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Plantar Fasciitis
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I am training for IMC though may be ready to throw the towel in.

I had heel pain show up over a matter of a couple days three weeks ago while i was out of town on a conference. I spent two days in my not so practical work shoes and ran on a hillier than usual route. Since then i have significantly cut back on my biking and running and have continued to swim. The pain is worst after i run and when i wake in the morning.

I am wondering how others have continued to train with plantar fasciitis. I have significant heel pain, which is either attributed to tight calves or plantar fasciitis or something else not yet determined. Massage seemed to relieve it a bit, i am trying to get into an acupunturist and i have already seen the chiropractor. Everything i read suggests i stop running and continue to swim and bike, but i find it is irritated on the bike and wondered about the swim as i find the calf muscle is shortened when swimming for extended periods and kick off of the wall.

Any tips or experience would be helpful.
thx.
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Re: Plantar Fasciitis [Just Trying] [ In reply to ]
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I've suffered from it as well in the past and actually was wondering just today if it was coming back during my long run. In any case, there was a taping method I learned when my PF was at its worst. I replied on a similar thread awhile ago and can find the info below:

http://forum.slowtwitch.com/...20fasciitis;#1909323

Best of luck to you.
Leslie

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Life is Short...Run Long
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Re: Plantar Fasciitis [Just Trying] [ In reply to ]
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First step: get this diagnosed. If you don't know what it is, then how are you supposed to 1. properly treat it, and 2. find out what caused it in the first place and change that behavior (whether it be overtraining, wrong shoes, etc).


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Re: Plantar Fasciitis [Just Trying] [ In reply to ]
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First - I agree with D! Find out if it's PF fo sho, then go from there.
Second - If you don't go get it figured out by an ortho or PT or whatever...at least ice and stretch. Tennis ball, Kong ball, ledge. After each run, ice/stretch.

The VAST majority of triathletes don't stretch enough. It's not enough to just do a few minutes of it after a run - put the time in and go through them all. (Living with a PT and having a body that naturally doesn't like running has taught me that it's not a "good idea", in order to keep going and keep progressing, it's a necessity.

I was dealing with pain similar to what you're describing...new shoes, more running and a WHOLE lot more stretching and icing helped alleviate my issues. Good luck...

AW
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Re: Plantar Fasciitis [AWARE] [ In reply to ]
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Thank you for your tips and drawing my attention to the previous post. Lots of great info there.

The ortho actually suggested it was plantar fasciitis but i wasn't convinced, as i have had that before and this doesn't feel quite the same. It is possible that my previous pf was more severe than it is now.

I definitely have tight calves which the Massage therapist is working on.

Any ideas around the other activities - biking and swimming?

Either way from previous posts, and previous experience, it sounds like a long recovery time. :<
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Re: Plantar Fasciitis [D!] [ In reply to ]
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Yeah I agree...dont panic, yet. I thought I had it but it wasnt heel pain but arch pain. Started rolling my arches on a tennis ball a lot, and streched my calves more, and massage on the feet is wonderful. Then, it went away! the tennis ball really helped a lot. If it really IS PF, from what Ive seen from friends of mine, running through it isnt really possible or a good idea. But get it diagnosed by someone who isnt ready to just dismiss it as that. Good luck!
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Re: Plantar Fasciitis [Just Trying] [ In reply to ]
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Make sure you get a brace of some sort to wear at night. I sufferd with PF for almost a year, started wearing a brace to keep my foot flexed at night and within three weeks it was GONE.

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Proud member of the MSF (Maple Syrup Mafia)
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Re: Plantar Fasciitis [Just Trying] [ In reply to ]
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I had a severe case of PF in 2006. It had me not running for close to 6 months. Like the others, mine was never in the heel but in the arch. It also never hurt in the mornings and got worse during the day which is also fairly untypical for PF. I did think I tried everything for it -- PT, ultrasound, massage, some other electro-stim type treatment, tennis ball, frozen water bottle rolled under the foot, golf ball, night splint, stretching, exercies with a towel, etc. In the end, I think I can attribute my recovery to the night splint and the frozen water bottle treatments. To keep it from reoccuring, I use compression socks and have increased my stretching. And if I feel it coming back, a couple of nights with the night splint seems to do the trick.

Hope you recover soon!
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Re: Plantar Fasciitis [CaptainCanada] [ In reply to ]
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In Reply To:
Make sure you get a brace of some sort to wear at night. I sufferd with PF for almost a year, started wearing a brace to keep my foot flexed at night and within three weeks it was GONE.
I second this recommendation. When I had PF 4 years ago I was able to start biking again about a week after I started wearing the night brace. I got mine at FootSmart (http://www.footsmart.com); they have several choices.

