Injury! Help!

JBHawaii

Hi everyone so I know I already made a post about this but it seems that it's now become a bigger problem.

About 10 days ago I ran 10 miles definitely a personal best. However I did some damage to some of the tendons in my feet. I rested them for about three days and they seem to be better. However yesterday I ran six miles and found out that not only was the old injury recurring but a new injury was starting in another part of my foot. As of now three different places on both of my feet hurt I can hardly walk and I'm really really afraid.

It's not really the injuries that make me afraid but the fact that my cardio will now be severely limited because of it. I want to keep working out and I think that's part of the problem I continue to push myself so hard that I create new injuries. Does anyone have some suggestions for some lower impact types of cardio exercise? I am considering starting to swim and perhaps bike ride on a stationary bike in the gym. Other than that though I've no idea what to do.

Also does anyone know how long injuries of this type might take to heal? I have signed up for a 10K in 10 days and I really really really want to compete in it. Not only is it for good clause but I really see it as a benchmark in my fitness and health. So perhaps someone out there knows what I can do to accelerate healing process.

I really appreciate all of your input and good luck with reaching your goals!

Sharbear6936

I have a ruptured tenden in my right foot. I can hardly walk most days but I find if I ride bike I can get a good cardio workout. It's good for your heart and easy on the feet. Good luck, I hope you heal soon.

landerson1308

You need to see your doctor ASAP! You may have done more damage then you think. If the doctor says it is ok to resume exercise, try the eleptical until your feet are healed.

iWaffle

Also does anyone know how long injuries of this type might take to heal? I have signed up for a 10K in 10 days and I really really really want to compete in it.

Nope, throw in the towel on this race. It's not worth it. If you keep punishing your feet before they're healed you're asking for possible permanent damage. You probably need at least a couple weeks to a month off before your feet get better again.

Make friends with the elliptical machine.

gymmgirl

Wow!! You're dedication is admirable but don't push so hard that you're limited for good! Your feet never get rest in the sense that even resting from workouts you still need to get around. So if you can't walk at a regular pace you'll definitely put them under too much stress if you do a 10K. There is always a 10K to run but you only have your two feet and they have to last all your life!!

I'm not a doctor but I've been a personal trainer for over 20 years and I would say you should be icing (roll frozen water bottles with your feet), resting, and you really should get to a doctor you don't start feeling better.

Stationary biking (recumbent would be best) and swimming are perfect until you find out if you've strained or torn a tendon. Knowing when to rest is part of living a healthy lifestyle. Listen to your body, it's telling you what to do. Trust it. You're buddies for life

Hope this is helpful.

GlitterMamma11

I know from experience you are going to make it worse if you don't rest. I really hurt my knees doing c25k because I didn't want to quit. I ended up not able to walk for a week and it took about 2 months for them to finally heal. Your body is telling you, you need to back off. As hard as it is you need to listen. There will be other 10Ks. Yes, it's a bummer you will miss this one but it is better to be able to walk! Maybe try a stationary bike if you have access for now? You might not be able to go as hard as you like but since you are sitting it might be ok on your feet. (I think the elliptical would still hurt) Also if you have kinect there are games on there that do get your heart rate up and are low impact. Check out the free demos!

JBHawaii

Thanks everyone,

As Pu said, I really have been pushing hard and I was wondering when my body would physically make me quit... Looks like it happened quicker than I thought it would.

Do you really think I wil have to see a doc tho? The pain is intermittent but can get pretty intense... Plus, I ran on my toes for a few miles because I couldn't heel strike anymore and now tendons on the inside of my foot and outside hurt... I know it sounds dire BUT I'm hoping that it's just strains... How long should I deal with the pain b4 seeing a physician?

fittocycle

Take it easy and give your foot a chance to rest and heal.

As you ease back into workouts, give spin class a try. A lot of runners at my gym go to spin and tell me it actually helps with their running!

scottb81

Ice it and rest. Cross train if you can. If the pain is still bad in a week you might want to think about seeing a Dr. If it is just tendon strain and you rest and ice it you might be back to running in a week. If that's the case, don't worry about it, your fitness loss will be next to nothing. When you start again take it easy the first few runs.

Personally, I normally run through the pain. Most of the time I judge it right and it gets better. Last summer though I judged wrong and broke my foot and had to stop running for a month.

