I tore my plantar fascia approx. 5 weeks ago. I was wondering if anyone else had a similar injury and how long it took to get back to running. I ordered EZ runner orthotics, any feedback on them would also be appreciated. I am training for the great floridian full and am starting to get nervous!!!
Do you mean “tore” as in separation?
Yes, it separated from the heel, not a complete tear but partial. I should state here that if you have plantar fasciitis DO NOT get a cortizone shot!!! I was at a race and approx 25 meters from the finish I heard a pop come out of my left foot and I went down like a ton of bricks. I was able to get up and finish. I had PF previously and went to a podiatrist. I should have made sure he had worked with runners before. He treated me with a cortizone shot. Sure enough 3 weeks later I poped it. I have since changed doctors and he explained to me why it poped. The new doc also took me off the muscle relaxers. My foot is feeling much better now but dont want to risk further injury by running too soon. But Aqua jogging is so boring!
I guess, count yourself lucky. I had plantar fascitis a few years ago, but mine actually pulled my heel bone apart instead of tearing the tendon. You could see my heel bone split in two, and the tendon intact. I was in a cast for about 4 weeks, and light workouts after that.
My husband (Joe Bonness) had the exact same injury, with a stress fracture of the cuboid bone too,at St Anthony’s in April. He saw a podiatrist who gave him exercises and a night splint, but was only getting slight improvement. At 1/2IM Disney in May he went to the race barely able to run 2 miles. He met with Cassidy of TP Massage (http://www.tpmassageball.com) who treated him the day before the race. He ran the 13.2 in little pain. He was able to get back to building up his mileage and do the IM at Roth Germany July 4th in 9:18. I recommend you contact them and give it a try. He continues to use the massage ball exercises and the night splint with no pain at all now.
Good Luck,
Support Crew
I too had PF for too long and can agree with support crew. Get a night splint. I credit that, along with almost religous stretching, for healing me up.
Thanks for the reply. Joe is a definite inspiration to us all. I will heed your advice immediately.
I tore mine. I took 6 weeks off, but did lots of strength training in the meantime (after swelling and bruising went away). I didn’t wear a night splint, and I don’t wear orthotics. I started back by alternating run/walk and two and half months after the injury, I did a half-ironman, comfortably but still run/walk.
Good luck! I think you can do it if you’ll be patient!
I’ve had PF in both feet battling on and off for 8 years. The night splint was my saviour. Icing often with a frozen waterbottle also helped immensely. That, and the commitment to avoid articificial support in the form of orthotics (my sport doc, a 2:24 marathoner in his day, was deadly against them) and strengthen both feet. They have always been my week link since childhood. Once you get back into training, you should also check the cleat position on your bike shoes and avoid super steep angle riding as this puts lots of pressure on the PF at the top of the pedal stroke. Run with the pose method and take pressure off the heel (hard to believe but true) and use shoes with minimal support (like the Saucony Envy for $35) and actively use your feet instead of having them supported and further weakened by outside assistance (orthotics and oversupportive running shoes).
Support Crew, thanks for the details on Joe. I’ve met him many times at Ironman LP and the guy is a true gem in this sport. Wish him the best in his recovery 
Good luck.
Dev
How long was it before Joe started running after the injury?
He was off it completely for a week, and then only slow miles for 3 weeks before he got the “footballer” from massageball at Disney 1/2 May 23rd. After that he went from 4 mile runs slower than normal. Then he increaded 10% running every other day, building up until a one week taper into IM in Roth July 4th. He says he had very little pain after Disney. If you want Joe’s email, send me a private message.
Support Crew
haven’t actually tried the ez runners but based on thier adds they sound like a combination cushioned gel, support orthotic. Usually if you’re using the orthotic route which most people do you want to go with a harder more supportive orthotic. Stay away from orthotics like the Your Sole (not knock as they are great, but not for plantar) which have a really foward arch placement and the cushioned variety which make the shoe feel nice and soft but provide little suport. Go for somethign like Superfeet green capsules with a little farther back arch placement and a raise across the medial and lageral arch. They will place more support right at the attatchment point by the heel. Or even better yet, find a GOOD pedorthist or podiatrist and get some custom orthotics. Nightsplint studies look really promising although I haven’t used one. Cortisone only if desperate as you already found out. Stretch and make sure your shoes don’t flex at the midfoot. Strengthening your feet as devanish paul suggested should work as well but will probably take more time and adaptation. It might be worth it in the long run, but I used the more traditional method when I got PF last year and it worked great.
Well it happened again, I have been building my mileage back up slowly but today I think I overdid it. At about mile 4 I started getting a dull pain on the outside of my injured foot. Then not 10 seconds later I heard the same pop sound come from the foot only this time from the side instead of the heel. I called my doctor and he didnt seem suprised. He said there was probably some bands still attatched and I snapped them today. I have been following all of the advice to the T but I am starting to get nervous. The race is less than 2 months away. I think I will take it easy this week and hope for the best. Thanks again for all of your help.
Get this…
and get the Tp massage unit. If you can, contact Cassidy to find out where he will be to give you the full workup on how to use it.
What shoes are you running in?
I was running in saucony grid triumphs before and when the first injury occured. My doc told me to get shoes with combi last so i got the brooks adreniline gts 5. I just received the ez runner orthotics. The directions say it will take a couple of weeks break in period. I will post my satisfaction or lack there of.