History: stress fracture in early 2011 in left forefoot.
Running in Newtons with no foot pain at all. Never foot pain in ultra-marathons. From hot to frigid no foot pain running or biking.
Almost every session I swim I have sharp(almost cramp) pain. It is not continuous and it does not seem to be brought on by an aggressive wall push.
Does this have a hydrological origin? Something about the water pressure? Thoughts?
Hydrostatic pressure is very unlikely the cause.
Can you pinpoint the location of pain?
Perhaps it is a cramp?
Always isolated to foot, never above ankle?
Hydrostatic pressure is very unlikely the cause.
Can you pinpoint the location of pain? Similar place to the stress fracture
Perhaps it is a cramp? My left calf cramps occasionally in yoga and sometimes the pool, but I really never cramp any other body part EVER.
Always isolated to foot, never above ankle? Never outside the left forefoot.
I noticed I today “wiggle” my toes while swimming, which I don’t in most other activities. I do lift my toes often for yoga poses and I can do toe squats with no pain.
My ortho suggested based on the stress fracture I would likely have foot arthritis, but I assumed I would notice it outside the pool. If it is helps it is a Y so the water is low 80s…
The stress fx was in what bone of left forefoot? Describe the nature of the foot pain: sharp, dull, throbbing, shooting, etc. What eases the pain while swimming, or afterwards (i.e., can you rub it away or stretch it away?
I know a lot of swimmers – myself included – get foot cramps. I think this can be from pushing off the wall, pointing the feel while swimming, and the kicking motion.
Last year, I had plantar fasciitis that I blame completely on cramps that developed from swimming. That cramping you get could be something similar. I think that doing a wide array of exercises that mimic some of these motions can help: squat jumps, foot stretches, toe separators, picking up a towel with one’s toes, etc.
I agree it’s definitely not water pressure. What is your kicking motion like? Are you a “violent” kicker? And how many kicks per stroke cycle do you take?
I am definitely a pu**y kicker with my legs barely moving just enough so my legs don’t drop. I have a coordination thing so if I start to count what I am doing my counting controls the rhythm.
I am not a violent wall push off guy either.
Unless a cramp feels a lot different in the foot than it does in the calf I am pretty sure it is not a cramp. To me a cramp is a seize vs. this is more a stabbing pain.