foot pain after half marathon

maryrunslikeafox
maryrunslikeafox Posts: 136 Member
edited September 25 in Fitness and Exercise
Hey everyone! I ran my first half marathon on Sunday. After the race I experienced sharp shooting pain on the outer edge of my left foot. I figured "hey I just ran 13 miles of course my feet hurt." However, I am still experiencing this pain. It actually feels worse. Every step I take I get the sharp shooting pain and it's causing me to limp. I have not taken a single step without pain. I also have worse pain if I try to just stand on this foot by itself. I have iced and taken advil. It helps but not much. When I am sitting down it doesn't hurt, but today I am experiencing some throbbing. I also get pain when I flex my toes out completely.

Has anyone experienced this before? I am trying to decide if I should wait it out, or just go to the doctor now. I have a high tolerance for pain, I've always been an athlete, but have never run marathons before. I put in months of training before I did this race and I was definitely prepared.

Any thoughts would be appreciated!!!

Replies

  • sculbreath
    sculbreath Posts: 15 Member
    Sounds as if you could be suffering from a stress fracture in your foot. How long did you train for the half? How quickly did you increase your mileage? I've had several friends who increased their mileage too quickly and suffered fractures. I would advise seeing a podiatrist. You may need to be in a walking boot to immobilize your foot.

    Hope this helps some.
    Sara
  • HelenTheKitchen
    HelenTheKitchen Posts: 383
    Go to the doctor. You don't want to ignore foot pain. A friend of mine, who was a runner, broke her foot and didn't even know it and it healed wrong. Now she can't run anymore because it hurts too much. I wouldn't wait to see a doctor hun.
  • hdchic78
    hdchic78 Posts: 31 Member
    I've run 4 half's so far, and have never had any kind of pain like that -- my advice, go ahead and see the doc -- you don't wanna be forced to give up running!!!!! Hope it's a quick and easy fix and you're back out there asap!!!!!!
  • shaunshaikh
    shaunshaikh Posts: 616 Member
    I know someone who found out they had a stress fracture in their foot after running a marathon. Looks like you may have something similar. I hope not!
  • maryrunslikeafox
    maryrunslikeafox Posts: 136 Member
    Sounds as if you could be suffering from a stress fracture in your foot. How long did you train for the half? How quickly did you increase your mileage? I've had several friends who increased their mileage too quickly and suffered fractures. I would advise seeing a podiatrist. You may need to be in a walking boot to immobilize your foot.

    Hope this helps some.
    Sara

    Hi! I built up a base for a few months and then began a beginners 18 week training program which increase mileage gradually. It started with 2 mile runs. The only thing I'm thinking might be the problem is that I got sick and didn't run at all 2 and a half weeks before the race which is probably why I got hurt.. ugh! I'm dissapointed.. I'm supposed to run the NYC Marathon in november... Doctor time it is!
  • maryrunslikeafox
    maryrunslikeafox Posts: 136 Member
    Everyone.. thank you for your responses.. a stress fracture is what I was worried about and I think you are all right. I will definitely go see the doc ASAP!!! =)
  • Jhensley2011
    Jhensley2011 Posts: 54 Member
    First off, CONGRATULATIONS on your first half marathon! That a great feat (or feet lol) in itself!

    I had this pain after finishing my first half marathon. It stuck around for about 1.5 weeks. I asked my gym trainer (who is also a runner) about this pain and she informed me that it was normal. She had me stretch my foot out (very painful) but I noticed a huge difference the next day. The stretch consisted of kneeling on the ground with my feet directly behind me, top of feet laying on the floor. Then gently sit back and use your body weight to stretch the tops and sides of feet. I hope this makes sense. It helped me tremendously. Pain was gone a few days later. Hope this helps!

    j
  • iamthepreston
    iamthepreston Posts: 195 Member
    1st did you wear new shoes??? Or shoes that were not desgned for your gait???

    That happened to me one time.
  • maryrunslikeafox
    maryrunslikeafox Posts: 136 Member
    iamthepreston: I didn't wear new shoes. They were the ones I have been training in. Did you get hurt?

    Johnny: thanks for your stretching advice
  • iamthepreston
    iamthepreston Posts: 195 Member
    Did some damage to my arches took about 10 days to walk right.
  • baldzach
    baldzach Posts: 1,841 Member
    Congrats on your half marathon! It's a great distance and an achievement to be proud of, for sure!

    It could be a stress fracture, could be tendonitis. The peroneal tendon runs on the outside of your foot around the back of your ankle into your calf muscle. My peroneal tendons have little embedded bones in them kinda like a mini kneecap. If I run too far in the wrong shoes it can get irritated and inflamed. Ran 23 of the 26.2 of my last marathon with that pain, and still PR'd. Couldn't walk for a week afterward though! Go get it checked out. Get healed and get back out there! The 26.2 is calling your name! :)
  • maryrunslikeafox
    maryrunslikeafox Posts: 136 Member
    The 26.2 is calling your name! :)

    Thank you!! Yes it is! Wow congrats on your PR even with the pain! I will definitely get it checked out!
  • charding5
    charding5 Posts: 1
    I decided to run a marathon with no training. Needless to say it was SO painful. I have the same pain in my foot plus my outer knee. If something isn't broken id be surprised. Going on a week with pain, but feeling very accomplished to just do it.
  • gavo78
    gavo78 Posts: 1
    Hi, I think a stress fracture is something you would have felt almost soon after or even during the race. I has something that sounds the same and was diagnosed with Plantar Fasciitis.
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