The other poster isn’t far off. I live in Colorado so we already have some of the best sports doctors. But besides that, I have really complex issues and end up with the few orthos that can fix them. I also go to that group at the practice initially for any sports injury and have them tell me who to see if that specific ortho doesn’t cover it.
I can’t imagine all the doctors are bad around you, you just need to find the right ones.
Time for a HTFU view point: PF is one of the easiest running nags to fix via stretching or shoe modification… getting MRI for this is a bit ridiculous, there are people walking around with broken bones not getting MRI’s
I had PF for six years that stretching and changing shoes didn’t fix, so that’s why I got it
If I had an ailment for 6 years … then I think a very reasonable suggestion would be to stop doing the very thing that’s causing the ailment.
I have stopped running for a year. It hasn’t gotten better since then
This is why I just start searching Instagram and watching reels for a few minutes to get some ideas.
As long as the ideas aren’t crazy (like plometrics combined with Bulgarian split squats) it’s almost always worth a try and you can quickly get a feel for if the activity is targeting the area.
I had an IT band thing a few years back that I went to a sports physician for and he did a few things and showed me some band stuff. It was helping, but not really. Then I found some random static isometric stretch/body weight movement that took me a dozen tries just to get into the right position to do, and within a couple days, problem gone.
I’m sure it all helped, but some of these clips have a self sorting/rising to the top component to it based on people having success.
It would be amazing if this stuff could be catalogued and indexed for doctors.
At that point its probably not PF, but maybe fractured metatarsal. (i thought it was PF when I had mine, till i got an xray)
Yes.
Though mine was dual knee issue for 5+ years, not PF.
Did extensive research, took a protocol to my GP (from a US orthopod) who agreed I’d seen many Oz experts so worth a try. Problem identified and solved in 6-12 mths.
MRIs and X-rays didn’t show any fractures
I’d be interested to hear details, though I suppose it’s a bit off topic.
It’s a long frustrating story, but to summarise:
Was training for my first IM (Taupo NZ);
On an easy short run tore my left medial meniscus - no warning;
But even before that, was starting to get ‘full, stiff’ sensations in both knees;
Meniscus trim 3-4 weeks after tear;
Within a month, constant burning/stiffness/discolouration in BOTH knees, worse in the one I did not have surgery on;
Tried to keep training but impossible;
Got on the medical appointment merry-go-round - local orthopedic, NRL knee experts, pain specialists. MRIs/X-rays showed good joint separation (i.e. not bone on bone) but patella chondromalacia (but I’d had that and managed it for decades);
By now all physical activity was difficult, could only do short 20min flat walks, swim with buoy & ankles strapped (no kicking), constant pain/burn all day, had to sit with legs out on a box at work, misery & depression;
Was put on Lyrica by pain specialist & had 3x PRP injections - all useless;
Tried acupuncture - useless;
Then the start of the solution - found Richard Bedard’s book ‘Saving My Knees’ - amateur cyclist with exactly same symptoms, and some others on his Blog chat with similar symptoms, all who’d been misguided by medicos;
This lead me to Dr Scott Dye’s work on ‘loss of tissue homeostasis’ - chronic inflammation of knee structures. He’s an orthopedic surgeon in the US who is quite scathing of his own professions propensity to cut (& make thing worse often);
To his credit, my local small town Orthopod who did my meniscus said their profession was in the dark about patella femoral syndrome, but more surgery was NOT the answer;
Took Scott Dye’s protocol to my GP & he agreed def worth a try - which was a long course of anti-inflams (Celebrex for 5-6mths), avoid aggravating activities (much trial & error here), gradually got back to gym for some strengthening (not quad focused, but also hips/glutes);
Finally was able to ride/run again and do Sprint Tris, MTBing after about 6 yrs;
Main problem was chronic synovitis in both knees brought on by overuse. I even asked one ‘expert’ could it be that and he just prodded & said no. But it 100% was the problem;
Lesson is medicos focus on structural issues, but this was essentially a biochemical issue caused by years of pushing knees beyond their ‘envelope of function’ until they can hardly bear anything (inflammation = overload of inflammatory proteins such as cytokines);
Key symptoms are burning/pain/stiffness/discolouration/heat, but MRIs/X-rays etc. show no obvious structural issues. But most doctors will always go for the obvious structural things (i.e. cartilage damage - which can be a factor, but addressing that through surgery is not always the best solution);
The other thing (which I note is now changing) is the belief that knee cartilage cannot heal. That is not entirely true. Some of it can, but it takes time/patience/care. My wife’s torn meniscus story is proof, and I’m pretty sure I have some more minor tears which come and go. And my kneecap cartilage does the same.
Yep, my podiatrist basically refused to consider anything else besides plantar fasciitis
Maybe there was a typo on their certificate? Instead of Podiatrist, it was supposed to be Proctologist? Cuz the Dr is an asshole
Million to one shot, Doc. Million to one!
No, that’s just the state of modern medicine. And so many people unironically try to defend this
So what do I do if doctors have failed me?
Sadly, like many things these days, you have to educate yourself about the injury.
I found my best source of info & comfort was people who had identical symptoms, what had worked/not worked for them and their links to medicos without tunnel vision.
And I went deep down the rabbit hole, to the extent that other triathletes thought I was ignoring ‘expert’ advice. I wasn’t, it’s just the experts did not have the answer and in my case completely mis-diagnosed.
My wife likely saved our 7yo daughters life in 2020 (burst appendix) when the dismissive ER staff were calling it ‘just a bladder infection, her white cell count off the charts. Wife suggested they do a urine test - which was negative. Daughter was going in and out of consciousness in the waiting room.
Finally they called the surgeon who had one tiny prod & said “surgery NOW!”.
BTW I’m from a medical family.
Might be time to ask him or your insurance company for a referral to another if possible, preferably in Podiatry group, they usually have one that specializes in sports, one diabetic issues, one routine stuff.
Mom always knows best.
Our best family practioner had 7 kids himself and always said that. Mom’s instincts should always be listened to.