Good luck!
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Re: Plantar Fasciitis [instigator] [ In reply to ]
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I've been fighting PF for almost 3.5 years now. For the first 2 years, I was able to keep it in check but then it flared up horribly once I started running 25+ miles a week. Within a month, I couldn't walk without a limp and I've been fighting it for over a year now. Finally, I'm back to running and I'm ramping up my progress again. I've done pretty much all of those things that you suggested as well and for me, it was a combination of exercises to strengthen my tibialis posterior, tennis ball on the calf, and icing that helped out a lot. I'll still get little pains here and there, but for the most part, they are gone 95% of the time.

To the OP, really try stretching, icing, and tennis ball on the calf. Also, a lot of dysfunctions in the leg can cause PF so I would try to figure out which one it is. As I said, I had muscle weakness that was causing my medial arch to collapse which put more pressure on the tissue.

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http://trainingoferic.blogspot.com/
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Re: Plantar Fasciitis [Just Trying] [ In reply to ]
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I suffered from this in the past. It took 5 doctors (family practice, sports medicine, ortho, podiatrist) to finally get a good doctor to diagnose the problem. Find the best podiatrist you can. Preferably an athlete or someone who works with them frequently otherwise the Dr. will tell you to "stay off it." http://www.aapsm.org/ My podiatrist ordered an MRI but also did an ultrasound right in the office and saw the plantar facsia was very swollen. Once we had a diagnosis, he said the first thing was to reduce the swelling. I iced it at least 2X per day, wore custom orthodics and eventually had a series or cortizone shots. The shots are a last resort for severe cases only. Once the swelling was reduced, I did a lot of foot strengthening excersizes and calf stretching. I still stretch my calves a full 6 minutes before and after excersize and also roll my arches over frozen water bottles after almost every run just as a precaution. I also slept in a night splint for a few weeks to stretch it out. Acupuncture was the least effective thing I tried. Once you find a really good doctor who understands your goals, you will be on the path to recovery. Good luck!
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Re: Plantar Fasciitis [Bluerider] [ In reply to ]
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thank you for your additional posts.

The pain has reduced quite a bit with the additional stretching, massage and acupuncture. And i have found a very simple yoga dvd that has helped stretch out my feet and ankles a tonne. Today i tried riding on the trainer 20 min, treadmill 5 min, trainer 20 min, treadmill 5 and trainer 20, with stretching between each transition. i am taking it very slowly which has worked for me with past injuries. Also, i included over-the-counter insoles with arch supports in my bicycle shoes which has enabled me to ride on the trainer yesterday and today without pain or strain.

I also read somewhere earlier today that swimming with a pullbuoy can be helpful and lessen the strain with my feet, so i might try that out for my next pool swim. i have also tried pool running. I am terrible at it, but i think i am getting better.

Thanks again for your tips.
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Re: Plantar Fasciitis [Just Trying] [ In reply to ]
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I felt it coming on two weeks ago but ignored it because I was sick and not really training. Then this week I went from 25 miles to 60 miles running and started to have a problem. I rolled the crap out of my calf muscle using the trigger point calf thingy, and used the edge of it to massage the bottom of my foot. Getting the soleus is hard, but you can use a tennis ball to really put pressure on certain spots. If you are in the right spot you'll know. I did this 2-3 times a day, spending 15 minutes each doing it. Today I have zero pain.

I had PF bad 5 years ago, took 3 months off running and wore a boot to bed for 6 before it went away.
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Re: Plantar Fasciitis [Just Trying] [ In reply to ]
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I had PF a few years ago that lasted about 4 months. I second using a tennis ball and stretching and icing and sleeping in a night brace or Strassburg sock. I also used The Stick (you can use any roller type thing) to massage my calf muscles. I think what helped me the most was taping. Here's the method I used: www.nismat.org/traincor/pl_fasciitis.html It's a pretty aggressive taping method, but it worked. I wore it 24/7 for about 3 weeks and then only when I was on my feet, like at work, for another 3-4 weeks, and then only when I ran. Another thing that's important is to have a good arch supporting insole in ALL of your shoes.
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Re: Plantar Fasciitis [Just Trying] [ In reply to ]
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Physical therapy, taping, the boot thing...all well and good, but the one thing that cured my PF (and it has never come back) are the very simple exercises from the book "Pain Free" by Pete Egoscue. And I know others who have been similarly helped.

clm

clm
Nashville, TN
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