvr

I tend to think the opinion on the shoe was unwarranted unless your doc gave you a very specific reason.

Frankly unless you have specific foot, joint, or gait problems you can probably run 28 miles a week in almost any shoe as long as you retire them when worn out.

From what I can see the Pegasus is a fairly flexible shoe with a relatively high heel to toe drop; the latter point would be the main reason why I wouldn't prefer that shoe for my own feet, although I ran in shoes like that for many years before.

scottb81

In 2 weeks you will loose a little endurance, but not very much.

If you can cross train without stressing your foot that would be best. Maybe a rowing machine?

If you continue to stress your foot now and it is broken you will be out for a lot longer than 2 weeks, so let it rest.

pmur

Thanks everyone! I will start slowly when I'm cleared to run and go by what my foot tells me.

Right now, I'm just staying put. I don't want to try and start a new activity that I know nothing about to cross train. I'd rather spend a couple of weeks without doing much and then figure out what activity I can try. I really don't want to work out in the boot!

Reg the shoes, he mentioned something about lack of support in the middle part, that's where it hurts for me. I am sceptical about that because I've always run in the Pegasus just fine. Before this run, I haven't had any issues with my feet. I do think they may be worn out and will go into a shoe store to get a second opinion.

lporter229

Did he mention inserts with arch support? I had a stress fracture in my foot last year and my doc mentioned wearing orthotics. Since my insurance doesn't cover customs, she suggested just going with the OTC insert available at most running stores. I have been wearing them since, with zero issues, although they do take some getting used to.

pmur

@iporter229 - He didn't mention inserts. He just said the shoes didn't have enough support for the arches. I'll see how I feel after I recover and if the issue persists I'll look at the inserts. I was wondering how there could be a potential issue with a brand of shoes that I have always run in. I didn't drastically increase training load. I may have increased 10% in terms of weekly miles from what I did previously. Since the shoes worked then, why suddenly fail now.

I'm seriously looking at strength training other than the yoga I generally do.

kkramey1970

Sounds more like plantar fasciitis than a stress fracture imo. Either way time off will make it better. I ran in the Pegasus for years until one of the updates, 28 or 29. Whatever Nike did to it killed me and i've never been a fan since.

pmur

kkramey1970 wrote: »

Sounds more like plantar fasciitis than a stress fracture imo. Either way time off will make it better. I ran in the Pegasus for years until one of the updates, 28 or 29. Whatever Nike did to it killed me and i've never been a fan since.

I went in thinking it was Plantar fasciitis but unfortunately it isn't
I liked the older version of the Pegasus (30) better too but this 31 isn't too bad. It just bothers me when I lace it differently than I'm used to. It also fit snug and took a week for me to break into the new design but since then I've had no complaints.

Wendy98

There was a period while I was recovery from a femoral stress fracture this past winter and the ONLY cardio I could do was swim. I joined a gym so I could have a pool. The gym also had a seated elliptical machine that I would use just with my arms (I would prop my legs up). I also focused heavily on weights and core training. I have never been so strong and my arms have never looked better because I was forced to do it (if I wanted to workout).

Funny, I was fitted for the Pegasus about 5 years ago at a local running store. I love that shoe. Once in awhile, I will try another shoe for variety, but it never feels as good as the Pegasus. I am sticking with them for now.

karenfaber

pmur wrote: »

I went in thinking it was Plantar fasciitis but unfortunately it isn't

If you're lucky, it isn't plantar fasciitis. With a stress fracture, you're out a defined number of weeks. PF can take MONTHS to heal. I'm just now up to decent mileage after PF first reared its ugly head last August.

pmur

Wendy98 wrote: »

There was a period while I was recovery from a femoral stress fracture this past winter and the ONLY cardio I could do was swim. I joined a gym so I could have a pool. The gym also had a seated elliptical machine that I would use just with my arms (I would prop my legs up). I also focused heavily on weights and core training. I have never been so strong and my arms have never looked better because I was forced to do it (if I wanted to workout).

Funny, I was fitted for the Pegasus about 5 years ago at a local running store. I love that shoe. Once in awhile, I will try another shoe for variety, but it never feels as good as the Pegasus. I am sticking with them for now.

I'm possibly going to take swim lessons and hit the gym. I hope to get off the boot soon! I'm hoping I can do non standing yoga poses and work on that yoga core.

I'm going to have to track mileage on my shoes. So far, I changed my shoes when I felt it in my knees or I had some random aches after a run. I think with the increased mileage I better track mileage and figure out how much I can get from each pair.

pmur

karenfaber wrote: »

If you're lucky, it isn't plantar fasciitis. With a stress fracture, you're out a defined number of weeks. PF can take MONTHS to heal. I'm just now up to decent mileage after PF first reared its ugly head last August.

Oh man. That's not fun at all. I hope you find some solution for that. I didnt know PF had such a long rehab period. Sorry.

Wendy98

pmur wrote: »

Wendy98 wrote: »

There was a period while I was recovery from a femoral stress fracture this past winter and the ONLY cardio I could do was swim. I joined a gym so I could have a pool. The gym also had a seated elliptical machine that I would use just with my arms (I would prop my legs up). I also focused heavily on weights and core training. I have never been so strong and my arms have never looked better because I was forced to do it (if I wanted to workout).

Funny, I was fitted for the Pegasus about 5 years ago at a local running store. I love that shoe. Once in awhile, I will try another shoe for variety, but it never feels as good as the Pegasus. I am sticking with them for now.

I'm possibly going to take swim lessons and hit the gym. I hope to get off the boot soon! I'm hoping I can do non standing yoga poses and work on that yoga core.

I'm going to have to track mileage on my shoes. So far, I changed my shoes when I felt it in my knees or I had some random aches after a run. I think with the increased mileage I better track mileage and figure out how much I can get from each pair.

I guesstimate my mileage on my shoes. I mostly can tell because they begin to wear in the same areas. I pushed the limits of an old pair once and realized I had worn a hole through the bottom! I replace more often now.