Acute onset of PF--how to manage until I can see the doc

Triathlon Forum
1

I can’t get in to see my sport doc until next Monday. I’m on the wait list for any cancellations this week. Sorry for the long post but I need to know how to manage this until I can get in to see her. I searched the threads and most are about chronic PF.

Yesterday I tried to work the trigger points out of my left calf, and loosen up left/right hips, legs and feet with massage and stretches. I think the foot massage was too much. Also ice; 600 mg Ibuprofen 4xday; and Flexaril (muscle relaxer) 5 mg every 8 hours. Today it’s ice, Ibuprofen, elevation, staying off the foot.

  1. Should I stretch the left foot if it is painful to do so? massage it if painful to do so?
  2. Will getting the inflammation down help it heal faster? I have Dexa and Iontopatch supplies left over from a glute med injury. Should I start that up? Continue the Ibuprofen?
  3. Since massage seems to make the foot worse, and the feet arches are wound up tight, would taking the muscle relaxer help?
  4. Is it OK to keep swimming and cycling on the trainer? What about do very light, seated weights (ham, quad curls, lat pulls)?
  5. I see my back PT tomorrow. He does this very painful movement PT (often leaves bruises) and cupping (last time that left bruise for nearly a month). Should I let him anywhere near my foot?

I’m 99.99% certain I’m experiencing some injury to plantar fascia, moderate to severe on left foot, mild on right. On both feet, can feel a thick cord running from heel towards big toe (medial) that is more tender towards the heel. (I rub my feet and this is new.) Push off walking, even with shoes with support, really hurts, as does standing on tip toe. The pain woke me up Sunday am and 4 am last night. It aches and burns along the arch of my foot, even when resting. The pain does not improve, might even get worse, throughout the day,

It may be due to change from motion control shoe with 12mm drop (Asics GT2170) to zero-drop neutral shoe (Altra Torin). Due to moderate severe herniated disc L4/5 I am only walking now, usually about 14-16 miles at a 15:30-16 minute/mile pace on varied terrain. I’ve been gradually mixing in the Altra miles over the last several weeks. (I also light swim/bike 3 x week.) I had not felt any pains with the switch to date, and did my longest walk (just short of 6 miles) in the Altras on Saturday. That walk did include three big hills.

For the past several months, I’ve occasionally felt a burning in my medial left heel, about the size of a quarter, but chalked it up to neural tension. I also have a two year old left high hamstring tear that has not yet completely healed.

Given what I’ve been through my back, the pain is manageable. I just want to manage this next week in the best way possible to minimize the damage.

Crap, crap, crap. The appointment next Monday was supposed to be to set up a walk/run program.

Thanks.

2

not an expert on this, but are you wearing a night splint? Big difference for me throughout the day, especially in the morning, while wearing one. Good luck!

3

I had PF pop up all of a sudden over 4th of July weekend. I went from feeling nothing to not being able to walk at all; I actually fell to the ground when I took my first step in the morning.

I took naproxen, did a lot of stretching, rolled the foot a ton with a frozen water bottle or golf ball, bought shoe inserts from Walgreens and rested the foot. After 2-3 days I was able to walk, albeit uncomfortably. After a week of all the above, I was able to walk without a noticable limp. After 3-4 weeks, I was able to start running again. A month later I have no pain and am back to running daily. I’m still stretching it a few times a day, rolling periodically and massaging it pretty hard each morning.

I tried the special PF sock, but couldn’t sleep in it.

4

thanks. I can sleep on my stomach, with my feet hanging down between the end of the mattress and the footboard, which sort of does the same thing.

5

THe funny thing is, I don’t get/didn’t have the “first step in the morning pain.” In fact, it actually gets worse as the day gets longer. And this morning I woke up and if felt much better, and at least I’m able to walk, so I’m not so freaked out by it. I am a bit worried, though, that it may be more related to the HNP than to PF. Guess my doc will have to sort that out. In the meantime, I’m alternating heat and ice, and lots of ibuprofen, and I’ll swim and bike, but not walk until I see the doc.

6

Rolling one of those green rubz balls did the trick for me. Had to do it 3-4 times a day, for 10-15 mins. Also runners lunge stretches helped somewhat - but mainly it is the deep tissue thing that you get from the rubz ball.