GlitterMamma11

How long should I deal with the pain b4 seeing a physician?

A week or so unless you can't walk.

JBHawaii

Ok... Off to the bike for me then... Thanks everyone!

RuthSweetTooth

I agree! Speaking from the point of view from someone who has alot of foot problems just from standing too much. You cannot do the race. You need to see the foot doctor today if you can. He will make you orthotics to stabilize you foot because it is completely fubar and you can't even walk. It will take a few weeks for the orthotics to arrive, so they won't make it in time for your race. The foot doctor can give you a shot in your feet to make them feel better. He will also tell you not to do the race. If you choose to ignore him, you will cause foot damage that will contribute to arthritis in the joint that will plague you your entire life.

I sure hope that you listen to everyone's good advice. Alot of gentle exercise is better for you than entering in these races, and now your foot is talking and telling you what to do. You need to listen to your foot! Why don't you go swimming instead, while your foot is recovering? Give it time. Foot injuries take so long to heal. Stay off your foot and take NSAIDs for a few days. Don't even go for a walk.

Ruth

Also does anyone know how long injuries of this type might take to heal? I have signed up for a 10K in 10 days and I really really really want to compete in it.

Nope, throw in the towel on this race. It's not worth it. If you keep punishing your feet before they're healed you're asking for possible permanent damage. You probably need at least a couple weeks to a month off before your feet get better again.

Make friends with the elliptical machine.

trail_rnr

If you really want to keep running, pool running is a really good alternative. Boring as he11, but it's a really good no impact option.

On the bike, just don't stand and pedal. Stay seated. If it's extensor tendonitis or peroneal tendonitis, you need to try to keep the extraneous repetitive movement to a minimum; standing while pedaling is a surefire way to get those tendons angrier.

And if you go to a doc, don't go to a podiatrist. Go to an orthopod. Orthopod might recommend a podiatrist but start with the ortho. Don't mess around with this!

JBHawaii

Thanks so much for the advice everyone. I will see how I feel at the end of the weekend and if I'm still in pain I'll go see the doc

mfpcopine

Don't push it, see a doctor, scrupulously log your calories while recovering. I badly injured my ankle in February and I'm still recovering, I've never had anything like this happen to me, but it also was the worst sports injury I've ever experienced.

DavPul

You've already named some good stuff. Swimming, biking, elliptical will probably be fine for your foot. Spartacus type workouts (google it) should work for you as well.

If 3 days helped your foot feel better, then it might not be too serious yet. But you're going to need some serious rest, probably a couple weeks off running or more. No way would I consider attempting that 10k.

Listen to your body. Soreness is your body talking to you. Pain is your body yelling at you. You don't want to to know what comes after pain.

Wonderob

Sounds like it could be Plantar Facilitus - essentially there is a tough tendon that runs the length of your foot. If it is over-stretched you cause a tear and you could feel pain in your arch where the tendon is, in your heel where it attaches, AND in the ball of your foot where the other end attaches - different places in your foot as you pointed out

Often with this injury you will feel worse pain first thing in the morning as the tendon shrinks during the night and is very tight when you first step on it again. It's sometimes agony as you get out of bed!

It will help if you put a bottle of frozen water under your foot and roll back to front

Often it's caused when you are overweight or have a lot of muscle and do a lot of running! That's what happened to me - I can no longer run much so I now cycle

crobl

see a ortho asap! you've already admitted that your pain has made you change your running gait. If you continue to do this, you are at risk to develop problems elsewhere in the body as that mechanical change travels up the kinetic chain. If the pain is that intense, an elliptical can still cause pain, especially if you are altering your foot mechanics. Your best bet on cardio is probably bike/swim.

JBHawaii

I just wanted to give u guys an update. Weekend is over and the pain is gone now. I am worried that it's just lying in wait to flair up again so I'm going to hold off running for at least another week.

On the plus side, I am now swimming and biking and I'm starting to get interested in both so I'm pretty stoked!

Thanks again, I'll let u know how my run goes next week!

Captain_Tightpants

If it's actual tendon damage it could take months to heal (or in some cases never) but without a visit to the doc, you'll never know.

JBHawaii

Docs are just so expensive!